The history of the United States Navy divides into two major periods: the "Old Navy", a small but respected force of sailing ships that was also notable for innovation in the use of ironclads during the American Civil War, and the "New Navy", the result of a modernization effort that began in the 1880s and eventually made the U.S. Navy the most powerful in the world. The United States Navy, also known as the USN or the U.S. Navy, is a branch of the United States armed forces responsible for conducting naval operations. ... Traditional wooden cutter under sail. ... Ironclad warships, frequently shortened to just ironclads, were ships sheathed with thick iron plates for protection. ... Combatants United States of America (Union) Confederate States of America (Confederacy) Commanders Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee Strength 2,200,000 1,064,000 Casualties 110,000 killed in action, 360,000 total dead, 275,200 wounded 93,000 killed in action, 258,000 total... // Development and commercial production of electric lighting Development and commercial production of gasoline-powered automobile by Karl Benz, Gottlieb Daimler and Maybach First commercial production and sales of phonographs and phonograph recordings. ...

[edit] The Revolutionary War and the Continental Navy

The Navy actually predates the United States itself. In 1775, the Continental Congress passed a resolution urging the individual colonies to build and equip fleets, followed on August 26 by a resolution from Rhode Island that there be a single Continental fleet.^[1] In the meantime, George Washington had begun to acquire ships, starting with the schooner Hannah which was paid for out of Washington's own pocket.^[2] Hannah was commissioned and launched on September 5, 1775, from the port of Beverly, Massachusetts.^[3] On October 13, the Congress decided to start commissioning its own ships, starting with Alfred out of Philadelphia. Year 1775 (MDCCLXXV) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Thursday of the 11-day slower Julian calendar). ... POOP HS;JHGF;JADHGJHASGHASJHGJSAHGJWJITHADHSGJHDASJLGFNKRA The Continental Congress was the first national government of the United States. ... August 26 is the 238th day of the year (239th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Official language(s) English Capital Providence Largest city Providence Area  Ranked 50th  - Total 1,214* [1] sq mi (3,144* km²)  - Width 37 miles (60 km)  - Length 48 miles (77 km)  - % water 32. ... Continental Navy Jack The Continental Navy was authorized by the Continental Congress on October 13, 1775. ... George Washington (February 22, 1732 – December 14, 1799)[1] led Americas Continental Army to victory over Britain in the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783), and in 1789 was elected the first President of the United States of America. ... Two-masted fishing schooner A schooner (IPA: ) is a type of sailing vessel characterized by the use of fore-and-aft sails on two or more masts. ... September 5 is the 248th day of the year (249th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1775 (MDCCLXXV) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Thursday of the 11-day slower Julian calendar). ... Location in Massachusetts Coordinates: , Country United States State Massachusetts County Essex County Settled 1626 Incorporated 1626 Government  - Type Mayor-council city  - Mayor William Scanlon, Jr. ... October 13 is the 286th day of the year (287th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... USS Alfred was a man-of-war in the Continental Navy of the United States. ... Nickname: City of Brotherly Love, Philly, the Quaker City Motto: Philadelphia maneto (Let brotherly love continue) Location in Pennsylvania Coordinates: Country United States State Pennsylvania County Philadelphia Founded October 27, 1682 Incorporated October 25, 1701 Mayor John F. Street (D) Area    - City 369. ...

The U.S. Navy recognizes October 13, 1775 as the date of the official establishment of the Navy — the date of the passage of the following resolution of the Continental Congress: ^[4] October 13 is the 286th day of the year (287th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1775 (MDCCLXXV) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Thursday of the 11-day slower Julian calendar). ...

By mid-1776, a number of ships, ranging up to and including frigates, were under construction, but their effectiveness was limited; they were completely outmatched by the mighty Royal Navy, and nearly all were captured or sunk by 1781. Privateers had some success, with 1,697 letters of marque being issued. Year 1776 (MDCCLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Thursday of the 11-day slower Julian calendar). ... For the bird, see Frigatebird. ... The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British armed services (and is therefore the Senior Service). ... 1781 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... A privateer was a private ship (or its captain) authorized by a countrys government by letters of marque to attack foreign shipping. ... Letter of marque of the First French Empire given to captain Antoine Bollo, via the ship owner Dominique Malfino from Gena, owner of the Furet, 15-tonne privateer. ...

One particularly notable American naval hero of the Revolution was John Paul Jones, who defeated the British ship HMS Serapis in the Battle of Flamborough Head. Partway through the battle, with the rigging of the two ships entangled, and several guns of Jones' ship Bonhomme Richard out of action, the captain of Serapis asked Jones if he had struck his colors, to which Jones has been quoted as replying, "I have not yet begun to fight!" John Paul Jones (July 6, 1747–July 18, 1792) was Americas first well-known naval hero in the American Revolutionary War. ... 169. ... The chalk tower near Flamborough Head. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... The first USS Bonhomme Richard, formerly Duc de Durae, was a east indiaman, a merchant ship built in France for the French East India Company in 1765, for service between France and the Orient. ... Striking the colors was and is the universally recognized indication of surrender. ...

[edit] Disarmament 1784-1794

At the end of the Revolutionary War, the Continental Navy was totally disbanded. Factors included the loose confederation of the states, lack of money, change of goals from war to peace as well as more domestic and less foreign interests. The country later realized the need for a strong defensive force to protect its merchant fleet from attacks by the Barbary pirates as well as the British. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

[edit] Federal Navy

In 1794, the Congress authorized the construction of six frigates, USS United States, USS President, USS Constellation, USS Chesapeake, USS Congress, and USS Constitution. USS Constitution, launched in 1797 and the most famous of the six, was nicknamed "Old Ironsides," and, thanks to the efforts of Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr., still in existence today, anchored in Boston harbor. 1794 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... For the bird, see Frigatebird. ... Four ships of the United States Navy have bore the name USS United States in honor of that nation, but only one of them was launched, and it became part of the Confederate Navy. ... Two ships of the United States Navy have been named USS President, after the office of the President of the United States. ... Three ships of the United States Navy have borne the name USS Constellation, in honor, according to the US Congress, of the new constellation of stars on the flag of the United States. ... The USS Chesapeake was a 36-gun sailing frigate of the United States Navy during the Quasi-War with France and the War of 1812. ... Five United States Navy ships have been named USS Congress, after the legislature of the US. The first Congress was a galley built on Lake Champlain, and that served as flagship in the Battle of Valcour Island. ... “ Old Ironsides ” redirects here. ... 1797 (MDCCXCVII) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Wednesday of the 11-day-slower Julian calendar). ... The USS Constitution, known as Old Ironsides is a wooden-hulled, three-masted frigate of the United States Navy. ... Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr. ... Nickname: City on the Hill, Beantown, The Hub (of the Universe)1, Athens of America, The Cradle of Revolution, Puritan City, Americas Walking City Location in Massachusetts, USA Counties Suffolk County Mayor Thomas M. Menino(D) Area    - City 232. ...

