Fleet Week officially kicked off Sunday in San Francisco with full pomp and circumstance, returning to normal after a government shutdown forced a heavily scaled-back event last year. The opening event at Pier 30 featured an unusual swearing-in ceremony led by San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie, ma rking his first time officially kicking off the annual celebration alongside members of the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard. “Young people from San Francisco and across the Bay Area will raise their right hand and take an oath to serve the United States of America,” Mayor Lurie said during the ceremony. Recruits from across the Bay Area stood at attention for the national anthem before taking their oath. Among them was the son of Mountain View resident Patricia Cremer, who is joining the U.S. Navy. “He said, ‘I’m finally gonna do what I really want to do, so that makes me happy,'” Cremer said. When asked what he wanted to do, she replied, “He wants to serve his country and he wants to be on a submarine.” Last year’s event was severely impacted when a congressional budget battle and government shutdown barred the military from participating. “Last year the Navy and Marine Corps planned to celebrate our own 250th birthday here with you,” said Rear Adm. David J. Faehnle of the U.S. Navy. “But events beyond our control changed that plan. And we had spent months developing that. Well, we’re happy to be back.” With the budget standoff resolved in Congress, this year’s 45th annual Fleet Week brings back the full suite of traditions, including a parade of ships, neighborhood military band concerts, and the return of the Blue Angels. The Blue Angels arrived in the Bay Area, with practice flights scheduled to begin Thursday ahead of the main airshows starting Friday. Meanwhile, the USS Cape Saint George arrived over the weekend, and ships participating in the event will open for public tours starting Wednesday. Neighborhood concerts by Navy and Marine musicians also kick off Tuesday. “Those musicians, they’re a far cry from studio musicians,” said Lt. Joseph Baba of the U.S. Navy Reserve. “They’re really quite good and quite enthusiastic.” Organizers are anticipating a large turnout for the milestone week of events. The event will run until Oct. 12 at various locations and times across the city. ...read more read less