NEW AMERICAN TRUTH: November 2007

Since Veteran’s Day is this month - and we at New American Truth fully support all honorably discharged service veterans - we felt it would be appropriate to put together a collection of articles focusing on each branch of the military services. Each “piece” will have a short history of that particular branch of service and will have some personal comments from a veteran of that branch.

As you read through these brief articles you should contemplate a couple of things:

1) If you’re a service veteran for a particular branch, now is the time to stop and remember what your service time was like. Think about the highs and the lows and remember the pride you felt when you finished basic training.

2) Think about, and remember with respect, those you served with. There are certainly men and women in every branch of service that you may not get along with, but everyone who wears or ever wore an American military uniform deserves recognition.

3) Consider the sacrifices made by our military service members - and not just those alive today. Think back to the late 1700s when sacrifices were being made; when our freedom and liberty was being secured. Think about the more than 200 years of service that has been performed since then and all those who have sacrificed so that our country could remain the land of the free and the home of the brave.

Finally, we encourage each of you to reach our your hand, offer a handshake and say, “Thank you” to any service member you know. The mainstream media and plenty of other organizations in the United States today offer these fine men and women criticism or insult. Take just a few seconds out of your day to let them know you appreciate them and what they have done - and continue to do. Without them you might be reading this in German... or Japanese... or something besides English. Say THANK YOU!

New American Truth Staff

With an official birthdate of October 13, 1775, the United States Navy was – to some extent – born as a matter of George Washington asking for forgiveness rather than permission or approval. At that time, Congress was debating whether or not a navy should be created. Some felt it would be smart to have but others felt it would be foolhardy to challenge the British Royal Navy, then the world’s preeminent naval power.

While Congress deliberated, George Washington took over three armed schooners to intercept any British supply ships near Massachusetts. When Congress found out that there were already armed vessels operating under Continental authority, the argument about whether or not it SHOULD be done seemed moot. It had already been done. This is a lesson we should all learn: if you debate something too long that’s the same as deciding not to do it. Men like George Washington thought, made a decision and then acted.

The Navy struggled along in its early years and was largely considered dispensable because of the high cost of keeping it functioning and the limited role ships could play in conflict or defense. However, when a series of events resulted in American Merchant Ships being attacked by Barbary pirates, Congress took positive action, ordering construction of six frigates in 1794.

Across the next decades the Navy played important roles in conflicts from the War of 1812 to the War with Mexico that started in 1846 and heavily in the Civil War where the Union had a distinct waterborne advantage. In the 1880s a modernization program began which evolved the U.S. Navy into a force better than most in the world. In 1907 President Roosevelt ordered a fleet to circumnavigate the planet to demonstrate America’s ability to project the Navy’s power world wide.

While seeing little action during World War I the Navy grew in function and importance during World War II. Its value in the Pacific theater can’t be underplayed. By the war’s end in 1945 the Navy had added hundreds of ships to include 18 aircraft carriers and 8 battleships.

With the Cold War simmering for several decades the United States realized the value of Carrier Battle Groups. The power projection of such a force became obvious during a number of conflicts and operations and continues today. The Navy played important roles during operations against Iran in 1987 and 1988 and then in the middle east during both Gulf Wars. The United States Navy offers America the ability to project our power and policy around the world in a significant way.