Jul 4, 2006 5:19 pm US/Eastern
New Citizens Sworn In On Old Ironsides
by Bill Shields
BOSTON (CBS4) ―
Old Ironsides took her traditional 4th of July cruise Tuesday, turning around in Boston Harbor. The U.S.S. Constitution is the oldest commissioned ship in the Navy.
This year a few of the passengers on board for the turnaround came back with a new title, U.S. citizen.
Amid the pomp and ceremony of the annual turnaround, there was business to attend to – the business of growing our nation. Ten new Americans were sworn in as citizens.
Sgt. Denver Benjamin has already served in the Army for seven years. He is originally from St. Kitts, and now he is an American citizen and can be deployed overseas.
"I'm proud to be an American today, and I'm proud to serve in the American army," Benjamin told CBS4's Bill Shields.
The Pastamatta family of India proudly displayed their American flag, and they know what it stands for. "Freedom is absolutely the best thing," Madhavi Pastamatta said, after being sworn in.
"I live in this country. I work in this country, and I want to be part of this society," said Magnus Bernhardsson, originally of Iceland.
In all, ten people pledged their allegiance.
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