Happy Navy Birthday!!

Here’s the world’s oldest warship afloat, underway on her own:

I grew up using the 1928 edition of the Book of Common Prayer, and it still had a prayer for the Navy in it (they’ve since just lumped it all in to a prayer for the armed services):

“Eternal Lord God, who alone spreadest out the heavens, and rulest the raging of the sea; Vouchsafe to take into thy almighty and most gracious protection our country’s Navy, and all who serve therein. Preserve them from the dangers of the sea, and from the violence of the enemy; that they may be a safeguard unto the United States of America, and a security for such as pass on the seas upon their lawful occasions; that the inhabitants of our land may in peace and quietness serve thee our God, to the glory of thy Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”

Than which more need not be said.