October 13 marks 246 years of the United States Navy. The creation of the Navy and its history is fascinating and intertwined with America’s own story of bravery. As we approach the branch’s birthday, let’s take a moment to look back at how far the Navy has come. This year, the Navy has decided on “Resilient and Ready” as the theme of its birthday and heritage week. The theme ties into the Navy’s history of perseverance and dynamic problem-solving in times of strife.
The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.The Continental Navy
The Navy was first created on October 13, 1775, after the Continental Congress established it at the behest of the United States Constitution. The Constitution urged Congress “to provide and maintain a navy.”
The very first, unofficial version of the “navy” consisted of two sailing vessels, each with 10 carriage guns and a few swivel guns. Each vessel was outfitted with a crew of 80 men and was set to sea to monitor communications of the British Army stationed in America. Especially at the time, this sent a clear message to the British and illustrated the fact the revolution was in full force. The British ruled the seas at the time, and their navy was one of their most prominent weapons against revolution and allowed them to colonize with relative ease.
Those first two ships eventually led to the Continental Congress asking for “a fleet of sufficient force for the protection of these colonies”, even outside of each separate colony trying to protect themselves from the water. In Philadelphia, Congress came to the conclusion that a committee should be formed (John Langdon, Silas Deane, and John Adams) to advise on the formation of the U.S. Navy. According to the Navy, the original goals were to protect American trade and strategically intercept ships that were potentially bringing supplies to British forces.
The only branch to be established twice
After the Revolutionary War, our Navy was not a priority. In fact, it became “unestablished” because it was not used. In the 1790s, the country’s overseas trade was falling victim to raiders and thieves, which urged America to look into reestablishing the United States Navy. There was debate about whether it would be more fiscally responsible to pay the ransoms or to invest in a strong navy.
In the end, however, Congress saw the benefit of having a branch of the military to protect the coasts and the seas. On March 27, 1794, the Navy was reestablished. The first three warships that were the predecessors for the modern Navy were U.S.S. United States, U.S.S. Constellation and U.S.S. Constitution. Eventually, the Department of the Navy was established in 1798.
The modern Navy
Having undergone many iterations, the modern Navy lives by its motto “forged by the sea.” In 2019, there were 278 thousand members of the Navy and they have hundreds of massive ships and submarines with the latest technology. The United States Navy has a long history of tackling disasters and challenges head-on, and it will continue to do so with its unparalleled career opportunities and perseverance.