History of the United States Navy and the Navy Hymn

On August 26, 1775, the General Assembly of Rhode Island passed a resolution to create the Continental Fleet, to be funded by the Continental Congress in Philadelphia. But on October 3, 1775, Congress rejected it. On October 13, 1775, the Continental Congress changed courses and established the Continental Navy. This was the birth of the United States Navy. 

The Continental Navy obtained and armed two civilian vessels, the Andrew Doria and the Cabot.  The first United States Navy ship was the USS Alfred, which was commissioned by Captain Dudley Saltonstall on December 3, 1775. John Adams served as the first Chairman of the Naval Committee, but in 1776 the Continental Congress appointed Commodore Esek Hopkins to be the Navy’s first Commander. After the Revolutionary War, the government abolished the Continental Navy. But 11 years later, Congress passed the Naval Act of 1794, which created the United States Navy. 

The Navy was involved in the Revolutionary War (1775 – 1776), the War of 1812 (1812 – 1815), the Civil World (1861 – 1865), the Mexican-American War (1846 – 1848), the Spanish-American War (1898), World War I (1914 – 1918), World War II (1939 – 1945),  the Korean conflict, the Vietnam conflict (1964 – 1975), the war on terrorism through various military operations around the world (1987 – 2021) ), Operation Earnest Will (1987 – 1988), Operation Praying Mantis in the Persian Gulf (1988), Operation Urgent Fury at the invasion of Grenada (1983), Operation Desert Shield (1990 – 1991) and Operation Desert Storm (1991) which comprised the Gulf War, Operation Deliberate Force which was the invasion of Bosnia and Herzegovina (1995), Operation Allied Force which was the attack on Yugoslavia (1999), Operation Desert Fox which was the bombing of Iraq (1998), Operation Southern Watch which was the aerial patrolling of Iraq (1992 – 2003), Operation Enduring Freedom at the invasion of Afghanistan (2001 – 2021), and Operation Iraqi Freedom at the invasion of Iraq (2003 – 2011). The Navy emerged from World War II as the most powerful Navy in the world.

In 1860, William Whiting of Winchester, England, wrote a poem titled “Eternal Father, Strong to Save” for one of his students, who was preparing to sail for the United States. The poem alludes to Psalm 107 and is a prayer for God’s protection from seafaring danger. 
 
In 1861, Rev. John Bacchus Dykes, an Anglican clergyman, composed the tune “Melita,” in 88 88 88 iambic meter, to accompany the hymn. “Melita” is the archaic name of Malta, which is an ancient seafaring nation. It was the site of the shipwreck that involved the Apostle Paul, as described in the Acts of the Apostles, chapters 27–28. In 1814, Malta became the Crown Colony of the United Kingdom, but in 1964 it gained independence and joined the British Commonwealth.  

The hymn has long been used by Navy and civilian chaplains during chapel services at sea, in navy and civilian maritime contexts. The Royal Navy, navies of the British Commonwealth, and the United States Navy adopted the hymn in the late 19th century as “The Navy Hymn.” 

Many verses have been written to Melita. James F. Linzey selected the four verses by Whiting (verses 1-3) and Hamilton (verse 4), which are the verses traditionally used in the Armed Forces Hymnal. James Linzey is the General Editor of the New Tyndale Version (NTV) Bible translation.

The History of the Four Immortal Chaplains and the United States Army Hymn

During World War II, four Army chaplains met at the Army Chaplains School at Harvard University. ?ere, they received training for their assignments in the European theater. They then boarded and sailed on the United States Army Transport (USAT) Dorchester to report to their new assignments. 

The USAT Dorchester left New York on January 23, 1943, en route to Greenland. She carried about 900 military personnel and was escorted by Coast Guard Cutters Tampa, Escanaba, and Comanche. During the early morning hours of February 3, 1943, the vessel was torpedoed by the German submarine U-223 off Newfoundland in the North Atlantic. 

As the Dorchester sank on that fateful day of February 3, 1943, the four Army chaplains on board helped their soldiers board lifeboats as they handed out life jackets. When they ran out of life jackets, the chaplains gave their own life jackets to four soldiers that they might live. Then the chaplains joined arms and prayed as they went down with the Dorchester. 

These were young chaplains, new to the Army, holding the rank of first lieutenant. They included Methodist minister Reverend George L. Fox, Reform Rabbi Alexander D. Goode, Catholic priest Father John P. Washington, and Reformed Church in America minister Reverend Clark V. Poling. ?e four chaplains were posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross and the Purple Heart. 

Chaplain (MAJ) James F. Linzey, USA (Ret.), who was one of four military chaplains in his family, composed the United States Army Hymn, “Eternal Father, Hear Our Prayer,” in remembrance of the “Four Immortal Chaplains” on board the Dorchester. Also, James Linzey is the General Editor of the New Tyndale Version (NTV) Bible translation.