SOFREP Celebrates 250 Years of the United States Navy

The birth of a blue water baby

On October 13, 1775, the Second Continental Congress voted to arm two ships to raid British supply lines. That modest act sparked the Continental Navy, a seed that grew into a fleet that has circled the globe for two and a half centuries.

Within months, Congress named Esek Hopkins commander in chief. His sailors and Continental Marines sailed south and hit Nassau in March 1776, seizing badly needed powder and supplies. The raid stands among the first fleet operations of the American Revolution and produced the first amphibious landing by Marines. If you are hunting for origin stories, that one comes with salt spray and stolen gunpowder (and probably a bit of rum in there as well).

The nation later built a Navy built to last, both in steel and in memory. USS Constitution, launched in 1797 and nicknamed Old Ironsides after trading broadsides with the Royal Navy in 1812, remains the world’s oldest commissioned warship still afloat. Sailors still crew her in Boston, and the ship still fires the evening gun.

Happy Birthday to America’s great Navy; 250 years of service to our country. Patriotic Americans thank you for your sacrifice and dedication to our great country. It’s only through your sacrifices that America can remain strong! 🙏❤️✝️ pic.twitter.com/ML6lcP7Ez4

— Victoria 🇺🇸⏳🗽🚔 (@Loveof1776) October 5, 2025

How the fleet is celebrating 250

The Navy is marking the birthday all year with outreach, multilateral exercises, and community events that connect sailors with the towns whose names ride their sterns. The service has a dedicated hub for Navy 250 that keeps the calendar full and the message simple. America is a maritime nation and the Navy keeps sea lanes open and allies close.