United States Navy (USN) historical timeline
The United States of America independence was declared on July 4, 1776. About a year before this date the Continental Congress passed a resolution on October 13, 1775 to create a Continental Navy (CN). With the end of the American Revolutionary War, the Continental Navy was disbanded. Under the Presidency of George Washington, merchant shipping came under threat while in the Mediterranean by Barbary pirates from four North African States. This led to the Naval Act of 1794, which created a permanent standing United States Navy (USN) followed by the forming of a The Department of the Navy a few years later (April 30, 1798). Six frigates were the first official warships that were part of the navy. John Paul Jones lead the U.S. Navy to its first victory.
The most important events in the history of the US Navy are listed in the following timeline:
(source: www.militarywives.com)
Oct 13, 1775
The Beginning
Established when the Continental Congress saw a need to defend their seas from the British
Sept 7, 1776
First US submarine
“The Turtle” US first submarine was successfully launched. It went on to complete a mission against the British flagship, HMS Eagle.
Sept 23, 1779
First Victory
John Paul Jones lead the U.S. Navy to its first victory
THE FIRST UNITED STATES SUBMARINE
A young American experimented with a subsurface craft he hoped would help drive the British out of New York. David Bushnell was a Yale medical student who had been working on a small submarine for some 4 years and finally completed it in 1775. This first warfare submarine, named the Turtle, was described by Bushnell as having “some resemblance to two upper tortoise shells of equal size, joined together…”. It was 7.5 feet deep, and under ideal conditions had a maximum speed of 3 knots. A single operator could stay down for 30 minutes. The Turtle was armed with an oak casing filled with 150 pounds of explosives. This charge could be attached tot he bottom of an enemy ship where it was intended to remain until detonated by a simple clockwork mechanism. Bushnell made a few more attempts to use the Turtleagainst the British in the Delaware River. He attachedmines to the Turtle and floated the mines against ships.These attempts failed. The submarine was finally sunkby the British in New York harbor, the first recorded instance of an antisubmarine attack.
Mar 27, 1794
Naval Act
Congress signs the Naval Act of 1794, calling for a strong military defense including a navy
Apr 30,1798
Department of the Navy
The Department of the Navy created
Jul 12, 1800
Quasi War
“The Quasi War” broke out on the high sea between France and the U.S.
May 8, 1802
North African Pirates
The U.S. Navy defeats North African pirates and keeps trade passages clear
Jun 22, 1807
Issues with Britain
The USS Chesapeake is captured by the Royal Navy HMS Leopard
Jun 18, 1812
War of 1812
The Royal Navy largely outnumbers the U.S. but is still defeated in the majority of important battles of the War of 1812
Aug 19, 1812
British Attack
British fire cannon balls upon the USS Constitution
The USS Chesapeake takes over the Royal Navy’s Shannon, earning a victory for the U.S.
U.S. takes over British Ship
Jun 1, 1813
British forces attempted to regain control of the Great Lakes during the War of 1812 but were stopped by America’s Navy
Dispute Over The Great Lakes
Sep 10, 1813
BU.S. lands twelve thousand soldiers on Mexican beaches. U.S. Takes over Mexico City
Mexico City Take Over
Mar 9, 1847
Oliver Hazzard Perry and his squadron traveled to Japan and signed The Treaty of Kanagawa opening trade
Treaty of Kanagawa
May 31, 1854
Battle of Gloucester Point First Naval operation of the Civil War, Battle of Gloucester Point
Battle of Gloucester Point
May 7, 1861
Mar 8, 1862
First ironclash
At the Battle of Hampton Roads, first ever ironclad clash
Apr 16, 1862
Union over Confederacy
Battle of Fort Jackson, Battle of Saint Phillip: Union Navy takes over Confederate port at New Orleans
Feb 17, 1864
Submarine Warfare
Charleston, South Carolina: creation of American submarine warfare
Aug 5, 1864
Underwater Mines
Confederates invent the first Naval mine used in the Battle of Mobile Bay
Jan 14, 1865
End of Confederacy
Union Navy shuts off final Confederate port ending the rebellio
Feb 15, 1898
Spanish-American War
The need for a strengthened Navy is made apparent at the beginning of the Spanish-American War with the explosion of the USS Maine
May 1, 1898
Victory over Spanish
U.S. Navy victory again Spanish at Battle of Manila Bay
Jun 6, 1898
Guantanamo Bay
U.S. Navy captured Guantanamo Bay
Jul 3, 1898
Battle of Santiago de Cuba
U.S. Navy destroys the whole Spanish Caribbean Navy at the Battle of Santiago de Cuba
Oct 12, 1900
First Modern American Submarine
First American submarine is added to the Navy, the USS Holland
Mar 3, 1915
Navy Reserve
Navy Reserve is created
Aug 29, 1916
Use of Reserves
Reserves are put to action in WWI
Nov 17, 1917
First Victory Against Germany
First American naval victory of WWI against Germany
May 8, 1918
End of Sea Battles With Germany
Navy engages with another German vessel, sinks it, and brings the war at sea to a close
Feb 13, 1922
Personnel Limit
End of the Naval Act of 1916 Limit put on amount of ships and personnel allowed in each nation’s Navy
Mar 20, 1922
First Aircraft Carrier
The first Aircraft Carrier, the USS Langley is commissioned
First modern RADAR system created
RADAR
Nov 5, 1930
U.S. Navy sends the USS Lexington to Nicaragua following a serious earthquake, this is the first time a naval vessel was used for this purpose
Aid To Nicaragua
Mar 31, 1931
Development of potential radio guided missile technology
New Missile Technology
Jul 21, 1936
First successful underwater refueling
Underwater Fueling
Jun 13, 1939
Dec 7, 1941
Pearl Harbor
Japanese bombs are dropped on Pearl Harbor. Many ships are damaged and some are destroyed or sunk like the USS Arizona
Mar 13, 1942
Vital Japanese Intel Discovered
Navy cryptanalysts crack Japanese general communication code revealing vital information
Apr 18, 1942
Doolittle Raid
U.S. Navy and Army forces work together to successfully pull off the Doolittle Raid in Japan
June 4, 1942
Midway attack
Attack on Midway as a response of the Doolittle raid
Jun 6, 1942
USS Yorktown Hit By Two Japanese Missiles
Japanese submarines launch four torpedoes, hitting USS Yorktown twice
Jun 7, 1942
Official End of Battle of Midway
USS Yorktown is left to sink in the Pacific Ocean, this is the official end of the battle
Jun 6, 1944
Working With Allied Forces, WWII
U.S. Navy fight with allied forces in the Atlantic contributing to the surrender of Nazi Germany
Jun 19, 1944
Attack On Japanese Vessels and Aircraft
The huge attack and defense from the U.S. Navy on Japanese planes and vessels.