This small navy was soon called to action; tensions between the US and France developed into the Quasi-War, which was entirely fought at sea. At the same time, the nations of the Barbary Coast were alternately taking American merchant ships or being paid tribute by the US government. The Quasi-War was an undeclared war fought entirely at sea between the United States and France from 1798 to 1801. ... The Barbary Coast, or Barbary, was the term used by Europeans till the 19th century to refer to the coastal regions of what is now Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya. ... A tribute (from Latin tribulum, contribution) is wealth one party gives to another as a sign of respect or, as was often case in historical contexts, of submission or allegiance. ...

The Quasi-War was resolved as quietly as it began, but the Barbary problem continued. In the First Barbary War, Philadelphia was lost to the Moors, but then blown up by an American ruse led by Stephen Decatur. The Marines invaded the "shores of Tripoli" in 1805, capturing the city of Derna (the first time the US flag ever flew over a foreign conquest), which was enough to induce the Barbary rulers to sign peace treaties. Combatants United States Barbary States (Ottoman Empire regencies) Commanders Richard Dale William Eaton Edward Preble Hassan Bey Murad Reis Strength 7 Ships 10 US Marines and Soldiers Christian Mercenaries Arab Mercenaries 4000 Casualties 2 Ships destroyed 2 Marines killed, 3 wounded Christian/Arab Mercenaries killed and wounded uncertain Unknown The... The second USS Philadelphia of the United States Navy was a 36 gun sailing frigate. ... Stephen Decatur, Jr. ... The United States Marine Corps (USMC) is a branch of the United States military responsible for providing power projection from the sea,[1] utilizing the mobility of the U.S. Navy to rapidly deliver combined-arms task forces. ... Tripoli (Arabic: طرابلس Tarābulus) is the capital city of Libya. ... 1805 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... The city of Derna, also spelled Derne, was the historic capitol of the Libyan province of Cyrenaica. ...

Subsequently the Navy was greatly reduced for reasons of economy, and instead of regular ships many gunboats were built, intended for coastal use only, a policy proven completely ineffective within a decade. A gunboat is literally a boat carrying one or more guns. ...

[edit] War of 1812

In 1807, in the Chesapeake-Leopard Affair, HMS Leopard demanded that Chesapeake submit to an inspection looking for British citizens to press into the Royal Navy. Leopard severely damaged Chesapeake when she refused. The most violent of many such encounters the affair further fueled the tensions and in June 1812 the US declared war on Britain. Combatants United States Great Britain Canada Bermuda Eastern Woodland Indians Commanders James Madison Henry Dearborn Jacob Brown Winfield Scott Andrew Jackson George Prevost Isaac Brock† Tecumseh† Strength •U.S. Regular Army: 35,800 •Rangers: 3,049 •Militia: 458,463* •US Navy & US Marines: (at start of war): •Frigates:6 •Other... Year 1807 (MDCCCVII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar). ... HMS Leopard (right) fires upon the USS Chesapeake In the Chesapeake-Leopard Affair, also referred to as the Chesapeake Affair, which occurred on June 22, 1807, the British frigate HMS Leopard attacked and boarded the American frigate USS Chesapeake. ... HMS Leopard was a British 50-gun 4th rate involved in the Chesapeake-Leopard Affair. ... The USS Chesapeake was a 36-gun sailing frigate of the United States Navy during the Quasi-War with France and the War of 1812. ... Look up Impressment in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... For the overture by Tchaikovsky, see 1812 Overture; For the wars, see War of 1812 (USA - United Kingdom) or Patriotic War of 1812 (France - Russia) For the Siberia Airlines plane crashed over the Black Sea on October 4, 2001, see Siberia Airlines Flight 1812 1812 was a leap year starting...

Much of the war was expected to be fought at sea; and within an hour of the announcement of war, the diminutive American navy set forth to do battle with an opponent outnumbering it 50-to-1. After two months, Constitution (44) met up with HMS Guerriere (38) and demolished her in single combat; Guerriere's crew were most dismayed to see their cannonballs bouncing off the Constitution's unusually strong white oak hull, giving her the enduring nickname of "Old Ironsides". The Constitution also engaged HMS Java (38) off of Brazil and likewise reduced her to a hulk. USS United States (44) met HMS Macedonian (38) and proceeded to completely defeat her British opponent. The Macedonian was captured and entered into American service. In 1813, USS Essex (38) commenced a very fruitful raiding venture into the South Pacific, preying upon the British merchant and whaling industry. The Essex was already known for her capture of HMS Alert and a British transport the previous year, and gained further success capturing 15 British merchantmen/whalers, the British finally took action, dispatching HMS Cherub and HMS Phoebe to stop the Essex. After violating Chile's neutrality, the British captured the Essex in a hard fought battle at Valparaiso. Further single-ship victories followed, and eventually British frigate captains were ordered not to engage their American counterparts unless in squadron force or by a ship-of-the-line. “ Old Ironsides ” redirects here. ... HMS Guerriere was a British 3-masted sail frigate of 38 (the captain was a homosexual)guns captured from the French, and commanded by Captain Tom Dacres when she met the Constitution in her last battle on 19 August 1812. ... Binomial name Quercus alba L. The White oak (Quercus alba) is one of the most magnificent of oaks. ...

