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Overview of
the United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is a branch of the United States armed
forces responsible for conducting naval operations. The mission of the
United States Navy is "to maintain, train and equip combat-ready Naval
forces capable of winning wars, deterring aggression and maintaining
freedom of the seas." The U.S. Navy currently has nearly 500,000
personnel on active duty or in the Navy Reserve and operates 278 ships
in active service and more than 4,000 aircraft.
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The United States Constitution
provided the legal basis for a seaborne military force by giving
Congress the power "to provide and maintain a navy." Depredations
against American shipping by Barbary Coast corsairs spurred Congress to
employ this power in 1794 by passing the Naval Act of 1794 ordering the
construction and manning of six frigates.
The U.S. Navy came into
international prominence in the 20th century, especially during World
War II. Operating in both the European and Pacific theaters, it was a
part of the conflict from the onset of American military involvement
from the attack on Pearl Harbor to Japan's official surrender aboard the
USS Missouri.
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The U.S. Navy had a role in
the subsequent Cold War, in which it evolved into a nuclear deterrent
and crisis response force while preparing for a possible global war with
the Soviet Union.
The United
States Navy maintains a sizeable presence in the world, deploying in
such areas as East Asia, Southern Europe, and the Middle East. The
Navy's ability to project force onto the regions of the world, engage in
forward areas during peacetime, and rapidly respond to regional crises
makes it an active player in American foreign and defense policy.
The Department
of the Navy has three principal components:
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The Navy
Department, consisting of executive offices mostly in Washington,
D.C
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The
operating forces, including the
Marine Corps, the
reserve components
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In times
of war, the U.S. Coast Guard (in peace, a component of the
Department of Homeland Security) and the shore establishment
United
States Navy Websites |
