SEPTEMBER 5, 2025 – The summer sun bakes the cobblestones of Independence Mall in Philadelphia, where visitors shuffle between the Liberty Bell Center and Independence Hall. The air hums with conversation in a dozen languages, punctuated by the excited laughter of children and the distant sounds of a horse-drawn carriage.
It is here, in the heart of America’s founding story, that the Navy’s legacy meets the public in a powerful new way.
Sailors from Naval Supply Systems Command Weapon Systems Support have been stepping onto this historic stage in partnership with the National Park Service. Together, they are bringing the Navy’s 250-year story into the daily lives of thousands of visitors who flock to the area each week.
What began as an opportunity for outreach quickly blossomed into a relationship that benefits both organizations. For NPS, it offers a living connection between the city’s colonial past and the service members who safeguard its freedoms today.
For NAVSUP WSS, headquartered just miles away in northeast Philadelphia, it provides a chance to showcase the Navy’s enduring mission in the very place where America’s earliest military forces were organized.
“This partnership with NPS allows us to educate the public on the mission of the Navy and highlight Philadelphia as the historic birthplace of our service,” said Navy Master Chief Petty Officer Chris Fitzgerald, command master chief of NAVSUP WSS. “Celebrating the 250th birthday of the Navy and Marine Corps in this setting creates a meaningful opportunity to connect with the community.”
For visitors, the encounters are often unexpected. Strolling through Independence Mall, they may come across uniformed sailors standing beside NPS rangers, sharing stories of service, history and sacrifice. The smell of pretzels from nearby food carts mixes with the sight of naval displays and the sound of sailors describing how NAVSUP WSS sustains warfighters around the world.
Families pause to ask questions. Veterans stop to shake hands. International tourists walk away with a deeper respect for the professionalism of the U.S. military.
One of the key components of this outreach is physical activity. The NPS “Healthy Parks, Healthy People” initiative promotes parks as places for improving community health through active recreation. Likewise, NAVSUP WSS sailors emphasize physical readiness as a core element of service.
A pushup challenge quickly became a centerpiece of the day, drawing a circle of laughter and encouragement on the cobblestones. Sailors drop to the ground beside children and tourists, inviting them to test their strength while park rangers cheer from the sidelines.
By the end of the event, more than 25,000 collective movements had been tallied — each one a nod to the Navy and Marine Corps’ 250th birthday and a reminder that fitness is a shared value.
Among the participants was Nicholas, 14.
“I love the national parks and the military. It’s nice to see them together in one place,” he said proudly, noting his father is a Marine.
Nearby, Jason, a 15-year-old visiting from England, lowered himself beside a sailor for his very first pushup with the U.S. military.
“I’ve never seen a U.S. service member in person before,” he said afterward. “I’ll never forget doing a pushup with them.”
The outreach has proven to be more than just a public information booth. For the sailors of NAVSUP WSS, it is an important way to build connections with the local community. In close proximity to Independence Hall, they are reminded that the same city that gave birth to the Declaration of Independence also gave birth to the Navy and Marine Corps.
“Visiting the Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia was a valuable experience that strengthened the U.S. Navy’s connection with the community,” said Navy Capt. Anthony Bannister, NAVSUP WSS director of aviation operations. “Celebrating the Navy and Marine Corps’ 250th birthday in such a historic setting highlights the importance of shared heritage. These partnerships create opportunities to honor our traditions while engaging with the public in meaningful ways.”
According to Jason A. Thompson, NPS event coordinator and Navy veteran, the collaboration helped visitors connect Philadelphia’s historic role in America’s early military with the mission of today’s armed forces.
Each interaction leaves an impression: children wide-eyed at the chance to meet real sailors, parents thankful for the opportunity to introduce military service to their families, veterans moved to share their own stories. For NPS, it deepens the visitor experience. For the Navy, it strengthens community ties while honoring the sacrifices of those who came before.
The result is a partnership that is both practical and symbolic. On a practical level, it delivers outreach to one of the most visited historic sites in the nation. Symbolically, it knits together the Navy’s past and present on the very ground where the American experiment in liberty began.
As the Navy and Marine Corps prepare to celebrate their 250th anniversaries, the sight of sailors and civilians side by side with park rangers, sends a powerful message: America’s story is not static. It is alive, carried forward by those who serve and shared with those who come to listen.
By Alexzander William Johnson, Naval Supply Systems Command, Weapons Systems Support