The Americans also won a victory in the Battle of Lake Erie, but even so the Navy was unable to prevent the British from landing and burning Washington D.C.. Combatants United Kingdom United States Commanders Robert Heriot Barclay Oliver Hazard Perry Jesse Elliot Strength 2 ships 2 brigs 1 schooner 1 sloop 3 brigs 5 schooners 1 sloop Casualties 41 dead 93 wounded prisoners 306 surrendered Entire squadron captured 27 dead 96 wounded One brig heavily damaged The Battle... Aerial photo (looking NW) of the Washington Monument and the White House in Washington, DC. Washington, D.C., officially the District of Columbia (also known as D.C.; Washington; the Nations Capital; the District; and, historically, the Federal City) is the capital city and administrative district of the United...

[edit] Bureaucratic Navy

After the war, the Navy's accomplishments paid off in the form of better funding, and it embarked on the construction of many new ships, including its first ship of the line, Independence. However, the expense of these large ships was prohibitive, and many of them stayed in shipyards half-completed, in readiness for another war, until the Age of Sail had completely passed. The main force of the Navy continued to be frigates during the three decades of peace. Ships of the line were 1st, 2nd, or 3rd-rated ships in the rating system of the Royal Navy. ... The third USS Independence was the first ship of the line commissioned in the United States Navy. ... The age of sail is the period in which international trade and naval warfare were both dominated by sailing ships. ...

The first experiments with steam power occurred during this period, and in 1845 the United States Naval Academy was founded. 1845 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... The United States Naval Academy (USNA) is an institution for the undergraduate education of officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps and is in Annapolis, Maryland . ...

The Navy played a role in two operations of the Mexican-American War; it transported the invasion force that captured Veracruz and Mexico City, and its ships helped claim California. Combatants United States Mexico Commanders Zachary Taylor Winfield Scott Stephen W. Kearney Antonio López de Santa Anna Mariano Arista Pedro de Ampudia José Mariá Flores Strength 78,790 soldiers 18,000–40,000 soldiers Casualties KIA: 1733 Total dead: 13,271 Wounded: 4,152 AWOL: 9,200+ 25,000... Veracruz is the name of a city and a state in Mexico. ... Nickname: Location of Mexico City in central Mexico Coordinates: , Country Mexico Federal entity Federal District Boroughs The 16 delegaciones Founded (as Tenochtitlan) c. ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ...

Another notable action of the Navy in this period was the 1853 visit to Japan by Commodore Matthew Perry, which convinced the Japanese to end three centuries of isolation and sign a treaty of friendship with the US; a momentous step with many unforeseen consequences. 1853 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... Commodore is a rank of the United States Navy with a somewhat complicated history. ... Matthew Calbraith Perry (1794-1858). ...

The Paraguay expedition was sent in 1858 to demand indemnity and apology from the Paraguayan Government for the 1855 firing on Water Witch. The Paraguay expedition was sent to Asuncion Paraguay in 1858 to demand indemnity and apology from the Paraguayan Government for the 1 February 1855 firing on USS Water Witch. ... The third USS Water Witch was a wooden-hulled, sidewheel gunboat in the United States Navy during the American Civil War. ...

[edit] American Civil War

The French-designed 1862 Alligator, first submarine of the US Navy.

The opening of the American Civil War hastened the final end of the sailing Navy. On April 20, 1861, the Union burned its ships that were at the Norfolk Navy Yard to prevent their capture by the Confederates, but not all of the ships were completely destroyed. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1250x1260, 288 KB)The Alligator was the first submarine purchased by the U.S. Navy. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1250x1260, 288 KB)The Alligator was the first submarine purchased by the U.S. Navy. ... 1862 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... The fourth USS Alligator is the first known US Navy submarine, though not of the United States. ... The United States Navy (USN) is the branch of the United States armed forces responsible for naval operations. ... Combatants United States of America (Union) Confederate States of America (Confederacy) Commanders Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant Jefferson Davis, Robert E. Lee Strength 2,200,000 1,064,000 Casualties 110,000 killed in action, 360,000 total dead, 275,200 wounded 93,000 killed in action, 258,000 total... April 20 is the 110th day of the year (111th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1861 (MDCCCLXI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link with display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Thursday of the Julian calendar) // January 1 - Benito Juárez captures Mexico City January 2 - Friedrich Wilhelm IV of Prussia dies and is succeeded by... Aerial View of the Norfolk Naval Shipyard The Norfolk Naval Shipyard, often called the Norfolk Navy Yard, is a U.S. Navy facility in Portsmouth, Virginia, for building, remodeling, and repairing the Navys ships. ... Motto Deo Vindice (Latin: Under God, Our Vindicator) Anthem (none official) God Save the South (unofficial) The Bonnie Blue Flag (unofficial) Dixie (unofficial) Capital Montgomery, Alabama (until May 29, 1861) Richmond, Virginia (May 29, 1861–April 2, 1865) Danville, Virginia (from April 3, 1865) Language(s) English (de facto) Religion...

The screw frigate Merrimack had been so hastily scuttled that her hull and steam engine were basically intact, which gave the South's Stephen Mallory the idea of raising her and then armoring the upper sides with iron plate. The resulting ship was named CSS Virginia. USS Merrimack was a screw frigate of the United States Navy, best known as the hulk upon which CSS Virginia was built during the American Civil War and then took part in the Battle of Hampton Roads (often called the Battle of the Monitor and the Merrimack). Merrimack was launched... Stephen Russell Mallory (c. ... CSS Virginia was an ironclad warship of the Confederate States Navy during the American Civil War (built using the remains of the scuttled USS Merrimack). ...

Meanwhile, John Ericsson had similar ideas, and received funding to build Monitor. The two met in the storied "Battle of the Ironclads" in early 1862, slugging away at each other for hours, and both apparently tacitly agreeing to a draw. Nevertheless, no wooden ship could have survived the encounter, and naval officers worldwide took great interest in the battle and its implications for the future. John Ericsson (1803-1889) This article is about John Ericsson, the Swedish and American inventor. ... USS Monitor was the first ironclad warship commissioned by the United States Navy. ... Battle of Hampton Roads Conflict American Civil War Date March 8, 1862 – March 9, 1862 Place Off Sewells Point, near the mouth of Hampton Roads, United States of America Confederate States of America Commanders John L. Worden Franklin Buchanan Catesby R. Jones Strength 1 ironclad, 3 wooden warships... 1862 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ...

Naval actions in the Civil War mostly consisted of blockades by the North against Southern ports, interspersed with assaults on forts. A number of operations were conducted on the Mississippi River. For the river in Canada, see Mississippi River (Ontario). ...

