This October 13th, the United States Navy celebrates an impressive 241 years of history. As a vendor to the U.S. Navy, we’d like to honor their rich history and contributions to our nation by sharing some fun fascinating facts about the United States Navy. Here’s a few of our favorite bits of Navy trivia that we’ve learned in honor of their birthday!
1. The U.S. Navy was actually formed twice
The Continental Navy was formed on October 13th, 1775 – roughly six months after the start of the Revolutionary War – and was disbanded after the war in 1785. Our country went without a navy for nine years, however, this lack of defense made us an easy target for pirates. Under the Naval Act of 1794, our country’s navy was resurrected and re-named the U.S. Navy.
2. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world
With 323,000 active and 109,000 personnel, the U.S. Navy is the world’s largest in terms of manpower. Our navy also maintains an impressive fleet, with 288 battle force ships, 10 aircraft carriers, nine amphibious assault ships, 22 cruisers, 62 destroyers, 17 frigates, 72 submarines and 3,700 aircraft.
3. Six U.S. presidents served in the US Navy during WWII
John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter and George H.W. Bush served in the U.S. Navy during WWII. In fact, every president from 1961 to 1993 save for Ronald Reagan was a Navy veteran!
4. The U.S. Navy has an impressive global reach
The U.S. Navy operates in nearly every major body of water around the globe: the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans, as well as the Mediterranean Sea, the Persian Gulf and the Horn of Africa. Additionally, the U.S. Navy also deploys ships to Europe, Japan and the Persian Gulf.
5. “NCIS” is more than just a TV show
The Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) is the primary law enforcement agency of the United States Department of the Navy. This team of naval investigators comprised of 1,200 Special Agents, 900 civilian professionals and over 200 military members operate from 140 locations around the world to prevent terrorism, protect secrets, and reduce crime.
6. The name “SEALS” isn’t a reference to aquatic mammals
Navy SEALS are members of a Naval Special Warfare unit that are rigorously trained for unconventional warfare in any setting: on land, in the air, or at sea. As such, “SEAL” stands for “Sea, Air and Land”. Despite accounting for less than 1% of all U.S. Navy personnel, Navy SEALS are so highly-trained that their efforts make a huge strategic impact – so much so, that most of their training and operations are highly secretive.
7. The U.S. Navy has its own construction crew
The Seabees are members of the United States Naval Construction Forces (NCF). Founded in 1942, the Seabees play an incredibly important role for the U.S. military, building military bases and paving much-needed roadway and airstrips in combat zones. During WWII, the Navy recruited skilled civilians working in construction trades to help with construction efforts. Because of this focus on skill and experience, the average age of Seabees during World War II was 37 – much older than the average member of the military.
8. The U.S. Navy tops the U.S. Army in a 116 year old rivalry
The rivalry between the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York and the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland is one of the biggest – and oldest – football rivalries. The teams have been going head to head since 1890! As of 2015, the U.S. Navy leads the series 60–49–7.
Bonus Fact:
The U.S. Navy’s “Future Sailor Kits” are created and supplied by our team here at ibCustom! The kits include a drawstring bag, performance t-shirt, ball cap, water bottle and pen. In addition to creating and shipping thousands of these kits each month, ibSupply is proud to supply the U.S. Navy with a wide range of office and paper supplies that cover their everyday operational needs.
We’d like to take this opportunity to wish the United States Navy a very happy 241st birthday. Most importantly, we’d like to thank our country’s brave sailors for their service. We salute you!
