The U.S. Navy celebrates
its birthday on October 13, the day
in 1775 that the Continental
Congress authorized the outfitting
of two armed vessels to cruise in
search of British munitions ships.
On that day, Congress also
established a Naval Committee to
oversee the new navy. John Adams
was a member of the committee,
and although the Massachusetts
representative knew little of naval
affairs, he got busy making himself expert. As historian David McCullough writes, the
committee "met in a rented room at Tun Tavern [in Philadelphia], and it was Adams who
drafted the first set of rules and regulations for the new navy, a point of pride with him for as
long as he lived."
Throughout the Revolution, Adams urged support for the tiny American fleet, telling
Congress that "a navy is our natural and only defense." Over the course of the war, the
Continental Navy included about fifty ships of various sizes. After the Revolution, Congress
disbanded the navy, then restarted it in 1794 when it ordered the construction of six frigates.
The U.S. Navy flag, adopted in 1959, is a dark blue flag that carries the image of a threemasted
square-rigged ship underway before a fair breeze. A bald eagle and an anchor are shown
in front of the ship. Navy ships do not fly the Navy flag from their masts. The banner is
reserved for display purposes and is carried by honor guards during ceremonies. |
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