In addition, the CSA operated a number of commerce raiders and blockade runners (CSS Alabama being the most famous) who played a deadly cat-and-mouse game with the Union frigates sent out to stop them. The CSS Alabama finally ran afoul of the USS Kearsarge and was sunk off the coast of France after a prolonged chase. Motto Deo Vindice (Latin: Under God, Our Vindicator) Anthem (none official) God Save the South (unofficial) The Bonnie Blue Flag (unofficial) Dixie (unofficial) Capital Montgomery, Alabama (until May 29, 1861) Richmond, Virginia (May 29, 1861–April 2, 1865) Danville, Virginia (from April 3, 1865) Language(s) English (de facto) Religion... Commerce raiding or guerre de course is a naval strategy of attacking an opponents commercial shipping rather than contending for control of the seas with its naval forces. ... A blockade runner is a ship designed to provide vital supplies to countries or areas blockaded by enemy forces during wartime. ... For other ships named Alabama, see USS Alabama. ... For other ships named Alabama, see USS Alabama. ... Four commissioned ships of the United States Navy have borne the name USS Kearsarge. ...

[edit] Decline of the Navy

After the war, the Navy went into a period of decline. The ships of the Civil War were broken up or sold, and the navy quickly shrank to a force of just 2,000 officers and 10,000 enlisted sailors.

To a great extent, this was to be expected. Much American commerce had shifted to foreign flags to avoid Confederate raiders, and for those American ships still plying the seas, the pax Britannica had made piracy a rarity. But perhaps most importantly, immigration and westward expansion had resumed and was consuming the nation's attention. Pax Britannica (Latin for the British Peace, modelled after Pax Romana) refers to a period of British imperialism after the Battle of Waterloo, which led to a period of overseas British expansionism. ...

Also to be expected, morale was considerably down; officers and sailors in foreign ports were all too aware that their old wooden ships would not survive long in the event of war. One of the low points came in 1879, when the US attempted to intercede in the War of the Pacific between Chile, Peru, and Bolivia - the Chilean admiral threatened to send the American ships to the bottom of the ocean, and with two new British-built battleships in his fleet, he was well able to deliver on the threat. 1879 (MDCCCLXXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... Combatants Republic of Peru Republic of Bolivia Republic of Chile Commanders Juan Buendía Andrés Cáceres Miguel Grau Manuel Baquedano Patricio Lynch Juan Williams Strength Peru-Bolivian Army 7,000 soldiers in 1878 Peruvian Navy 2 ironclad, 1 corvette, 1 gunboat Army of Chile 4,000 soldiers in... The firepower of a battleship demonstrated by USS Iowa A battleship is a large, heavily-armored warship with a main battery consisting of the largest caliber of guns. ...

[edit] The New Navy

At the beginning of the 1880s, a few naval officers were raising the alarm about the vulnerability of the nation, but were criticized or ignored. But by 1897 the Navy included a half-dozen large modern warships, with more on the way - a transformation so sudden that it has come to be called the New Navy. // Development and commercial production of electric lighting Development and commercial production of gasoline-powered automobile by Karl Benz, Gottlieb Daimler and Maybach First commercial production and sales of phonographs and phonograph recordings. ... 1897 (MDCCCXCVII) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ...

In 1882, on the recommendation of an advisory panel, the Navy Secretary requested Congress for funds to construct modern ships. The request was rejected initially, but in 1883 Congress authorized the construction of three small steel cruisers (Chicago, Boston, and Atlanta). Increasing interests in overseas locations, including Samoa and Central America (where canal-building schemes were being proposed), and the awareness that other countries were building up their navies provided additional impetus. Year 1882 (MDCCCLXXXII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... Flag of the United States Secretary of the Navy. ... Type Bicameral Houses Senate House of Representatives United States Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D since January 4, 2007 Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D since January 4, 2007 Members 535 plus 4 Delegates and 1 Resident Commissioner Political groups (as of November 7, 2006 elections) Democratic Party Republican... 1883 (MDCCCLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... The first USS Chicago (later CA-14) was a protected cruiser of the United States Navy, the largest of the original three authorized by Congress for the New Navy. She was launched 5 December 1885 by John Roach and Sons, Chester, Pennsylvania, sponsored by Edith Cleborne (daughter of Navy Medical... The fifth USS Boston, a protected cruiser, was launched 4 December 1884 by John Roach and Sons, Chester, Pennsylvania, and commissioned 2 May 1887, Captain F. M. Ramsey in command. ... The second USS Atlanta was a protected cruiser and one of the first steel warships of the New Navy of the 1880s. ... For other uses, see Central America (disambiguation). ...

Alfred Thayer Mahan's book The Influence of Sea Power upon History, 1660-1783, published in 1890, was very influential in justifying the naval program to the civilian government and to the general public. With the closing of the frontier, some Americans began to look outwards, to the Caribbean, to Hawaii and the Pacific, and with the doctrine of Manifest Destiny as philosophical justification, many saw the Navy as an essential part of realizing that doctrine beyond the limits of the American continent. Rear Admiral Alfred Thayer Mahan (September 27, 1840 - December 1, 1914) was a United States Navy officer, geostrategist, and educator. ... 1890 (MDCCCXC) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar). ... “West Indian” redirects here. ... Official language(s) English, Hawaiian Capital Honolulu Largest city Honolulu Area  Ranked 43rd  - Total 10,931 sq mi (29,311 km²)  - Width n/a miles (n/a km)  - Length 1,522 miles (2,450 km)  - % water 41. ... This painting (circa 1872) by John Gast called American Progress is an allegorical representation of Manifest Destiny. ...

