October 27th Is “Navy Day”

Today is a National Holiday…October 27th is National Navy Day. It was founded in 1922 to celebrate the men and women of the United States Navy. Now, you would think October 13th, the day the U.S. Navy was founded back in 1775, but they were set up differently, just to make sure people couldn’t confuse the two. 

While the Navy’s birthday was chosen to celebrate the formation of the Continental Navy during the American Revolution, Navy Day was selected to coincide with President Theodore Roosevelt’s Birthday. The Navy’s birthday, October 13th, was initiated by Admiral Elmo Zumwalt in 1972 but 50 years earlier, in 1922, the Navy League of New York sponsored Navy Day so it is actually the elder of the two days.

But if all of this is news to you, you’re not alone. The day doesn’t get much fanfare because there are no official closures, ceremonies at military cemeteries or days off work, but there may be fun runs, fundraising or other informal events run by pro-military organizations such as the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society, Military orderly rooms and Military Support Centers. If you are in San Antonio, Texas you may even participate in a Navy Day Fiesta at the Alamo each year.

But fear not if you were never a member of the United States Navy…. Others are missing out as well because today, October 27th, is also  American Beer Day, Boxer Shorts Day, Cranky Co-worker’s Day, Frankenstein Friday and International Bandanna Day, and none of those got much fanfare either.

-Tony Lee