George Washington Founded the US Navy — And Other Fascinating Navy Facts You Didn’t Know

You may know the US Navy is considered the world's most powerful naval force, but did you know the US Naval Academy has a goat mascot named Bill? Or that every president from 1961 to 1993 was a Navy veteran, except for Ronald Reagan. There are plenty of fascinating facts about the Navy that you may not have heard of, and we've rounded up 12 of them. (For fascinating facts about the US Marines, check out this list of the 12 things you didn't know about the Marines.)

To determine the various facts you didn't know about the Navy, 24/7 Tempo referenced many sources across the internet, including government sources such as the United Service Organizations (USO), The American Legion, and Navy Federal. We also checked historical sites, including History.com and Britannica.

One thing you likely didn't know about the Navy is that George Washington was responsible for the original incarnation. He had the idea of creating a separate branch of the Army to disrupt British supply lines. His first order of business was to convert a few fishing boats into warships. The first official warship was named the Hannah, and it departed in September 1775. This version of the Navy did not last long, but by the time it was dissolved in 1777, it had captured 55 British ships.

The Navy actually has two birthdays. The branch first came about back on Oct. 13, 1775, about six months into the Revolutionary War, and it was called the Continental Navy. However, the branch was disbanded. The problem was that with no protection, the U.S. became an easy target for pirates, so the new version of the Navy was created under the name of the U.S. Navy.

It would be understandable if the one thing you didn't know about the Navy is that working on a submarine long-term is completely voluntary. Many imagine enlisted folks spending most of their time in a submarine, but that's far from the truth. It's not easy to work on a sub. You're underwater for weeks or months at a time while working and spending time in tight quarters with many other sailors, so they only want people who are up for it doing the job. Even if you volunteer, you'll need to pass strict physical and psychological tests to get aboard.

Many American politicians are veterans of the Navy. With the exception of Ronald Reagan, every president from 1961 to 1993 was a Navy veteran. Six incredibly brave presidents fought during World War II, including Jimmy Carter, George H.W. Bush, Gerald Ford, Richard Nixon, Lyndon B. Johnson, and John F. Kennedy. Other noteworthy politicians who are also Navy veterans include Rep. Daniel Crenshaw, Rep. Ryan Zinke, Rep. Mikie Sherrill, and Rep. Guy Reschenthaler, among many others.

There have been many famous entertainers and movie stars who are veterans of the Navy. Some of the stars of classic Hollywood served, including jazz singer John Coltrane, and actors Cesar Romero, Ernest Borgnine, Humphrey Bogart, and Buddy Ebsen. Other famous faces include talk show host Johnny Carson and actors Paul Newman and Kirk Douglas. In addition to walking on the moon, Neil Armstrong was a Naval aviator who fought during the Korean War. He was forced to eject from his plane and land on Korean soil.

If you watch a lot of television, you may have stumbled across the show "NCIS." It's not just fiction. In fact, the acronym stands for Naval Criminal Investigative Service, and it's the law enforcement agency of the Navy. The group contains about 1,200 agents, 200 military members, and 900 civilian professors. They operate out of 140 locations. Their job is to reduce crime, fight terrorism, and protect government secrets. They tackle a lot, and it's enough for many episodes of fascinating TV.

The United States Navy is the largest in the entire world. Other countries have naval branches, but most of them pale in comparison. Currently, there are more than 109 personnel and 323,000 active members of the Navy. The Naval fleet itself is also quite large. The U.S. has more than 3,700 aircraft, 72 submarines, nine assault ships, 62 destroyers, 10 aircraft carriers, and 288 battleships.

One thing you didn't know about the Navy is that since the 1900s, they have had a mascot named Bill the Goat. Legend is there was a pet goat on a Navy ship, but it died. The sailors wanted to keep Bill's memory alive so they agreed to save his skin and have it mounted. However, before they could, the ensigns were distracted by the Naval Academy football game. During halftime, one of the men wore the skin and ran around the stands. The Navy ended up winning that game, and the goat has represented the Naval Academy ever since.

When you join the Navy, you're forced to learn lingo that challenges what you've known since you were a child. When you're on a ship, there are no walls. Instead, there are bulkheads. There are no windows because ships have portholes. Instead of looking to the right or left on a ship, you look to the port or starboard. When you want to eat, you don't go to the lunchroom, you go to the mess deck. You also don't look up at the ceiling. Instead, you look up at the overhead. Saying the wrong thing in the Navy may get you ridiculed, so it's best to get these definitions straight.

One thing you likely didn't know about the Navy is its impressive global reach. Just about every major body of water around the planet has at least one Navy ship. The Navy has a presence in the Mediterranean Sea and the Indian, Atlantic, and Pacific oceans. You'll also find naval ships in the Horn of Africa and the Persian Gulf. Navy ships are also deployed to Japan and Europe.

As a casual observer of the Navy, you likely didn't know that they have their own construction crew, called the Seabees. This talented group is responsible for constructing military bases and paving all the roads and airstrips in combat zones. The group has been around since 1942, and they've been working hard ever since. They began during World War II when the Navy recruited civilians to help with construction, and it has continued ever since. (Want to learn more about that famous war? Check out this list of the 25 things you don't know about World War II.)

One thing you likely didn't know about the Navy is what the term SEAL stands for, though you've likely heard the term. These specially trained soldiers comprise 1% of all Navy personnel. The acronym stands for Sea, Air, and Land. Basically, the soldiers are so well-equipped that they can engage in combat in planes, boats, and on land. Unless you're a SEAL yourself, that's all you likely know about this team. Their training is highly secretive.