[edit] Spanish-American War

The tensions of the late 1890s finally broke with the explosion of Maine in Havana harbor. Although the explosion was almost certainly due to an internal fire, the Spanish were accused, most famously by the newspapers of William Randolph Hearst, which, using so-called Yellow Journalism, inflamed the sentiments of the American public against Spain. The Navy quietly positioned for attack by assistant Navy secretary Theodore Roosevelt. When the Spanish-American War was declared in April 1898, the Asiatic Squadron, under the command of Thomas Dewey, immediately left Hong Kong for the Philippines, attacking and decisively defeating the Spanish fleet in the Battle of Manila Bay. A few weeks later, an Atlantic fleet destroyed the Spanish ships in the Caribbean in the Battle of Santiago de Cuba. USS Maine (ACR-1), the first ship of the United States Navy to be named for the state of Maine, was a 6682-ton second-class pre-dreadnought battleship originally designated as Armored Cruiser #1. ... Nickname: (Spanish) City of Columns Position of Havana in the Americas Coordinates: , Country Cuba Province Ciudad de La Habana Municipalities 15 Founded 1515a Government  - Mayor Juan Contino Aslán Area  - City 721. ... William Randolph Hearst (April 29, 1863 – August 14, 1951) was an American newspaper magnate. ... Nasty little printers devils spew forth from the Hoe press in this Puck cartoon of Nov. ... Theodore Roosevelt, Jr. ... Combatants United States Republic of Cuba Philippine Republic Spain Commanders Nelson A. Miles William R. Shafter George Dewey Máximo Gómez Emilio Aguinaldo Patricio Montojo Pascual Cervera Casualties 3,289 U.S. dead (432 from combat); considerably higher although undetermined Cuban and Filipino casualties Unknown[1] The Spanish–American... Year 1898 (MDCCCXCVIII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Monday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ... The Asiatic Squadron, also known as the Asiatic Station, was the fleet of United States Navy warships and supporting elements stationed in the Pacific Ocean in the 19th century. ... Thomas Edmund Dewey (b. ... There have been a number of naval battles that occurred in Manila Bay. ... Combatants United States Spain Commanders William T. Sampson, Winfield Scott Schley Pascual Cervera Strength 4 battleships 1 armoured cruiser 2 torpedo boats 4 armoured cruisers 2 torpedo boats Casualties 2 dead ~100 wounded 474 dead or wounded 6 ships lost The Battle of Santiago de Cuba, fought between Spain and...

The Navy's experience in this war was both encouraging, in that it had won, and cautionary, in that the enemy had one of the weakest of the worlds' modern fleets, and that the Manila Bay attack was extremely risky - if the American ships had been severely damaged or had run out of supplies, they were 7,000 miles from the nearest American harbor. This realization would have a profound effect on Navy strategy, and, indeed, American foreign policy, in the next several decades.

[edit] Great White Fleet

Fortunately for the New Navy, its most ardent political supporter, Theodore Roosevelt, became President in 1901. Under his administration, the Navy added many more ships, and became involved in the politics of the Caribbean and Central America, with interventions in 1901, 1902, 1903, and 1906. Theodore Roosevelt, Jr. ... 1901 (MCMI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Wednesday of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... 1901 (MCMI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Wednesday of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... 1902 (MCMII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... 1900 (MCMIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Friday of the 13-day slower Julian calendar. ... 1906 (MCMVI) was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ...

The Russo-Japanese War of 1905 and the launching of HMS Dreadnought in the following year lent impetus to the construction program. At the end of 1907 Roosevelt had sixteen new battleships to make up his Great White Fleet, which he sent on a cruise around the world. While nominally peaceful, and a valuable training exercise for the rapidly expanding Navy, it was also useful politically as a demonstration of US power and capabilities; at every port, the politicians and naval officers of both potential allies and enemies were welcomed on board and given tours. Combatants Russian Empire Montenegro Empire of Japan Commanders Emperor Nicholas II Aleksey Kuropatkin Stepan Makarov† Emperor Meiji Oyama Iwao Heihachiro Togo Greater Manchuria, Russian (outer) Manchuria is region to upper right in lighter Red; Liaodong Peninsula is the wedge extending into the Yellow Sea Georges Ferdinand Bigot, Japan fights against... 1905 (MCMV) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar). ... The sixth HMS Dreadnought of the Royal Navy was a revolutionary battleship which entered service in 1906. ... Year 1907 (MCMVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Monday of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... Mort Kuntsler 1977 painting The Great White Fleet Sails. ...

The cruise had the desired effect, and US power was subsequently taken more seriously. However, the Taft and Wilson administrations failed to capitalize on the Navy's progress, and by World War I the Navy did not have sufficient strength or credibility compared to Britain or Germany to guarantee the neutrality that President Wilson desired. William Howard Taft (September 15, 1857 – March 8, 1930) was an American politician, the 27th President of the United States, the 10th Chief Justice of the United States, a leader of the progressive conservative wing of the Republican Party in the early 20th century, a pioneer in international arbitration and... Thomas Woodrow Wilson (December 28, 1856 – February 3, 1924), was the 28th President of the United States. ... “The Great War ” redirects here. ... The German invasion of Poland on 1 September 1939 began hostilities in Europe and President Franklin D. Roosevelt immediately declared the United States’ neutrality. ...

[edit] World War I

Despite US declarations of neutrality and German accountability for its unrestricted submarine warfare, in 1915 Gulflight and more famously Lusitania were sunk. The US reaction was to contemplate increased funding for the Navy, although the bill went through six months of debate in Congress before being passed. When the war began for the US in 1917, the Navy's role was mostly limited to convoy escort and troop transport, and the laying of a minefield across the North Sea. During World War I, the Navy was the first branch of the United States armed forces to allow enlistment by women in a non-nursing capacity, as Yeoman (F). 1915 (MCMXV) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar). ... American 5189-ton tanker, the Gulflight, launched on 8 August 1914, was built for Gulf Refining Company. ... RMS Lusitania was a Cunard Line ocean liner, sister ship of the Mauretania, that was built by the John Brown & Co. ... 1917 (MCMXVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 13-day slower Julian calendar (see: 1917 Julian calendar). ... A convoy is a group of vehicles traveling together for mutual support. ... Polish wz. ... The North Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean, located between the coasts of Norway and Denmark in the east, the coast of the British Isles in the west, and the German, Dutch, Belgian and French coasts in the south. ... Yeoman (F) was a rank in the U.S. Naval Reserve in World War I. The first Yeoman (F) was Loretta Perfectus Walsh. ...

