From the Frontier to the Fleet: Celebrating North Dakota's Legacy in the 250 Years of the U.S. Navy

Americans were fighting for independence from colonial England over a year before the Declaration of Independence was written. The fighting began on April 19, 1775, with the Battles of Lexington and Concord. George Washington, understanding the importance of naval power, urged the Second Continental Congress to create a Continental Navy. On October 13, 1775, a resolution was passed to establish a naval force. The birthday of the Navy is celebrated every October 13 in a tradition authorized officially in 1972.

This year marks the 250th anniversary of the birth of the U.S. Navy.

In July of 1917, Lt. Willis Winter Bradley Jr., was aboard the USS Pittsburgh on the way to Argentina. The routine voyage was related to patrol and escort operations in cooperation with the British Royal Navy. Their mission was to scout for German raiders in the South Atlantic and Pacific Oceans during World War I. During his normal duties, Bradley was about to enter the rear gun emplacement when it exploded, blowing him backwards and knocking him briefly unconscious. When Bradley regained his senses, he crawled back into the casemate without hesitation to put out the fire. Even though he was surrounded by a sea of gunpowder that could have exploded at any time, he persevered in his heroic efforts, preventing further explosions and saving countless lives. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for his courageous actions at a White House ceremony in 1928. Bradley was far away from his childhood home, the small town of Forman in rural Sargent County, North Dakota. His hometown was so small there was no high school, so he was sent to a preparatory school in Saint Paul, Minnesota. He received his appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy in 1903. Bradley had a long and storied career with the U.S. Navy, bringing with him the frontier values forged in his youth: strength, courage, and perseverance.

These were values that Theodore Roosevelt prized. Roosevelt would often say he would not have been President if not for his time in North Dakota. In 1899, Roosevelt gave a speech in Chicago that he entitled “A Strenuous Life.” In it he emphasized how the frontier built in him the values of endurance, courage, and preparedness. Roosevelt underscored his notion that these values extended to the country as a whole, not just individuals. He spoke of America’s need to be strong, willing, prepared, and the importance of the U.S. Navy in the weaving of this national fabric.

During his time as Assistant Secretary of the Navy, and later as President, Roosevelt did everything he could to enact enduring policies that would make and keep the U.S. Navy efficient, prepared, and professional. He advocated for modernizing and expanding the fleet. He wanted the Navy to be a credible global force. Roosevelt worked for policies to increase efficiency and readiness, and for improvements in supplies and training. New naval technology and innovation were paramount. During his thirteen months as Assistant Secretary and his seven and a half years as President, Roosevelt continued implementing this vision.

Theodore Roosevelt working as Assistant U.S. Secretary of the Navy, Washington D.C. 1897

This modernization and expansion of the Navy helped establish the United States as a global power. As part of this modernization, Roosevelt saw the submarine as a critical investment. During his time as Assistant Secretary to the Navy, he actually put it in a request for the Department of the Navy’s purchase of a submarine. The request was denied. When Roosevelt became president, he put his support behind submarine development. One of the earliest submarines of the United States Navy was the USS Plunger. When a series of test dives were done near Roosevelt’s Oyster Bay home, Roosevelt went along on one of these dives and became the first U.S. president to submerge in a submarine.

In 1908, President Roosevelt signed the Naval Appropriations Bill, officially authorizing the creation of the Navy Nurse Corps. The Corps became the first organized body of women to serve in the U.S. Navy in a professional capacity. Navy nurses have since played a vital role in providing care for the sick and wounded. The Mercy Hospital School of Nursing in Valley City, North Dakota, was among the institutions that participated in training nurses for the Corps in World War II. The Corps remained an all-female organization until 1965. The establishment of the Navy Nurse Corps was an important aspect of the Navy’s enhanced preparedness.

Roosevelt aimed for the U.S. Navy to be able to fight anywhere at any time, but he also saw the Navy as an important diplomatic tool. From 1907 to 1909 President Roosevelt ordered sixteen battleships painted white, the “Great White Fleet,” to sail the world showcasing American naval power and promoting goodwill. Roosevelt demonstrated the Navy’s ability to be a force for good by using the Navy in numerous humanitarian aid efforts after disasters around the world. Roosevelt is often referred to as “The Father of the Modern U.S. Navy” On September 27, 2025; the Theodore Roosevelt Center at Dickinson State University opened their new exhibit; Theodore Roosevelt and the Navy!

1905 Puck Magazine Cartoon depicting Roosevelt’s Great White Fleet

Four Naval vessels have been named in honor of Theodore Roosevelt; three with his entire name and one simply the USS Roosevelt. The first USS Theodore Roosevelt was commissioned in 1918 and served as a troop transport vessel during WWI. The USS Roosevelt, which served as a patrol vessel, was also commissioned during WWI. A George Washington-class ballistic missile submarine, the USS Theodore Roosevelt, was commissioned on January 22, 1961, and was in active service for twenty years. The USS Theodore Roosevelt, a Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, was commissioned on October 25, 1986, and is still in active service. This ship was named for Roosevelt specifically because of his impact on the modern Navy. A detailed scale model of the ship will be on display in the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library when it opens in Medora in July 2026.

Throughout its history, at least thirteen naval vessels have been named for North Dakota places or people, including the most recent USS North Dakota commissioned in 2014. The first USS North Dakota was a battleship commissioned in 1910. It was one of two commissioned that year, the other being the USS Delaware. The original plan was to have the second ship named after a western state. When the Navy department announced the second ship would not be named after a western state but New York instead, Roosevelt intervened and lobbied to change the Navy’s decision. He ensured the name chosen was USS North Dakota, not simply the USS Dakota, which could have been associated with South Dakota.

