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USS Constitution Circles Boston Harbor To Mark 200th Anniversary

BOSTON (CBS/AP) — The USS Constitution took a journey in Boston Harbor to mark the anniversary of its October 1797 launching.

The ship floated through the harbor Friday, with crew members firing off gun salutes in front of Fort Independence on Castle Island and the former site of the shipyard where it was built.

The gun salutes consisted of 17 shots, one for the ship, and 16 more representing the number of U.S. states when the vessel launched on Oct. 21, 1797.

Berthed in Charlestown, the ship is known as the world's oldest commissioned warship afloat.

It earned its nickname "Old Ironsides" after winning a battle against the British during the War of 1812.

(TM and © Copyright 2012 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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