October 13 marks the birthday of the U.S. Navy, which traces its roots back to the early days of the American Revolution.
On October 13, 1775, the Continental Congress established a naval force.
The hope was that a small fleet of privateers could attack British commerce and offset British sea power. And they did.
Important Firsts in Naval History
- First use of submarines: While the Navy’s first commissioned designs for a submarine were handed over in 1875, it wasn’t until 1898 that the first Holland submarine launched successfully.
- First use of modern battleships: While America had battleships before the 1908 South Carolina class dreadnought, which started with the USS Michigan and was based on Brittish ships, these were the first in the new era of battleships.
- First use of Naval aircraft: In 1911, the U.S. Navy bought its first airplane, the Curtiss A-1 Triad.
- First aircraft carrier: The first flight from the deck of a U.S. Navy cruiser in 1910 led to the 1927 Lexington-class aircraft carriers, the first operational aircraft carriers in the U.S. Navy.
- First use of Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat: Introduced in 1992, these rubber boats were originally meant for life boats in the 1960s, but the Navy now uses them for SEALs due to their lightweight, high speed, all-weather specifications.
US Navy Birthday
