George Leone leading the charge for Homecoming 250 Navy Marine Corps festivities

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Paid Sponsor Partnership: Philadelphia Corporation for Aging

George Leone was looking to get the Battleship New Jersey involved in the nation's 250th birthday celebrations in 2026, when he came up with a big idea to highlight Philadelphia's rich military history in 2025.

"The Navy and the Marine Corps should celebrate their birthdays by coming back to their birthplace," says Leone, President of Homecoming 250 Navy Marine Corps. "People liked the idea, and we took it to all 14 living secretaries of the Navy, and they all said yes."

Leone led the charge, getting folks to join up for the volunteer-run Homecoming 250 Navy Marine Corps organization. He says he wanted to make sure there was "a really big celebration" here.

"We wanted to seize the semiquincentennial spotlight for Philadelphia," he says. "And we wanted to really show them our support."

Leone's patriotism was imparted early on. His father, Joseph Leone, was in the U.S. Navy.

"I always greatly admired his World War II service," he says. "The Navy took him across the country and changed his life."

Although Leone himself never served, a lifelong love of aviation took flight.

"I would have followed him in his footsteps as a naval aviator if I could have had perfect vision, but I didn't, so I went off and became a lawyer instead," he says.

His long career in law ended with him serving as an appellate judge in New Jersey, where he says he heard cases "all throughout the state." Shortly after retiring in the fall of 2018, he was off and running with Homecoming 250.

"I joked with my wife that I had managed to create a full-time, unpaid job for myself," he says.

He assembled a team of volunteers for the event.

"The big events are on October 9th through the 16th," he says. "It's the national celebration for both the Navy and Marine Corps' 250th birthdays."

Besides those eight days in October, there will also be five days of events in November from the 7th to the 11th.

"It's a great lineup," he says. "This is a patriotic celebration. It's to remind us what unites us."

City guides are giving military history tours and museums have exhibitions highlighting achievements. Leone hopes the sweeping celebration has a lasting impact.

"Remember what they are doing right now. Remember what they did," he says. "It's something to be proud of."

Be sure to tune into 6abc for our coverage of all the Homecoming 250 events, including the parade on Monday, October 13 starting at 11:30 am.

For more information:
Homecoming 250 Navy Marine Corps
Link to Schedule of Events