Navy

At the start of the American Revolution (1775–83), members of the Continental Congress (see Continental Congress, First ) debated the value and necessity of establishing an official navy. Everyone knew the British navy was the most powerful naval power, and those opposing a U.S. navy believed challenging the British Royal Navy was foolish.

In the meantime, General George Washington (1732–1799) announced he had taken command of three armed schooners under Continental authority and planned to intercept any British supply ships near Massachusetts . And so, on October 13, 1775, the Continental Navy was established, and eventually the U.S. Navy adopted that date as its official birthday.

On March 27, 1794, Congress ordered the construction of six frigates. Three of those ships began service in 1797: the USS United States, the USS Constellation, and the USS Constitution. The U.S. Navy participated in the War of 1812 (1812–15) and the Mexican-American War (1846–48). But it was during the American Civil War (1861–65) that naval power played a most significant role. For the first time in naval history, ironclad warships were used in combat. After the war, the navy was largely ignored and all but disappeared.

The Navy did not do much during World War I (1914–18), but it played a major role in the combat of World War II (1939–45), especially in the Pacific campaign. By the end of that conflict, the U.S. Navy had added hundreds of new ships and owned more than 70 percent of the world's total naval vessels of 1,000 tons (907 metric tons) or more. The Korean War (1950–53) was fought by Navy forces, which provided extensive air and gunfire support as well as minesweeping efforts. The Navy did not rest after the war, but continued to develop new weapons systems and vessels. Some of those systems were put to use in the Vietnam War (1954–75).

The Navy's elite forces are known as SEALs. President John F. Kennedy (1917–1963; served 1961–63) authorized the establishment of Navy SEALs on May 25, 1961. Their duties include conducting unconventional warfare, counterguerrilla warfare, and secret operations in both ocean and coastal waters. This elite group undergoes eleven months of special training. Although their specialty is underwater operations, they are expected to be ready to serve in the desert, the jungle, and the arctic as well.

The U.S. Navy was a key player in special operations and strike missions in several conflicts of the twenty-first century, including the Iraq invasion (2003–) and the ongoing War on Terrorism, in which campaigns have taken place in the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and Asia.

As of February 2008, the U.S. Navy included more than 333,000 active duty personnel and 127,000 reserve personnel. In active service were 279 ships and more than 3,700 aircraft.