Sailors have been coming home to San Diego for more than 75 years. And nothing is as much a part of San Diego’s history and heritage as Navy homecomings.
But like everything else here in this pandemic year, the homecoming of the USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier was different than all the other homecomings through the many decades.
Normally, hundreds and hundreds of family and friends are anxiously waiting dockside, to greet their loved ones after months and months of separation and the emotional stress that goes with it.
But as those thousands of sailors manned the rails and the huge warship made its way from the mouth of San Diego Bay to the pier at Naval Base Coronado, it looked different. Thanks to the coronavirus of 2020.
No crowds of cheering and tear-filled families looking up from where the sailors would disembark. Instead they were lined up inside their cars.And instead of loved ones and sailors running into each other’s arms as they got off the ship for a long awaited embrace, each of the crew members walked alone out to the vehicles where their families were waiting.
Yet in a way, this homecoming, while different, was still special.
The 6,000 sailors had made it back to San Diego after going through a massive outbreak of the virus on their ship and a change in command after their captain was fired, a captain who was cheered by the crew as he left.
It was indeed an emotional Navy homecoming and maybe one of the best San Diego has ever seen, even if it was a little different.
WATCH BELOW: Commanding Officer speaks after arrival.
(Photo credit reporting partner 10News)