Boston, MD -- The 215-year-old USS Constitution returned to open water Sunday for the first time since turning 200 years old.
The Navy ship set sail for the first time since 1997 to commemorate its victory over the HMS Guerriere during the War of 1812. It returned to open water during an underway demonstration.
Matt Bonner, the historic ship's 72nd commanding officer said the event will bring together the Constitution's past and present. The sail will honor the first time a U.S. ship defeated a Royal
Navy warship of a similar size and the battle where the Constitution gained the nickname "Old Ironsides."
The ship's permanent home is at the Charlestown Naval Yard and welcomes more than 500,000 visitors each year to learn about its history.