10/14/2025
Thank you to my Dad (Michael Haughawout) and Grandpa (Dale Hagan) who both served in the navy.
Happy 250th birthday to the United States Navy.
On this date in history, October 13, 1775, the Continental Congress made a decision that would project American strength across the globe for centuries.
Faced with the overwhelming might of the British Royal Navy, the American colonies were largely defenseless at sea.
In response to this growing threat, Congress authorized the equipping of two armed vessels to intercept British supply ships carrying munitions and stores to their troops in America.
This act was the foundational moment for the first American naval force, what would soon become the United States Navy. 🇺🇸
It was a critical step toward strategic independence, giving the colonies a means to challenge British control of the seas and defend their own shores.
The origins of the U.S. Navy trace directly back to this single Congressional authorization.
For this reason, October 13 is officially celebrated each year as the birthday of the United States Navy. ⚓
The legacy of that decision is the United States Navy, a force that has protected American liberty and projected its power on the world's oceans for over two centuries.
Sources: Continental Congress Records, Naval History Archives
