Huge crowds pack downtown waterfront - 13abc.com Toledo (OH) News, Weather and Sports

Thousands are packing into downtown Toledo to get a glimpse at Navy warships from the past and present. It's all part of Toledo Navy Week which runs through Sunday.

It's not often you have a chance to get on board the warships and talk to the crew, as well as see what it takes to operate the massive machines. People were willing to wait quite a long time for that opportunity on Friday. In fact, some were in line for more than an hour, but they all say it was well worth the wait.

The lines were winding through a parking lot and down the street as people waited for a behind the scenes look at some of the Navy's warships. Pat Hopple came downtown with her daughter and two grandchildren, "It's fun just to stand here at the fences and look at them, even if you can't wait to get on board."

Warren Gerweck came from Monroe to see the USS De Wert, a ship he has a close connection to. He served in combat with the man the guided missile frigate was named after, "I was in Korea with him. I was in combat with him the day I was wounded, he was killed."

Rudy Chapa served on board a Navy Destroyer during the Cuban missile crisis. He says the biggest differences between this ship and the one he served on is the technology and the size.

He got a lot of recognition today as he wore a hat honoring the ship he served on, "A lot of people are thanking us veterans for the service and that's nice. It's nice to hear that people are proud of us, and those of us that served are proud too."

The USS De Wert returned from a counter piracy operation off the coast of Somalia earlier this year. The frigate is also used in the war on drugs, but Commanding Officer Joseph Thomas says as we mark the Bicentennial of the war of 1812, it's interesting to note what they do today isn't much different than what sailors did then, "What the sailors did 200 years ago and today it's almost the same we are still protecting the seas and keeping free trade moving."

Docked right alongside the USS De Wert is it's Canadian cousin, the Ville de Quebec. The ship has also worked counter-piracy missions off the coast of Somalia. Lt. Nikita Kovaloff is the navigator "We are a multi-purpose frigate so we can conduct anti-air, anti-service and submarine warfare."

The ships are making other stops in Great Lakes ports, but the Navy expects the turnout in Toledo to be among the biggest of all its stops. The ships will be here all weekend and it's all free.