Oct 23, 1944
Kamikaze Pilots
TJapanese suicide pilots attack U.S. ships, Admiral Thomas Sprague leads powerful attacks on Japan, ending their attacks
Sep 2, 1945
Battle At Leyte Gulf
The Navy supports Army and Marine forces in Japan during the Battle at Leyte Gulf. Japan surrenders on USS Missouri
Apr 26, 1949
First African American Flight Officer
The U.S.’s first African American flight officer, Jesse L. Brown is commissioned
Jul 2, 1950
Chumonchin Chan
U.S. and British naval forces work together to destroy Korean boats at the Battle of Chumonchin Chan
Sep 30, 1954
DFirst Nuclear Powered Submarine
The first nuclear powered submarines sets sail, starting the use of nuclear powered naval fleets
The Big Navy Act is passed calling for a naval force larger than Britain’s
The Big Navy Act
Jul 21, 1960
The USS Enterprise becomes the first nuclear powered aircraft carrier
First Nuclear Powered Aircraft Carrier
Nov 25, 1961
The Battle of Dong Hoi marks the first naval air raid since WWII
Battle of Dong Hoi
Apr 19, 1972
Two F-15s shoot down two Libyan Su-22s after the invasion of the Sidra Gulf
Invasion of Sidra Gulf
Aug 19, 1981
U.S. Air Force and Navy fighter pilots attack Libyan forces after a Berlin bombing (Nightclub in Berlin)
Navy and Air Force Fighter Pilots attack Libyan Forces
Apr 15, 1986
USS Samuel B. Roberts makes contact with an underwater mine and suffers huge damages in the Persian Gulf, this lead to the largest US naval battle since WWII
Largest American Battle since WWII
Apr 18, 1988
The U.S. launches a missile on Bosnian Serbs in an attempt to free hostages
Missile Launched on Bosnian Serbs
Sep 10, 1995
Sep 14, 2001
Medical Aid Following 9/11
U.S. Navy hospital ships head to Manhattan to aid those effected by the terrorist attacks on 11 September 2001
Jan 5, 2005
Humanitarian Support in South East Asia
USNS, the Navy’s hospital ship, travels to South East Asia after an intense earthquake and tsunami to provide medical support
Sep 2, 2005
USNS Medical Support After Hurricane Katrina
Immediately following Hurricane Katrina, USNS heads to New Orleans for medical support
Jan 16, 2010
USNS Aid After Earthquake in Haiti
USNS aids Haiti after a devastating earthquake
Mar 11, 2011
Medical Aid To Japan Following Earthquake
USS Ronald Reagan and multiple hospital ships ship out to Japan after the devastating earthquake and tsunami
May 2, 2011
Bin Laden Executed
Navy SEAL Team Six enters the hideout of Osama Bin Laden and successfully executes him
Oct 29, 2013
Launch of fist US Stealth Ship
USS Zumwalt (DDG 1000) is the first and most technologically advanced surface combatant stealth ship in the world. Zumwalt is the lead ship of a class of next-generation multi-mission
destroyers designed to strengthen naval power from the sea.
Nov 13, 2013
Medical Relief to Phillipines After Typhoon Haiyan
USNS heads to the Philippines for medical aid after Typhoon Haiyan
Jan 12, 2016
riverine command boats were seized by Iran
Two United States Navy riverine command boats were seized by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy after they entered Iranian territorial waters
Apr 7, 2017
l59 Tomahawk cruise missiles launched
the United States launched 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles from the Mediterranean Sea into Syria
Jun 17, 2017
Collision USS Fritzgerald
USS Fitzgerald was involved in a collisions with a merchant ship.
Aug 21, 2017
Collision USS John S. McCain
USS John S. McCain was involved in a collisions with a merchant ship.
Dec 18, 2023
Operation Prosperity Guardian
US-led military operation by a multinational coalition formed in December 2023 to respond to Houthi attacks on shipping in the Red Sea.
mid 2024
US navy ready in Middle East
US Warplanes, Ships and troops are ready in the Middle East if the conflict between Israel, Hezbolla and Hamas expands.