Mayor Reinert proclaims July 1st, United States Navy Day in Duluth
It is Navy Week in Duluth, as the United States Navy will be in our community for the week. Duluth Navy Week hosts special events and programs across the city, inviting people to meet and interact with the serving Naval members.
RELATED: Chatting all things Navy Week with the Navy Band Fairwinds
Navy personnel travel from all over the world, as this year’s crew from the USS Minnesota Virginia submarine made the trip from Guam to Duluth. The special events and ceremonies they attend aim to increase the knowledge and understanding of our Navy and its global mission. The mayor of Duluth gave a proclamation to start the week as the United States Navy ceremonial guard honored fallen shipmates for the Navy’s 250th birthday.
We spoke with the Captain of the USS Minnesota, Jeffery Cornielle, about his crew’s experience for the week. Serving in the Navy for the last 25 years, Captain Cornielle said that it was an honor and privilege to be here for this week. Duluth Navy Week is one of fifteen weeks honored across the country this year. “I think it’s important,” he said. “Because our ability, being forward deployed and being thousands of miles away from Minnesota, our namesake, it is a challenging thing to do to be able to come back and bring some sailors back to meet. It is important that we remember what we’re doing and why we’re doing it.”
To follow along with the events and ceremonies the Navy will be in attendance for, check the Navy Office of Community Outreach’s website
Reinert’s Proclamation
Mayor Roger Reinert met with officers and Navy personnel outside the USS Duluth (LPD 6) Anchor on the Lake Walk to give an official proclamation to start the week. His proclamation is shown below.
“We’ve not had, I shared with the admiral yesterday, we have not had a Navy Week of this size and scope since we dedicated the anchor for the USS Duluth a little over 10 years ago. So extra special to be here on this spot this morning, kind of recognizing the history and heritage that the Navy has in Duluth. Not only having a namesake ship for our community, an active crew alumni who wishes to have another ship named the USS Duluth, but also a strong maritime tradition that continues with the Port of Duluth and all of the shipping activity that you will see throughout your visit here. So thank you all for being here. Thank you for all the activities we’re going to have this week. Know that you will leave a lasting impact. I’ve already talked to a young woman who had an interaction with some Blue Angels crew when they arrived on Sunday and she told her mom that she might think about the Navy instead of the Army. So mission accomplished shipmates.
Mayor Roger Reinert
With that, it is my great honor to read this proclamation and present it to Admiral Brown.
Whereas the city of Duluth is honored genuinely to have the presence of the United States Navy in our community over the course of this week. And whereas the state of Minnesota is home for over 3,000 active duty sailors and an additional 500 plus Navy reservists and more than 4,000 Navy retirees.
And whereas the United States Navy is instrumental in ensuring the safety and security of nearly $27 billion in annual exports for the state of Minnesota, most of which flows through the Port of Duluth. And whereas the citizens of Duluth and Minnesota take great pride in supporting all of our military service members, all of our Navy affiliates and our namesake vessels like the USS Minneapolis, St. Paul and the USS Minnesota.
And whereas Duluth Navy Week hosts special events and programs for the city in order to increase the community’s knowledge and understanding of their Navy and its global mission.
Duluth Navy Week includes numerous public events such as free concerts by the Navy Band, Great Lakes, displays, historical demonstrations and additional performances like multiple leapfrog jumps into some of our great community assets.
It is therefore my great pleasure as Mayor of the City of Duluth to officially proclaim today, July 1st, 2025 as United States Navy Day in the City of Duluth.”