Depending on your family or where you grew up you might have an affinity towards one branch of military versus another. For instance, my dad was in the Air Force, but my neighbor had a dad that had previously been in the Army. Clearly, I would be interested in the branch of military that my dad was in versus what my neighbor’s dad was in. The point is, everyone has interest in a different branch for different reasons. The branch of military we are discussing now is the Navy.

The U.S. Navy is responsible for one of the most well know special operations force in the world; the Navy Seals. The SEALs are well known throughout the world and have been the subjects of many movies and documentaries. However, there is more to the Navy than just the Navy SEALs. One thing that many navy men, women and family have in common is some version of the U.S. Navy tattoo. A sign of respect or honoring of the branch of military you were in; a Navy tattoo is a great way to show this reverence.

In this post we are going to talk about the history of the Navy. We will also talk about some Navy tattoos and the meaning behind them for the people that wear them. As in with most tattoos, there are many variations or versions of the tattoo we are talking about, so we will discuss a few variations and talk about the meaning of those tattoos.

History of the Navy

The U.S. Navy was born out of a seafaring tradition and it produced shipbuilders, captains and sailors. During the American Revolutionary War, the state of Massachusetts had their own navy. During the Second Continental Congress, it was debated whether to establish a national navy. People against a national navy argued it was foolish to face the British Royal Navy, the world power at the time. However, those that supported the cause said a national navy would help make it easier to ask for foreign aid, protect the coast and defend shipping. George Washington settled the issue by commissioning the USS Hannah to attack a British ship and then report its captures to Congress. At this point, the Continental Congress approved purchasing two armed ships to be used against British merchant ships. This was the creation of the Continental Navy and considered the beginning of the U.S. Navy.