[edit] Inter-war retrenchment and expansion

After a short period of demobilization, the nations of the globe began rebuilding armaments at a tremendous rate, in preparation for the next war; but widespread revulsion at the prospect of further carnage led to the Washington Naval Conference of 1921 and its results, the Nine-Power Treaty, the Treaty for the Limitation of Naval Armament, and limitations on the use of submarines and poison gas. The naval limitation treaty was especially curious in its prescription of numbers and size ratios for the navies of the treaty nations, and many ships were scrapped to meet those limitations. The Washington Naval Conference was a diplomatic conference, called by the administration of President Warren G. Harding and held in Washington, D.C. from November 1921 to March 1922. ... Year 1921 (MCMXXI) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar). ... Signed by the US, France, Great Britain, Japan, Italy, Belgium, China, Netherlands, and Portugal. ... The Limitation of Naval Armament included many separate treaties. ... Alvin in 1978, a year after first exploring hydrothermal vents. ... Early detection of chemical agents Sociopolitical climate of chemical warfare While the study of chemicals and their military uses was widespread in China, the use of toxic materials has historically been viewed with mixed emotions and some disdain in the West (especially when the enemy were doing it). ...

One consequence was to encourage the development of light cruisers and aircraft carriers. The United States's first carrier, a converted collier named USS Langley was commissioned in 1922, and soon joined by Lexington and Saratoga, which had been planned to be battlecruisers until the treaty forbade it. A light cruiser is a warship that is not so large and powerful as a regular (or heavy) cruiser, but still larger than ships like destroyers. ... Four aircraft carriers, (bottom-to-top) Principe de Asturias, amphibious assault carrier USS Wasp, supercarrier USS Forrestal and light V/STOL carrier HMS Invincible, showing size differences of late 20th century carriers An aircraft carrier is a warship designed to deploy and recover aircraft — in effect acting as a sea... Look up collier in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... The USS Langley (CV-1/AV-3) was the United States Navys first aircraft carrier. ... Year 1922 (MCMXXII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar). ... The fourth USS Lexington (CV-2), nicknamed the Gray Lady or Lady Lex, was the second aircraft carrier of the United States Navy. ... The fifth USS Saratoga (CV-3) was the second aircraft carrier of the United States Navy. ... HMS Hood (left) and the battleship HMS Barham (right), in Malta, 1937. ...

Rivalries continued to simmer, and an additional conference in 1927 failed to agree on limitations to the loopholes that navies were busy exploiting. But the financial crash of 1929 encouraged governments to save money by not building ships, and in 1930 the London Naval Conference produced the London Naval Treaty, which improved Anglo-American relations, but whose results were soon overshadowed by the nationalist movements that were taking control of countries around the globe. Year 1927 (MCMXXVII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1929 (MCMXXIX) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1930 (MCMXXX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display 1930 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... There were three major international naval conferences in London, the first in 1908-09, the second in 1930 and the third in 1935. ... The London Naval Treaty was an agreement between the United Kingdom, Japan, France, Italy and the United States, signed on April 22, 1930, which to regulate submarine warfare and limited military shipbuilding. ...

The US Navy had a presence in the Far East with a naval base in the Phillipines, and river gunboats on the Yangtze River. The gunboat USS Panay was bombed and machine gunned by Japanese airplanes, (together with the HMS Bee) as she lay off Nanking in 1937. This would, in effect, be the opening shot in the Pacific War, but at the time it was viewed as ongoing strife in China going back to 1927. Nanking was devastated in the same raid. Three vessels of the United States Navy have been named USS Panay, after the Philippine island of Panay. ... Nanjing (南京, Pinyin: Nánjīng, Wade-Giles: Nan-ching; Postal System Pinyin: Nanking, formerly Jinling 金陵, Jiangning 江宁, and Tianjing 天京) is the central city of downstream Yangtze Basin and is a renowned historical and cultural city. ...

In reaction the Vinson-Trammell Act of 1934 set up a regular program of ship building and modernization. The Navy's preparation was helped along by another Navy assistant secretary turned president, Franklin D. Roosevelt. Year 1934 (MCMXXXIV) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display full 1934 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Franklin Delano Roosevelt (January 30, 1882–April 12, 1945), 32nd President of the United States, the longest-serving holder of the office and the only man to be elected President more than twice, was one of the central figures of 20th century history. ...

The first new battleship since 1921, North Carolina, was laid down in October 1937. In June of 1940 an act authorized an 11% expansion in the Navy, and Chief of Naval Operations Harold Rainsford Stark asked for another 70% increase, amounting to about 200 additional ships, which was authorized by Congess in less than a month. Early in 1941, Lend-Lease gave Britain much-needed destroyers in exchange for US use of British bases. See USS North Carolina for other Navy ships of the same name. ... 1937 (MCMXXXVII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... The Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) is the senior military officer in the United States Navy. ... Harold Rainsford Stark (12 November 1880 – 21 August 1972) served as an officer in the United States Navy during World War I and World War II. Stark was the US Navys 8th Chief of Naval Operations, from August 1, 1939 to 26 March 1942. ... The Lend-Lease program was a program of the United States during World War II that allowed the United States to provide the Allied Powers with war material without becoming directly involved in the war. ...

In 1941, the Atlantic Fleet was reactivated. The Navy's first shot in anger came on 9 April, when the destroyer USS Niblack dropped depth charges on a U-boat detected while Niblack was rescuing survivors from a torpedoed Dutch freighter. A week later, orders were given to attack all Axis ships within 25 miles of the US East Coast. In October, the destroyers Kearny and Reuben James were torpedoed, and Reuben James was lost. For the movie, see 1941 (film). ... The Atlantic Fleet (USLANTFLT) of the United States Navy is the part of the Navy responsible for operations in around the Atlantic Ocean. ... April 9 is the 99th day of the year (100th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Niblack (DD-424: dp. ... Depth Charge used by U.S. Navy later in World War II The depth charge is the oldest anti-submarine weapon. ... U-boat is also a nickname for some diesel locomotives built by GE; see List of GE locomotives October 1939. ... Cargo ship or freighter is any sort of ship that carries goods and materials from one port to another. ... Kearny (DD -432: dp. ... The first USS Reuben James (DD-245), a post-World War I four-stack Clemson-class destroyer, was the first United States Navy ship sunk by hostile action in World War II and the first named for a Boatswains Mate who distinguished himself fighting the Barbary pirates. ...

