Posted on 07/04/2015 1:35:08 PM PDT by PROCON
Today, America celebrates it's 239th birthday, but do you remember our Bicentennial celebration, July 4, 1976?
Come on you older FReepers, and you know who you are.
Where were you and what did you do that day, 39 years ago.
I was already out of the Army by over 2 years, and either in Texas, or California. I don’t remember it.
In the navy
Yes, you can sail the seven seas
In the navy
Yes, you can put your mind at ease
In the navy
JULY 3 & 4 1976 NY Harbor Bicentential Tall Ships & Fire Works - VIDEO
Remember it like it was yesterday. Drove into Manhattan from LI and spent the day watching Op Sail (see video) from the rooftop of a friend's apartment building. After dinner, we joined the throng headed over to the river to watch the Macy's Fireworks spectacular. Afterwards, it was a "sea of humanity" that transported us out of the park and back into Midtown Manhattan. Worth all the effort.
My husband and I took our two sons to see the Tall Ships in Newport, Rhode Island.
I was on the Charles River, in a 40 foot boat, opposite the Esplanade, where the Boston Pops were to play.
About a half million people were there.
When they played the 1812 Overture, all the church bells in Boston were ringing. On the banks of the Charles, in Cambridge, howitzers were stationed.
There was a continuous battle between the boats on the river, and the people on the shore, shooting Roman Candles and skyrockets at each other.
I hope I’m around for the 250th...
I thought [at the time] my idea was quite *original*......turns out there were hundreds, if not thousands of others, with the same idea.
I organized a quilting bee to make a Bicentennial applique quilt for our town. We depicted noteworthy hometown places, buildings and events that reflected the relatively small town of 2,500.
The process was quite wonderful ...the results beautiful. We presented the quilt to the first selectman as part of 1976 Homecoming Parade.
[sorry, I have no pix to post ;( ...wish I did...sniff]
I should add that, while we awaited the concert, we read in the Boston Globe of the incredible exploits of the Israeli Defense Forces in their successful Raid on Entebbe...
I was there with you, then down to watch the ships on 70 something floor.
I kept the coffee makers going at the annual Fourth of July fly in breakfast. Later that day I and a pal took the trainer (N18528) up and watched fireworks from the plane.
Ah, the Binghamton area - my husbands home town. I was born in nearby Endicott. Both formerly very nice safe places, both are sh!t holes now. Welfare, and drugs. I used to go boating on Cayuga for years, but what I liked best was the view of the lake as one crested the hill leading down into Ithaca. The lake looks tilted in a weird optical illusion, but only just for a few seconds as you head down that hill.
I was in CA in ‘76. Had just gotten a newfangled “frosting” done to my hair - it was all the rage. Looked rather stupid, but I thought it was great. I remember all the hoopla, and all sorts of Bicentennial activities being announced by the news programs, but I can’t recall if we actually did anything. I do remember that coins were minted with 1776-1976 dates, and everyone wanted those.
I was on duty with the 436th Military Airlift Wing, 436th Supply Squadron, Storage and Issues, Warehouse Supervisor, Dover AFB, De.
I remember it well ... I was at the Washington Monument Mall with my family from 3pm to 11pm. I remember that the lines to the PortaPotties was SO-O-O-O LONG that you had to get in line for the potty an hour before you got something to drink.
Ray Barracks, Friedberg, Germany, with C/2-27 Field Artillery, 3rd Bde, 3rd Armored Division. We were probably having a cook out in the family housing area in Bad Nauheim or on post.
I was there too! So there were at least two FReepers there that night!
I was with A 6/10 FA.
FADACS HO!
Fort Benning, GA. It’s still called Fort Benning this week, isn’t it?
BTW, you weren't one those airborne types, were you?
Well, I'm here at Fort Hood, and it's still called "Fort Hood". I guess if they change the name, it will have to be "Fort Thomas" ... after all, he was the one who cleaned Hood's clock at Nashville.
Yes. I was a 13E FDC and in the fall of 76 I became a 13E Recon Sgt and got to do my forward observing off of a M-60A2 tank. My battery was short one 2LT FO, so I got to spend 2 years attached to a tank company as its FO. I got to go to the field with my artillery battalion AND with the tank battalion I was attached to.
I was in a little house in Anchorage, AK, where my husband was serving in the Air Force at Elmendorf. Little did we realize the country would be DOA 40 years later.
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