By Toby Harnden In Washington

PUBLISHED:14:31 EST, 12  September 2012| UPDATED:15:53 EST, 12 September 2012

Organisers of the Democratic National  Convention have said sorry for using an image of Soviet-era Russian warships as  a backdrop for a tribute to veterans at last week’s party gathering in  Charlotte, North Carolina.

The vessels were shown on a large screen  behind 50 veterans who stood on the stage on September 6th during a presentation  by retired Admiral John Nathman.

‘Due to vendor error, incorrect images  appeared briefly on screen behind fifty-one veterans during the convention and  the DNCC apologizes for this mistake,’ a Democratic National Convention  Committee spokeswoman said in a statement to the Navy Times.

 

Oops: Retired Navy Admiral John B. Nathman speaks on  stage with military veterans during the final day of the Democratic National  Convention in front of Soviet-era Russian warships

 

Mix-up: The Soviet-era Russian warships that appeared  onscreen during the Democratic National Convention are believed to be part of  the Russian Black Sea Fleet

‘This error should not distract from the  words of Admiral Nathman and others who spoke to President Obama’s strong record  on issues that impact those who have served our nation.’

But the  DNC  took the opportunity  to knock at Mitt Romney’s speech at last month’s Republican National Convention  in Tampa, Florida.

‘We’re proud of the service and sacrifice of  our veterans and military families,’ the statement said. ‘And while they were an  important and active part our of convention, Mitt Romney failed to even mention  them in his speech in Tampa.’

The rogue warships, believed to be part of  the Russian Black Sea Fleet, were first noticed by Rob Barker, a former naval  electronics warfare technician, who contacted the Navy Times.

Naval historians spoken to by the Navy Times  confirmed the background showed four ships ‘with radar designs not used’ by  American warships.

‘The ships are definitely Russian,’   Norman Polmar, a naval author told the Navy Times after  reviewing photos from the event. ‘There’s no question of that in my  mind.

 

Embarrassing: Naval historians confirmed the background  showed four ships ‘with radar designs not used’ by American warships

 

Mistake: The warships used incorrectly at the Democratic  National Convention are similar to those in the image above of the Russian  Federation frigate Pytliviy and cruiser Moskva, part of the Black Sea fleet  pictured in 2005

 

This U.S. Destroyer the USS Gonzales is the looks  similar to that of the Russian Black Sea fleet. The mistake was spotted by Naval  historians who realised the radar design at the DNC was not the same as American  warships, above

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2202289/Democrats-apologise-using-picture-Soviet-warships-tribute-American-troops.html#ixzz26JwzfAwq