[edit] World War II

The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor came as a complete surprise to almost everyone, and tactically it was a clever maneuver; the US Navy was off-balance and was unable to effectively counter Japan's takeover of the Far East. In quick succession the Philippines were occupied, the Battle of the Java Sea was lost, the Dutch East Indies were taken over, Wake Island was lost. But strategically it was a foolish act; the urge for vengeance was strong, and the isolationists silenced. Combatants United States Empire of Japan Commanders Husband Kimmel (USN), Walter Short (USA) Chuichi Nagumo (IJN), Mitsuo Fuchida (IJNAS), Shigekazu Shimazaki (IJNAS) Strength 8 battleships, 8 cruisers, 29 destroyers, 9 submarines, ~50 other ships, ~390 planes 6 aircraft carriers, 9 destroyers, 2 battleships, 2 heavy cruisers, 1 light cruiser, 8... Combatants United States Netherlands United Kingdom Australia Japan Commanders Karel Doorman† Takeo Takagi Strength 2 heavy cruisers 3 light cruisers 12 destroyers 2 heavy cruisers 2 light cruisers 14 destroyers 10 transports Casualties 5 cruisers sunk 5 destroyers sunk 2,300 sailors killed 4 loaded troop transports sunk The Battle... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ...

It also became clear that the era of the battleship had come and gone; while the battleships at Pearl were raised and repaired (with the sole exception of the demolished Arizona), they were mostly used for shore bombardment. The carrier Hornet launched the Doolittle Raid against Tokyo in April 1942, while task forces organized around carriers fought the Battle of the Coral Sea in May and the Battle of Midway in June, checking Japanese advances to the east and south. Arizona (BB-39) in Pearl Harbor, see USS Arizona Memorial. ... The seventh USS Hornet (CV-8) of the United States Navy was an aircraft carrier of World War II, notable for launching the Doolittle Raid, as a participant in the Battle of Midway, and for action in the Solomons before being mortally wounded in the Battle of the Santa Cruz... Combatants United States Empire of Japan Commanders James H. Doolittle Hideki Tojo Strength 16 B-25 Mitchells Unknown number of troops and homeland defense Casualties 3 dead, 8 POWs (4 would die in captivity); 5 interned in USSR About 50 dead, 400 injured Lt. ...   , literally Eastern capital) is a unique subnational administrative region of Japan with characteristics of both a prefecture and a city. ... 1942 (MCMXLII) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1942 calendar). ... A task force (TF) is a temporary unit or formation established to work on a single defined task or activity. ... Combatants United States Navy Royal Australian Navy Imperial Japanese Navy Commanders Frank J. Fletcher John G. Crace Shigeyoshi Inoue Takeo Takagi Strength 2 large carriers, 3 cruisers 2 large carriers, 1 light carrier, 4 cruisers Casualties 1 fleet carrier, 1 destroyer, 1 oil tanker sunk 543 killed 1 light carrier... Combatants United States of America Empire of Japan Commanders Chester W. Nimitz Frank J. Fletcher Raymond A. Spruance Isoroku Yamamoto Chuichi Nagumo Tamon Yamaguchi † Strength 3 carriers, ~50 support ships, 233 carrier aircraft, 127 land-based aircraft 4 carriers, 7 battleships, ~150 support ships, 248 carrier aircraft, 16 floatplanes Casualties...

When the US launched its first counteroffensive, the invasion of Guadalcanal, the Navy became involved in a series of little-known fights with the Japanese; the disastrous Battle of Savo Island, where four cruisers were sunk, the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands, the Battle of Cape Esperance, and the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal. Guadalcanal, position (inset) and main towns Guadalcanal is a 2,510 square mile (6 500 km²) island in the Pacific Ocean and a province of the Solomon Islands. ... Combatants Allied forces including: United States Australia United Kingdom Empire of Japan Commanders Richmond K. Turner, Victor Crutchley Isoroku Yamamoto, Gunichi Mikawa Strength 8 cruisers, 15 destroyers[2] 7 cruisers, 1 destroyer[3] Casualties 4 cruisers sunk, 1 cruiser, 2 destroyers damaged, 1,077 killed[4] 3 cruisers moderately damaged... Combatants United States (U.S.) Japan Commanders William Halsey, Jr. ... Combatants United States New Zealand Australia Empire of Japan Commanders Norman Scott Aritomo Goto† Strength 4 cruisers 5 destroyers 3 cruisers 2 destroyers Casualties 1 destroyer sunk, 1 cruiser, 1 destroyer heavily damaged, 163 killed[1] 1 cruiser, 1 destroyer sunk, 1 cruiser heavily damaged, 454 killed, 111 captured[2... Combatants United States, Australia, New Zealand Japan Commanders William Halsey, Jr Isoroku Yamamoto Strength 1 carrier, 2 battleships, 5 cruisers, 12 destroyers 2 battleships, 8 cruisers, 16 destroyers Casualties 2 light cruisers, 7 destroyers sunk, 26 aircraft destroyed, 1,732 killed[1] 2 battleships, 1 heavy cruiser, 3 destroyers, 11...

Much of the Navy's activity was in support of landings, not only in the "island-hopping" campaign in the Pacific, but also in the landings in Europe; Torch, Husky, the landings at Anzio in Italy, Overlord, and Dragoon. This image portrays the island hop of Christopher Columbuss second voyage to the Caribbean. ... Combatants United States United Kingdom Free French Forces Vichy France Commanders Dwight Eisenhower Andrew Cunningham François Darlan Strength 73,500 60,000 Casualties 479+ dead 720 wounded 1,346+ dead 1,997 wounded Operation Torch (initially called Operation Gymnast) was the British-American invasion of French North Africa in... Husky was also the codename of Australian military support to Sierra Leone ending in February 2003. ... // Anzio is a city and resort on the coast of the Lazio region of Italy, about 33 miles south of Rome. ... The Battle of Normandy was fought in 1944 between the German forces occupying Western Europe and the invading Allies. ... Combatants United States1 United Kingdom2 Free France3 Germany Commanders Lt. ...

