Today is Birthday #248 of the United States Navy, the only branch of the military organized prior to the Declaration of Independence!

Yes, the origins of the Navy actually predate July 4, 1776, by almost a year. According to author Raymond G. O’Connor’s Origin of the American Navy, on August 26, 1775, the assembly of the colony of Rhode Island sent its delegates to the Continental Congress in Philadelphia to request that “a fleet of sufficient force for the protection of these colonies” be established. Although the Continental Congress had already urged individual colonies to mount their own naval defenses, the Rhode Island Assembly understood that securing American ports and waters would be a bigger job than any single colony could handle.

The Continental Congress agreed on October 13, 1775, and created an advisory committee staffed by John Langdon of New Hampshire, Silas Deane of Connecticut, and future U.S. President John Adams of Massachusetts. Adams, incidentally, would become a lifelong champion and advocate of the Navy. In addition to protecting American trade from British blockade and predation, the committee also made recommendations for intercepting British ships laden with supplies for the king’s forces in North America.

For a comprehensive look at Naval history and this year’s wealth of commemorative events and toolkit resources honoring 248 years, visit the website of the Naval History and Heritage Command here.