‘Meet the Fleet at 32nd Street’ returns to Naval Base San Diego

NATIONAL CITY, Calif. (KGTV) — Fleet Week San Diego returned Saturday morning, offering the public an up-close look at daily life in the Navy.
Hundreds gathered at Naval Base San Diego for the “Meet the Fleet on 32nd Street” event, one of the opening activities for Fleet Week San Diego, which runs through next weekend.
“The Navy is a great place. We want to show it off—it’s a great career field,” Lt. Commander Charles Johnson told ABC 10News.
Johnson said he enjoys welcoming visitors to the base. “It’s a good opportunity for people who have lived here their entire lives and never been on the installation to see what we do,” he said.
The event included food, live music, demonstrations, and ship tours. Commanding Officer Capt. Robert Heely noted it was the first time in over two years that the base opened its gates to the public.
“We have an immersive virtual reality simulation that lets you go inside a ship underway to experience what it’s like to be at sea, conducting operations over the horizon,” Heely said.
While the event aimed to help the community learn more about the Navy, organizers also hoped to inspire the next generation.