A hunter-killer group of the U.S. Navy captured the German submarine U-505 on June 4, 1944. This was the first time a U.S. Navy vessel had captured an enemy vessel at sea since the 19th century. U-505 shortly after being captured Unterseeboot 505 was a Type IXC U-boat of the Kriegsmarine, notable for its capture by the United States Navy in 1944, and presently a museum ship in Chicago, Illinois. ... June 4 is the 155th day of the year (156th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... For the three letter acronym, see SEA. For the ancient Jewish unit of volume, see Seah (unit). ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The reconquest of the Philippines began at Leyte in October 1944. The Japanese fleet came out to resist the landings, resulting in the four-day Battle of Leyte Gulf, largest naval battle in history. Combatants United States, Australia and Philippines Japan Commanders Douglas MacArthur Walter Krueger Franklin C. Sibert John R. Hodge Ruperto C. Kangleon Tomoyuki Yamashita Sosaku Suzuki Shiro Makino Strength 200,000 U.S. troops 3,189 Filipino guerrillas 55,000 Japanese troops Casualties 3,500 killed 12,000 wounded 49,000... Combatants United States Australia Empire of Japan Commanders William Halsey, Jr (3rd Fleet) Thomas C. Kinkaid (7th Fleet) Takeo Kurita (Centre Force) Shoji Nishimura† (Southern Force) Kiyohide Shima (Southern Force) Jisaburo Ozawa (Northern Force) Strength 17 aircraft carriers 18 escort carriers 12 battleships 24 cruisers 141 destroyers and destroyer escorts...

When the Japanese surrendered, a large flotilla entered Tokyo Bay to witness the ceremony conducted on the battleship Missouri. Tokyo Bay from space Tokyo Bay ) is a bay in the southern Kantō region of Japan. ... Radars: AN/SPS-49 Air Search Radar AN/SPS-67 Surface Search Radar Fire control: 4 × Mk 37 Gun Fire Control 2 × Mk 38 Gun Director 1 × Mk 40 Gun Director EW: AN/SLQ-32 Other: AN/SLQ-25 NIXIE Decoy System 8 × Super Rapid Bloom Rocket Launchers (SRBOC) Armor...

[edit] Cold War

The immediate postwar fate of the Navy was the scrapping and mothballing of ships on a large scale. This did not last; tension with the Soviet Union came to a head in the Korean War, and it became clear that the peacetime Navy would have to be much larger than ever imagined. Fleets were stationed strategically around the world, and their maneuverings were a standard part of the response to the periodic crises. Combatants United Nations:  Republic of Korea,  Australia,  Belgium,  Luxembourg,  Canada,  Colombia,  Ethiopia,  France,  Greece,  Luxembourg,  Netherlands,  New Zealand,  Philippines,  South Africa,  Thailand,  Turkey,  United Kingdom,  United States Medical staff:  Denmark,  Australia,  Italy,  Norway,  Sweden Communist states:  Democratic People’s Republic of Korea,  Peoples Republic of China,  Soviet Union Commanders...

The 1950s saw the development of nuclear power for ships, under the leadership of Hyman G. Rickover, and the development of missiles and jets for Navy use. The Navy gradually developed a reputation for having the most highly-developed technology of all the US services; ballistic missile submarines grew ever more deadly and quiet. This does not cite any references or sources. ... A nuclear power station. ... Hyman G. Rickover (1955) Admiral Hyman George Rickover, U.S. Navy, (January 27, 1900 – July 8, 1986) was known as the Father of the Nuclear Navy, which as of November 2005 had produced 199 nuclear-powered submarines, and 19 nuclear-powered aircraft carriers and cruisers, though many of these U... It has been suggested that Guided missile be merged into this article or section. ... Jet aircraft are aircrafts with jet engines. ... The Redoutable, a French SNLE (now a museum) A ballistic missile submarine is a submarine equipped to launch ballistic missiles (SLBMs), such as the Russian SS-N-18 or the American Trident. ...

An unlikely combination of Navy ships fought in the Vietnam War; aircraft carriers offshore launched thousands of airstrikes, while small gunboats of the "Brownwater Navy" patrolled the rivers. Despite the naval activity, new construction was curtailed by Presidents Johnson and Nixon to save money, and many of the carriers on Yankee Station dated from WWII. By 1978 the fleet had dwindled to 217 surface ships and 119 submarines. Combatants Republic of Vietnam United States Republic of Korea Thailand Australia New Zealand The Philippines National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam Democratic Republic of Vietnam People’s Republic of China Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea Strength US 1,000,000 South Korea 300,000 Australia 48,000... Brownwater Navy is a term in American naval speech referring to actions in near shore and riverine enviroments. ... Lyndon Baines Johnson (August 27, 1908–January 22, 1973), often referred to as LBJ, was an American politician. ... Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913 – April 22, 1994) was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. ... Yankee Station was a point in the Gulf of Tonkin off the coast of Vietnam used by U.S. Navy aircraft carriers to launch raids in the Vietnam War. ... Year 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1978 Gregorian calendar). ...

The Cold War on the oceans was dominated by war games in which, for example, United States and Soviet submarines would trail each other for days on end.

Meanwhile the Soviet fleet had been growing, and outnumbered the US fleet in every type except carriers. This concern led the Reagan administration to set a goal for a 600-ship Navy, and by 1988 the fleet was at 588, although it declined again in subsequent years. Several of the old battleships were reactivated after 40 years in storage, modernized, and made showy appearances off the shores of Lebanon and elsewhere. The United States Navy conducted various combat operations in the Persian Gulf against Iran, most notably Operation Praying Mantis. Ronald Wilson Reagan (February 6, 1911 – June 5, 2004) was the 40th President of the United States (1981 – 1989) and the 33rd Governor of California (1967 – 1975). ... The 600 Ship Navy was a plan put forth as a campaign plank by Ronald Reagan in 1980 to rebuild the United States Navy to its former size after post-Vietnam cutbacks. ... Year 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar). ... Iranian frigate IS Sahand (74) attacked by aircraft of U.S. Navy Carrier Air Wing 11 in retaliation for the mining of the guided missile frigate USS . ...

[edit] Modern Navy

Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Soviet Navy fell apart, without sufficient personnel to man many of its ships or the money to maintain them - indeed, many of them were sold to foreign nations. This left the United States as the world's undisputed naval superpower.

US naval forces did undergo a decline in absolute terms. Relative to the rest of the world, however, United States naval power only increased. By some accounts, during the 1990s, the United States had a navy larger than the next seven largest navies combined. This measure possibly even underestimated the strength of the United States Navy because the USN's advantage was more than just numerical: the United States Navy enjoyed vast technological superiority to any other Navy. All the world's oceans are dominated by the United States Navy, and United States naval power, as evinced by its 13 aircraft