The latest USS North Dakota commissioned on October 25, 2014, is a Virginia class submarine. This ship was the first to carry Tomahawk missiles with two payload tubes. This new design provided more flexibility, efficiency and reliability than previous subs with a payload tube for each individual missile. The ship’s motto, displayed on the ship’s crest, is “Strength from the Soil, Reapers of the Deep.” Strength from the Soil represents the connection between the ship and the state it was named for. Reapers of the Deep, represents both the fighting spirit of the submarine warrior and its ties to the state’s farming and ranching heritage. The ship’s crest has many meaningful details including gold and silver six-shooters symbolizing the officers and enlisted sailors of the submarine warfare community as well as the two Tomahawk missile payload tubes. “Rough Riders” is printed on the revolver hand grips as a salute to President Theodore Roosevelt. We can imagine how proud he would be of the continuing advancement of naval ships and the homage to his Rough Riders and adopted state. The USS North Dakota has had many pivotal deployments in its history, including its most recent in response to the Russia – Ukraine War.

While North Dakota is over 1500 miles from the nearest ocean it serves the Navy with two important land based facilities. LaMoure, North Dakota is home to a naval radio transmitter facility (NRTF). This critical Navy installation is part of the Naval Computer and Telecommunications Area Master Station Atlantic Detachment (NCTAMS LANT Det) This facility has the mission to execute tactical level command and control of Navy communications and network systems. The Navy has also established an operational support center in Fargo. This Navy reserve facility serves as a critical hub for Navy reserve personnel in the region, and is part of the broader naval reserve infrastructure across the United States.

Less than one percent of U.S. Navy personnel come from North Dakota. However, the quality and character of North Dakota sailors is notable. One of many distinguished North Dakota Naval Academy graduates, currently serving as a commander of the US Naval forces, Europe -Africa, and commander of the Allied Joint Forces Command in Naples, is Admiral Stewart Munsch. Munsch is officially referred to as the “Navy Old Goat,” a prestigious title he received in 2024, given to the longest serving graduate of the Naval Academy on active duty. A native of Oakes, North Dakota, he graduated from The Naval Academy in 1985. Admiral Munsch is a highly decorated officer who has had significant leadership roles at sea and ashore. Among his varied assignments was the command of the Submarine Development Squadron.

Two North Dakota Cowboy Hall of Fame Inductees served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. Don Hart, Cowboy Long Rider inducted in 2006, and Earl Northrup, Leaders of Ranch and Rodeo inducted in 2001, proudly served at sea as enlisted sailors.

Another North Dakotan, George Hayden, joined the Navy in 1945 as he was about to turn 18 and volunteered to be a submariner. This was dangerous duty and all who served aboard submarines during WWII were volunteers. The U.S. Navy Submarine Service suffered the highest casualty rate of any American force in the war. Hayden became a torpedo-man and was assigned to the USS Ling. Hayden attended the commissioning ceremony for the USS North Dakota in 2014. Until 2025 the USS North Dakota was the Navy’s newest submarine in its fleet. Hayden just celebrated his 100th birthday this past September and is McKenzie County’s last remaining WWII veteran.

On this 250^th birthday of the U.S. Navy, we should proudly celebrate North Dakota’s naval legacy; sailing the world’s oceans with vigilance and strength just as Theodore Roosevelt envisioned.

George Hayden and The American Bombshells at the ribbon cutting ceremony for the Veterans Memorial Park in Watford City July 15, 2023. Courtesy of Mark Honstein
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The American Bombshells is a vocal trio inspired by The Andrews Sisters. The group was founded in 2011 and has 17 members that travel as trios to military bases, veterans hospitals and events in support of the armed forces.
· The Veterans Memorial Park project in Watford City was spearheaded by Jerry Samuelson, a former McKenzie veteran service officer and Navy veteran.

johnpauljones #navy #navalhistory #roosevelt | United States ... — **The “Father of the Modern U.S. Navy” brings the first Navy father home** John Paul Jones became one of the first well known naval commanders and helped establish a culture of professionalism and courage in the U.S. Navy. He is often referred to as The Father of the U.S. Navy. Jones was buried in a forgotten cemetery in Paris when he died in 1792. After his body was found and positively identified in 1905, President Theodore Roosevelt appointed a special ambassador to visit France and bring Jones home. Roosevelt sent a squadron foo cruisers to France to retrieve his remains and bring them back to the United States. John Paul Jones are interred on the grounds of the U.S. Naval Academy beneath the Academy Chapel. A special ceremony for his internment was held on April 26, 1906 with President Roosevelt speaking.

**Admiral Muntsch Commemorates the USS Robalo**

In 2024 Admiral Stuart Munsch, native of Oakes, North Dakota, spoke at a ceremony for the USS Robalo Memorial in Fargo, commemorating the 80th anniversary of its World War II loss. The USS Robalo, a Gato – class submarine, was sunk by a mine on July 26, 1944 while on patrol in the Pacific. In 1972, The United States Submarine Veterans Organization began the project of having each state build a memorial for one of the 52 submarines lost during World War II. North Dakota was assigned the USS Robalo

Special thanks to William Hansard Ph.D., Outreach Coordinator and Historian, Theodore Roosevelt Center, Dickinson State University, and to Mark Honstein, McKenzie County Veterans Service Officer.