Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture ProCon Money Videos

United States Navy: Quick Facts

Written and fact-checked by
The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

The Information Architects maintain a master list of the topics included in the corpus of  Encyclopædia Britannica, and create and manage the relationships between them.
The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Last updated

News •

Navy shipbuilding returns to Philly in $269 million deal for a Marine landing ship • Oct. 30, 2026, 11:38 AM ET (The Philadelphia Inquirer)
The Ocean ‘Was the Color of Chocolate.’ Mexico Declares War on Seaweed. • Oct. 28, 2026, 5:05 AM ET (New York Times)
US CNO says future fleet operations “may not be tied” so predominantly to carrier strike groups • Oct. 27, 2026, 3:00 AM ET (Janes Defence Intelligence)
William Sheaffer Obituary - Winter Park, FLORIDA (1948-2026) • Oct. 18, 2026, 3:55 AM ET (Orlando Sentinel)

Facts

Also Known As USN
Date 1798 - present
Areas Of Involvement naval warfare • defense • Today in History—March 23: The U.S. Military’s Pigeon Service Ends • sea power • Why are navy beans called navy beans?
Related People Mildred Helen McAfee • Tim Sheehy • James Stockdale • Husband Edward Kimmel • John F. Kennedy • John McCain • Chesty Puller • Richard E. Byrd • Mikie Sherrill • Jesse L. Brown • Agnes Meyer Driscoll • Mark Kelly • Jonny Kim • Lisa Franchetti • John Kerry
Related Facts And Data Pearl Harbor attack - Facts

Photos and Videos

Seal of the U.S. Department of the Navy
Esek Hopkins
John Paul Jones
John Barry
John Paul Jones
Illustration of the American warship Bonhomme Richard, with red sails, firing cannons at the British frigate Serapis during a naval battle, with sailors visible on deck.
Bombardment of Tripoli by Michele Felice Cornè
Painting of Edward Preble by Rembrandt Peale
Stephen Decatur
War of 1812: USS Constitution and HMS Guerriere
American Civil War: Vicksburg Campaign
Find out how Japan failed to invade Port Moresby despite winning the Battle of the Coral Sea
Discover how the U.S. Navy defeated Japan's fleet to check Japanese expansion in the Battle of Midway
Who was the first Asian American woman in the U.S. Navy?
See All Videos and Images →

Related Topics and References

Topics
Dig Deeper: More Articles That Discuss This Topic

Related Quizzes

A soldier standing guard in a Washington, D.C. street with the ruins of buildings that were destroyed during the riots that followed the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr., April 8, 1968.
By All Military Meanings Necessary: Vocab Quiz