The birthday of the Continental Navy is October 13, 1775 and the Department of the Navy was established on April 30, 1798.
The Battle of Midway is prominently featured on the upper left corner, with a Douglas SBD-3 Dauntless fighter bomber leaving the scene. Below the airplane the USS Constitution is sailing out to sea. “Old Ironsides” is a 44-gun frigate built in Boston Harbor. To the right of the ship a NASA Mercury space capsule is shown during splashdown. To the far right you view the first battle of the ironclads, the Monitor and the Merrimack. Below, on the sandbar, is a Seabee standing with a shovel. The Seabees are the construction arm of the U.S. Navy.
Below the American flag is a WWII submarine. The “lone sailor” sitting on a large spool of line is an observer of Naval history as it unfolds. Standing in front of the “lone sailor” is a Navy Chief Petty Officer, the backbone of the Navy.
The changing of command between Admirals Reeves and Leahy is shown in front of a burial at sea. The SEAL team is shown landing above a MK-V diving helmet. A clerical sailor holding a legal pad stands next to a Gunnery sailor loading a cannon, a navigation technician, and deck hands wearing helmet and goggles. The U.S. Navy has a wide variety of experts on hand and on deck.
Finally, on the lower right side, you witness the returning sailor. The smiling little girl is happy to see her father safe at home. Her image is the only one throughout the series of the completed five paintings shown looking directly out at the viewer.
Veterans Educational Historic Monument 