I am a U.S. Navy veteran who served during the now-almost-forgotten Vietnam War. Today, I proudly join other veterans and patriots in celebrating the founding of the Navy 251 years ago. Here is the history of the Navy:
The founding of the Navy came out of immediate military necessity during the early months of the American Revolutionary War, evolving from small local efforts into a national naval force.
Initial Need for a Sea Force (Early 1775)
In the summer of 1775, the Continental Army under General George Washington was besieging British troops trapped inside Boston. Washington faced two major problems:
His army suffered from a severe lack of gunpowder and military supplies.
The Royal Navy had unrestricted control of the Atlantic coast, easily supplying British forces in Boston while raiding American coastal towns.
To intercept British supply ships, Washington commissioned a small fleet of armed schooners on his own authority in September 1775, starting with the vessel USS Hannah.
The Congressional Resolution (October 13, 1775)
Recognizing that a coordinated national naval capability was necessary, delegates in the Second Continental Congress met in Philadelphia. On October 13, 1775, Congress passed a resolution authorizing the purchase and fitting out of two armed vessels—one carrying 10 guns and another carrying 14 guns.
These vessels were tasked with intercepting British transports delivering weapons and provisions to British troops in North America. This official legislation created the Continental Navy, the direct predecessor of the modern U.S. Navy.
