Subscribe
Break out the candles and sheet cake, the Navy celebrates its 237th birthday, Saturday.
In 1972, Adm. Elmo Zumwalt, Chief of Naval Operations, designated Oct. 13 as the Navy’s birthday in recognition of the date when Congress authorized the construction of America’s first naval ships.
Since its inception in 1775, the U.S. Navy continues to uphold the practices and traditions of Navy tenants such as sounding the bell during watches, reminding all who hear of the Navy’s service as the shield of the Republic.
Capt. Bret Muilenburg, chief of staff for Navy Region Hawaii, said the toll is symbolic.
“The age-old practice of sounding the bell during watches, on the hour and half hour, is symbolic of our Navy’s hallmark efforts and is as appropriate in our nuclear and missile-oriented Navy, committed to innovative new technologies in the 21st century, as it ever was,” Muilenburg said.
For the Navy, the 21st century began 200 years ago.
Bill Doughty, deputy director of public affairs in the Command, Navy Pacific Region, said this birthday is significant because it is the bicentennial mark of the War of 1812; the year the Navy reached a critical juncture in operations.
“We began the modernization of the Navy and we’ve really been innovating ever since, whether it’s ship-building, warfighting or energy, we always want to be innovative,” Doughty said.
The anniversary will be celebrated over the weekend by several events including a bell-ringing ceremony, a boat tour hosted by the commander, Navy Region Hawaii historian in Pearl Harbor, the Navy Region Hawaii Enlisted Birthday Ball and Navy Officer’s Ball with guest speaker retired Capt. Gerald Coffee, Oct. 13.
Military and civilians are welcome to attend the reading of the secretary of the Navy’s birthday message outside Pearl Harbor’s Visitor Center during a coordinated Navy-wide bell-ringing ceremony, today at 8:20 a.m., in a global birthday commemoration. The event is open to the public.
The secretary of the Navy’s birthday message details the Navy’s rich history and conquests from the critical turning point of the War of 1812 to the present. It highlights the Navy’s core values of courage, honor, and commitment reflected in the actions of every crew who has served and calls to celebrate victories while honoring the fallen.
Ensign Michelle Downs, the event coordinator for the bell-ringing ceremony, has served in the Navy for two years. She said sailors who attend the event should walk away with a sense of history.
“I think it’s important for sailors to know the heritage and know where it all came from,” Downs said. “To know there is a long and celebrated history. The birthday is an opportunity to teach our sailors that heritage.”
The birthday festivities are meant to signal a demonstrable reminder of the Navy’s history and heritage, observe enduring tradition, and to unite and rally sailors the world over.
| Date Taken: | 10.13.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 11.08.2012 18:38 |
| Story ID: | 97522 |
| Location: | PEARL HARBOR, HAWAII, US |
| Hometown: | HONOLULU, HAWAII, US |
| Hometown: | PEARL HARBOR, HAWAII, US |
| Web Views: | 34 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Navy celebrates 237th birthday tomorrow, by Rochelle Smolinski, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
