The United States Navy is officially 251 years old, as the Continental Congress established our first Navy on Oct. 13, 1775, less than a year before we declared our independence.

The Navy posted an inspiring America 250 video tracing the ongoing mission of the military branch back to the Founders’ initial fight for freedom:

On the Navy’s official website, there is a brief explanation of why October 13 is its birthday:

A 13 October 1775 resolution of the Continental Congress established what is now the United States Navy with “a swift sailing vessel, to carry ten carriage guns, and a proportionable number of swivels, with eighty men, be fitted, with all possible despatch, for a cruise of three months….” After the American War of Independence, the U.S. Constitution empowered the new Congress “to provide and maintain a navy.” Acting on this authority, Congress established the Department of the Navy on 30 April 1798.

Interestingly, George Washington had already on his own initiative outfitted a few vessels whose crews were able to capture some badly needed supplies. Washington’s gamble worked — the Continental Congress realized that the Americans needed a Navy, and they took action in October 1775. You can read more details here.

My great-uncle, great-aunt, great-grandfather, and cousins served in the Navy, and I honor them and all other men and women who have worn a sailor’s uniform.

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The U.S. Army, Navy, and Marines all came into being before the United States became an independent nation. Last year, I had the opportunity to attend the celebrations for the 250th birthday of the Marine Corps, which included a visit to the Battleship New Jersey (pictured at the top of this piece), which became a museum after it retired from active service. As part of my visit on the Navy's most decorated battleship, I was able to meet a number of the men who had served on her back in the 1980s (read here). It was incredible to witness the camaraderie and pride they had in each other and their ship decades after their service together on her had ended. 

Servicemen who are on ships as Marines or sailors have to rely on each other and their vessels for everything, often stranded in the middle of the ocean for months, far away from loved ones. It takes a special kind of courage to live on the seas, and we saw a very recent example of this with the men and women on the USS Abraham Lincoln, who have finally returned after a lengthy deployment for Operation Epic Fury against the genocidal Iranian regime.

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The United States Navy is still shaping history and fighting evil regimes that wish to crush our liberties and conquer our nation. That has not changed in 251 years.