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REDWOOD CITY TRIBUNE
Thursday evening, July 3, 1975

City Welcomes Schenectady Crew

By DENISE SIEBENTHAL Tribune Staff Writer

With a circus-style calliope tooting its approach, Redwood City's 36th annual Fourth of July parade will wind through downtown Redwood City starting at 10:30 a.m. tomorrow.
The parade tops a long schedule of activities awaiting holiday celebrants. Tomorrow's events culminate in what is billed as the largest fireworks display in Northern California, held in Redwood City. 

And today, as preparations for parade and fireworks were con­cluding, a large U.S. Navy vessel slid into the Port of Redwood City where it will receive visitors throughout the holiday weekend. 

Tomorrow's parade will be preceded by a foot race for all ages along the parade route, starting at 9:30 a.m. in front of the County Government Center on Marshall Street. 

Parade dignitaries include Grand Marshall "Sheriff" Joe Higgins of television commercial fame; Official Greeter Ferris Miles, Redwood City civic leader; Miss California, Janet Jay Carr of Pomona Valley, and Miss Redwood City, Denise Gallardo.
Assemblyman Dixon Arnett, Redwood City Mayor Ray Weymouth, several San Mateo County supervisors and armed forces : representatives also will be on parade, as will 30 floats and 200 marching units.

Other holiday activities: 

Redwood City

10 a.m. to 4 p.m. — The U.S.S. Schenectady, a landing ship transport (LSTA) of the Newport class, will be open for public inspection at. the Port of Redwood City. The ship also will be open at the same hours, Saturday and Sunday.

Naval Ship for 4th

One of the U.S. Navy's newest assault vessels, the USS Schenectady, slid into the Port of Redwood City this morning and prepared for three days of hosting visitors.

The 522-foot craft, only. five years old, is described by Navy spokesmen as the "most efficient means of landing tanks, combat vehicles and artillery under assault conditions."

Sixteen Redwood City dignitaries— representatives of city governmenti the chamber of commerce and local industry — rode the Schenectady in her three-day journey from San Diego to Redwood City.

Unlike the relatively small, flat-nosed LSTs used in World War II, the Schenectady (officially listed as LST-1185) is powered by six huge engines and uses a 35-ton bow ramp to land combat vehicles or troops.

It is capable of over 22 knots. The Schenectady carries a crew of about 250.