Happy 234th Birthday to the United States Navy

Today, October 13, 2009 is the 234th birthday of the United States Navy. I served in the Navy from 1984 to 1988 as an "MR" or Machinery Repairman, which translates to a civilian machinist. After boot camp and "A" school, I was stationed at the Naval Submarine Support Facility in Groton, Connecticut. There I worked on mostly fast attack submarines, making parts for their repair. I realize now more than ever how important that job was. I had the opportunity to serve under Ronald Reagan - what a great honor. I also did some reserve time in Newport, Rhode Island and was attached to a reserve unit out of Portsmouth, Virginia that repaired aircraft carriers. It was very exciting and I feel blessed to have had this opportunity in my lifetime.

I was recently contacted by Douglas Karr of the Veteran's Blog on Mesothelioma.com. Through Veterans and Mesothelioma they have been "Helping mesothelioma victims and their families for over 25 years." I have added a link to their site on my sidebar and encourage you to follow the links in this post and check out their site. They have a great veterans blog. Here is an excerpt from today's post on the US Navy's birthday:

Happy 234th Birthday, Navy

Doug Karr - October 13, 2009

On October 13, 1775, Continental Congress approved the procurement, staffing and arming of two ships that would attempt to stop the British Army from receiving ammunition and other supplies. The two vessels commissioned by the CC cruised the waters off the shore of what we now call America, but was then known as the Colonies. These two ships were the first vessels of the Continental Navy [1775-1783] and by the conclusion of the Revolutionary War the Continental Navy fleet consisted of about fifty vessels, including approximately twenty warships.

To gain a better understanding of why the CC decided to acquire and arm two ships, one must understand what was happening between Britain and the Colonies – if you’re a history buff, pardon the mini-history lesson. 1775 was a year of rebellion for the Colonies, and the CC decided to take control – they created the Continental Army, began issuing paper currency, and even created a committee that would be responsible for interactions with other countries. While the Colonies were getting their business in order, Britain was dominating the sea, creating a range of problems for the Colonies [from destroying colonial communities close to the shores to attempts to block ships from entering colonial ports with imports].

Fed up with Britain’s attempts, a few of the Colonies commissioned sparse fleets to defend their seaside communities. Their argument was that the fleets would allow the colonists to protect themselves, but some members of the CC were concerned that this might jeopardize any hope for future reconciliation with Britain. John Adams was not one of these men – Adams [who was from Massachusetts] had been lobbying his fellow CC members for the creation of a naval force that would not only defend colonial towns on the coast from British vessels, but would also aid in the protection of sea trade and the establishment of relationships with other neutral world countries. Many CC members from southern colonies thought that the creation of a navy would only benefit the colonies in the New England region, while others were too afraid that establishing a navy would offend Britain and imply that the colonies were completely sovereign [which, in the end, was achieved by the Revolutionary War].

Finally, on October 3rd, 1775, CC members from Rhode Island presented a plan to their fellow delegates that would create a colonial fleet immediately. The proposal was debated on the floor of the CC, and Maryland delegate Samuel Chase has been quoted throughout history as calling the proposal “the maddest idea in the world.” The Rhode Island delegates left the floor of CC without the support of their fellow delegates, but two days later, with word that at least two unarmed British ships were carrying ammunition to Quebec, their proposal was once again up for debate......

To read more, click here.