foreign   or   domestic,    the  Constitution  gives Congress  the  power  to  carry  out  the  following: Raise  and  support  armies Provide  and  maintain  a  navy Make rules for the government of the land and  the  regulation  of  its  naval  forces CONGRESSIONAL   ACTION The  Continental  Congress  passed  legislation on  13  October  1775  to  form  a  committee  to purchase and arm two ships. That action created the  Continental  navy;  and  that  date  is,  histori- cally, the birthday of the U.S. Navy. The gallant fighting  of  the  Continental  navy  during  the revolutionary   war   was   a   large   contributor   to America’s  independence  as  a  new  nation.  The Continental navy began a heritage and tradition of victory that serve as the basic doctrine of our modern  Navy. The  United  States  Constitution  provided  for the  creation  of  a  navy  under  the  jurisdiction  of the  War  Department.  Article  I  of  the  Constitution states that Congress shall have power to provide and maintain a navy. It also states that Congress shall have power to make rules for the government and to regulate the land and naval forces. Article II states that the President shall be Commander in  Chief  of  the  Army  and  Navy  of  the  United States. (The Air Force came into being in 1947.) These  three  short  entries  are  the  only  specific references to the navy in the Constitution. These few   lines,   however,   authorized   Congress   to establish the navy, develop navy regulations, and appoint  the  President  as  Commander  in  Chief. The increasing tempo of naval matters as war with  France  became  certain  prompted  Congress to  take  two  actions  during  1798.  On  30  April Congress   acted   to   establish   a   separate   Navy Department (fig. 1-1). That action removed naval affairs   from   the   jurisdiction   of   the   War Figure 1-1.-Navy Department in 1798. Department.  On  11  July  Congress  established  the United States Marine Corps (USMC) as a separate service  within  the  Navy  Department.  These actions  gave  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy  (SECNAV) direct  control  over  the  Shore  Establishment.  They gave  him  as  much  control  over  the  operating forces  as  existing  communications  permitted.  This change in the Navy’s organization lasted through the  nation’s  conflict  with  France,  the  Tripolitan War  (1801-1805),  and  the  War  of  1812.  During that  period,  naval  shipyards  and  hospitals  became parts  of  the  Shore  Establishment. MODIFICATIONS  TO  THE  NAVY’S ORGANIZATION The  growth  of  the  Navy  and  its  technology caused Congress to create a system of bureaus in 1842.  The  bureaus  provided  for  the  supply  of materials  and  technical  aid  to  fleet  and  shore activities. In  1915  Congress  created  the  position  of  Chief of  Naval  Operations  (CNO)  to  fill  SECNAV’s need  for  an  official  naval  advisor.  Before  World War  II,  the  CNO  was  responsible  for  the operation  and  readiness  of  the  fleet  and  the preparation  of  naval  war  plans.  In  addition,  he served  as  an  advisor  to  SECNAV. During World War II, the CNO had  military command of all Shore Establishment and bureau activities.   The   activities   remained   under   the management   of  SECNAV  and  his  assistants. After   the   Korean   conflict,   the   position   of Commandant of the Marine Corps shifted within the Navy organization. It remained a part of the Navy  Department  under  the  Secretary  of  the Navy.  However,  separate  USMC  headquarters provided  a  distinction  between  the  Navy  and Marine  Corps  organizations. REFINEMENTS  TO  THE  NAVY’S ORGANIZATION In  1949  an  amendment  to  the  National Security Act of 1947 created the Department of Defense  (DOD).  That  amendment  changed  the organizational structure of the existing military departments. The old Navy Department became the  Department  of  the  Navy. The   Department   of   the   Navy   has   since undergone  many  adjustments.  These  adjustments improved coordination within the Department of Defense and helped DON keep up with advances in modern weapons and technology. Along with technical   and   weapons   bureaus,   functional 1-2