Updated

Democratic National Convention headliner John Kerry plans to make his grand entrance into Boston late Wednesday morning via water taxi.

The convention is steeped in the image of Kerry's service in Vietnam, and the pending nominee's arrival will fit the theme. Kerry, who commanded a Navy swift boat in the Vietnam War, will travel across Boston harbor to Charlestown Navy Yard with several of his former crewmates.

Kerry will hold a rally upon his arrival.

The Charlestown Navy Yard closed in 1974, but part of it has become a national park. It is home of the USS Constitution, the oldest commissioned ship afloat in the world.

Kerry was campaigning Tuesday night in Philadelphia, the largest city in the delegate-rich battleground of Pennsylvania. Democrat Al Gore won the state in 2000, and Kerry holds an edge in the polls despite President Bush's frequent visits to the state.