We can undoubtedly state that the United States Navy is one of the most popular military branches in the entire world. Over the course of many years, it has built a strong reputation, thanks to its astonishing size, big budgets, and a large number of personnel.
In this article, we’ll bring you 20 facts to help you realize how powerful the United States Navy actually is.
1. What is the US Navy?
The United States Navy is the maritime service branch of the U.S. military that is equipped to fight wars on the oceans, seas, and even the lakes and rivers of the world.
2. Navy Day Celebration
Navy Day is the original day to celebrate the U.S. Navy and although it was officially replaced by Armed Forces Day in 1949, the celebrations for Navy Day continue, especially within the Navy itself. The 27th October was suggested as a date to recognise the birthday of one of the Navy’s supporters: the 1897 Assistant Secretary of the Navy, Theodore Roosevelt. Therefore, Navy Day is celebrated every year, on this day.
3. The US Navy is one of the biggest navies in the world
The US Navy is widely known as the largest navy in the world. However, a new report from the U.S. Department of Defense states that the Chinese Navy, known officially as the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), claimed this title recently. The PLAN has 350 battle force ships, while the US Navy has 293 ships. Still, when it comes to weight, the U.S. Navy remains the larger one (4.6 million tons).
4. The flag of the US Navy
The flag of the United States Navy consists of a dark blue background on which there is the seal of the U.S. Department of the Navy in the center, above a yellow scroll inscribed “United States Navy”. The flag was authorized by President Dwight D. Eisenhower on April 24, 1959. It is used on land and it’s also displayed inside naval offices, in parades, and for other ceremonial occasions. The flag is neither flown by ships at sea, nor on outdoor flagpoles on naval land installations.
5. The personnel of the US Navy
The United States Navy counts nearly 500,000 personnel and approximately a quarter of them are in ready reserve. Of those on active duty, more than eighty percent are enlisted sailors, and around fifteen percent are commissioned officers. The rest of them are midshipmen of the United States Naval Academy and midshipmen of the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps at over 180 universities around the country and officer candidates at the navy’s Officer Candidate School.
6. Mottos
The US Navy has two mottos and both of them are of Latin origin. The official one is “Semper Fortis”, which means: “Always Courageous”. The unofficial one is “Non sibi sed patriae” and it translates as “Not for self but for country”.
7. The structure of the US Navy
The US Navy consists of 4 main bodies: the Office of the Secretary of the Navy, the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, the Operating Forces, and the Shore Establishment.
8. It was formed twice
The Continental Navy was formed on October 13, 1775 – roughly six months after the start of the Revolutionary War – and was disbanded after the war in 1785. After nine years, the navy was brought back to life and got a new name, the US Navy, under the Naval Act of 1794.
9. The founder of the US Navy
The true father of the US Navy is John Barry, although he shares this title with the naval commander John Paul Jones and the second US president John Adams. John Barry was appointed a captain in the Continental Navy on December 7, 1775. In 1797, he became the first commissioned U.S. naval officer receiving his commission from president George Washington. John Barry is also known for setting a record by traveling 237 miles by dead reckoning in a 24-hour period ― the fastest known sailing day recorded in the 1700s.
10. An idea of how large the US Navy actually is
It is said that if you combined every other navy in the world into one giant navy, it would only be about 5 percent bigger than the US Navy!
READ MORE: 20 Facts About the UNITED NATIONS You Should Know
11. Navy’s birthplace – a controversial topic
There are currently five communities that claim to be the Navy’s birthplace: Philadelphia, Whitehall, Marblehead, Boston, and Providence. It would be logical to recognize Philadelphia as its birthplace, due to the fact that the Continental Navy began here. However, the Navy also takes into consideration the important contributions of multiple towns in the context of the American Revolution. Therefore, the US Navy is known for having many birthplaces.
12. The process of naming the ships
The procedures and practices regarding ship naming are the products of evolution and tradition. The Secretary of the Navy is the one who gets to make this decision. Ship name recommendations are conditioned by varied factors, including: the name categories for ship types currently built; names carried by previous ships which distinguished themselves in service; and names of naval leaders, national figures, and deceased members of the Navy and Marine Corps who have been honored for bravery in war or for remarkable achievements during peacetime.
13. The march song of the United States Navy
“Anchors Aweigh” is the march song of the US Navy and also the fight song of the United States Naval Academy. It was composed in 1906 by Charles A. Zimmermann, who was a lieutenant and also a bandmaster at the United States Naval Academy. The lyrics were written by Alfred Hart Miles, who was Midshipman First Class at the Academy. He had asked Zimmermann to assist him in composing a song to be used as a football march. After several years, another Academy Midshipman, Royal Lovell, wrote what would be adopted into the song as its third verse.
14. The dress uniforms of the United States Navy
The United States Navy has three categories of dress uniforms: service, full, and dinner dress. Service dress uniforms are commonly worn when traveling in official capacity, or when reporting to a command. They are the equivalent of a civilian business suit. These uniforms are seasonal, with the white uniform worn in summer and the blue in winter. Full dress uniforms are quite similar to the service ones. However, a difference is that full-size medals are worn above the left breast pocket, with ribbons worn on the opposite side for decorations without corresponding medals. The dinner dress uniforms are the most formal and varied type. In this case, although trousers are authorized, women frequently wear skirts.
15. The mascot of the US Naval Academy
Bill the Goat is the mascot of the United States Naval Academy. The mascot is a live goat and is also represented by a costumed midshipman. In 1893, El Cid was the first live goat that made his debut as a mascot at the fourth Army–Navy Game. With the goat, Navy gained a 6-3 win over Army that year, so the goat was adopted as part of the team. In the early 1900s, the mascot was given the name “Bill”, which was the name of a pet goat kept by Commander Colby M. Chester, Commandant of Midshipmen.
16. Navy tattoos
Years ago, Navy tattoos used to represent the locations a sailor had traveled. By the 19th century, about 90% of all United States Navy sailors had tattoos. However, after some time, getting tattoos was discouraged.
17. The US Navy during WW2
The US Navy is known for paving the way to presidency for six people: John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard M. Nixon, Gerald R. Ford, James E. “Jimmy” Carter, and George H.W. Bush. All of them used to be commissioned officers, with two earning the rank of commander upon their resignation from the service. This helped them develop their leadership abilities.
18. The types of submarines in the US Navy
There are three major submarine types in the United States Navy: ballistic missile submarines, attack submarines, and cruise missile submarines. All of them are nuclear-powered.
19. The length of the Navy training
Recruit training, or “boot camp,” lasts approximately seven weeks long. The training includes physical fitness, seamanship, firearms, firefighting, and shipboard damage control. Lessons about US heritage and core values, teamwork, and discipline are also delivered to the trainees.
20. Women representation in the United States Navy
Nowadays, there are over 52,000 women serving on active duty in the US Navy. Although female sailors are expected to adhere to the same regulations related to appearance, grooming, health and fitness as men, there are some differences. For example, the physical fitness tests slightly vary, in relation to pregnancy.
The huge role the US Navy in maintaining peace and the status quo around the world is undeniable. The dedication of its personnel and its promoted values are wroth appreciating.
Sources: Days of the Year, How Stuff Works, Popular Mechanics, Wikipedia, IBVI, Military Times, Naval History and Heritage Command, Military Analysis Network, Recruit Training Command
