NEW ORLEANS — The sounds of ship horns and ceremonial salutes echoed across the New Orleans waterfront this week as the city marked the first stop of Sail 250, a nationwide celebration marking America’s 250th anniversary.

Tall ships and military vessels from around the world docked along the Mississippi River as part of the months-long maritime celebration, offering the public a look inside ships that are rarely open to visitors.

Among them is the USCGC Eagle. It’s known as “America’s Tall Ship,” a 295-foot training vessel and the only active square-rigger in U.S. government service.

Stepping aboard the Eagle feels like stepping back in time.

With 23 sails, six miles of rigging and roughly 150 Coast Guard trainees on board, life aboard the ship still runs the old-fashioned way. Cadets climb towering masts, work the rigging by hand and train high above the deck while learning the fundamentals of seamanship.

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Below deck sits another reminder of America’s history, a newspaper printing of the Declaration of Independence.

“Back then, the best technology was the newspaper broadside, a single printed page,” said Seth Kaller, an expert in historical documents. “What people needed to hear, to be able to read, is the text of the Declaration of Independence. And this is how somebody in 1776 would have experienced the Declaration of Independence.”

The Eagle serves as a training ground for future Coast Guard officers, teaching leadership, teamwork and technical seamanship skills.

“And for 80 years, since 1946, this ship has sailed with the future officers of the United States Coast Guard,” said Capt. Christopher Ensley, commanding officer of the USCGC Eagle. “Teaching leadership, teamwork, technical skills like seamanship and navigation and frankly, getting them salty, getting them ready to serve at sea.”

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That training eventually leads to ships like the USCGC Mohawk, where Coast Guard crews carry out modern-day missions ranging from migrant interdictions to drug enforcement operations.

“We have two small boats on board that we pretty much use on a daily basis and that help us do all of our missions that we can’t quite accomplish just on a larger boat,” said Ensign Riley Thorburn aboard the Mohawk.

But Sail 250 is not just showcasing history. It’s also highlighting modern military life at sea.

Docked nearby is the USS Kearsarge, an amphibious assault ship home to nearly 3,000 sailors and Marines during deployment, including about 1,250 sailors and 1,800 Marines. Inside, the ship functions like a floating city, with pilots, flight crews, cooks, doctors and firefighters all working around the clock while deployed around the world. 

“Every sailor is a firefighter to a certain extent,” said Damage Controlman Allison Anutta during a firefighting demonstration aboard the Kearsarge.

Fox News embedded with sailors and Marines during the ship’s journey into New Orleans, getting a firsthand look at daily life, including suiting up in firefighting gear used during emergency response drills.

The ship’s firefighting capability is part of a broader mission set that extends far beyond combat operations. The Kearsarge can be configured to carry around eight F-35 aircraft depending on mission requirements and supports a wide range of deployments, from humanitarian response to combat readiness.

Onboard is also a 39-person Fleet Surgical Team responsible for stabilizing and treating patients at sea.

“We are a microcosm of the American population,” said Cmdr. Timothy Brooks, senior medical officer aboard the ship. “All the chronic health issues that happen in America are also over here… and so we’re doing everything we can to maintain just good general health.”

Other crew members described the versatility and pride of their roles.

“We rescue, we protect, and we deliver, on a moment’s notice anywhere in the world,” Naval Air Crewman Bryan Morch explained. 

The arrival in New Orleans also featured ceremonial moments, including a 21-gun salute and the sound of ship horns echoing along the Mississippi River as the fleet marked the start of the national celebration.

For Marines aboard the ship, the mission is rooted in service and sacrifice.

“Greater love is no man than he who would lay his life down for a friend,” U.S. Marine Grace Shneider quoted from the book of John in the Bible. “When I think of the military, that’s what I think of.”

As America approaches its 250th anniversary, crew members said they view their work as part of a continuing legacy of service and history.

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“Anybody who wants to raise the right hand to serve the country… they can’t help but appreciate the history of great things that have gone before,” Cmdr. Brooks said.

The Sail 250 fleet will continue its journey up the East Coast with upcoming stops in Norfolk, Baltimore, New York and Boston as celebrations continue nationwide.