U.S. Navy Birthday Celebration

October 17, 2019

 Vice Chancellor for Undergraduate Education (VCUE)

Sent on behalf of CAPT Travis Petzoldt, USN

On October 13 the United States Navy celebrated its 244th birthday! The Navy's watch to protect freedom of the seas with honor, courage, and commitment began on that date in 1775 when the Continental Congress, six months into the American Revolution, "Resolved, That a swift sailing vessel, to carry ten carriage guns, ..., with eighty men, be fitted, with all possible despatch [sic], for a cruise of three months, ... ." The Navy has been the United States' away team ever since, ensuring peace, stability, and security at home and abroad.

UC Berkeley proudly hosts one of the nation's original Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps units, a program that trains and commissions officers into the Navy and Marine Corps in a university setting. Founded in 1926 by future Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz, the unit now has 52 midshipmen from UC Berkeley, Stanford, UC Davis, and Cal Maritime. Following his time at Berkeley, Fleet Admiral Nimitz would go on to command the U.S. Pacific Fleet and the Pacific Ocean Area during World War II. He returned to live in Berkeley at the conclusion of his naval service and continued a relationship with the university, which included service as a regent and culminated in UC Berkeley celebrating October 17, 1964, as Nimitz Day.

If you see a student wearing a Navy (khaki) uniform on October 17 (today), please wish them a (belated) Happy Navy Birthday!

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