As one proud Veteran of America’s Navy, I shout out to all ~ 3.5 million living Navy and Naval Reserve veterans on this special October 13th, 2025 birthday celebration. It is no surprise to me that units of our Atlantic Fleet converged on Philadelphia, as the City of Brotherly Love, for prominent celebrations and festivities. I will be grateful if you take a few moments to read the Presidential Proclamation for the founding of America’s Navy.
Two and 1/2 Centuries
You may not recognize some names of Naval Committee principals of the Second Continental Congress: Silas Deane, John Langdon, and Christopher Gadsen. I reckon that you do recognize the name of John Adams, who later became our second president. In Fact, President Adams wrote the US Navy into Law in 1798. Get this, the original authorization was for two (2!) sailing ships to counter Britannia and King George’s armada.
[Note: Next month, I will give another Huzzah! for US Marine Corps veterans on November 10th for their own 250th birthday celebration. Then my colors will certainly be flown on Veterans’ (formerly Armistice Day) on November 11th].
A Pirate or a Sailor?
You may recall a maxim by Steve Jobs of Apple and Silicon Valley fame. He told his Macintosh workforce in 1983 that it was better to be a pirate than a sailor.
My response is that I want America’s navymen and women to be hybrid sailors and pirates. Operate with sworn tyrust and loyalty, honor, and obedience – for sure – from a sailor’s duty. Yet, I want our seaborne warfighters to be adventurous and non-traditional, while honoring the lifelines of our Department of the Navy.
Hybrid Sailors
John F. Kennedy was a 20th century profile of courage in his own right as the young skipper of PT-109 in Solomon Island waters of World War II.
We know of the unsung heroism of these two 21st-century sailors who gave their all for the country they served and loved:
Michael P. Murphy
Michael Monsoor
Both of the Navy SEAL Medal of Honor recipients now have combatant ships named after them.
Many CrossFit folks tackle a “Murph” workout on Memorial Day. I am not focusing on the tough bodyweight crucible aspect of the full-up “MURPH”.
Rather, I focus on the resilience of Murphy and Monsoor that was honed in the uncomfortable cold surf, wet Coronado sand, and the boat crew carriage of heavy inflatable rafts after crewmates rang the bell.
Is there a parallel with those of us who do uncomfotable things every day to challenge ourselves? I argue that there is.
Being STRONG TO SAVE is selfless work. Functional strengths and mental toughness are very much in the spirit of mastering oneself to better serve others. There is a very good reason wht the US Navy Hymn begins with this line, “Eternal Father Strong to Save”. Strong to Save is a very special mantra for seafarers.
Even in today’s modern Navy, it takes strength and stamina, plus mental toughness to peacekeep, to conduct expeditionary operations in adverse conditions, to endure lengthy deployments, and to persevere.
Navymen and women are trained to tackle something strange, new, or uncomfortable every day. Shouldn’t you and I?
Happy 250th Birthday to America’s Navy!
Stay Well Past Forty,
DF