Today in military history: USS Constitution launched
On Oct. 21, 1797, the USS Constitution was launched in Boston Harbor. The USS Constitution is currently the oldest active ship in the U.S. Navy today. Launched in 1797, it…
This is what happened to the USS Constitution’s original guns
If you visit the USS Constitution in Boston these days, the cannons you’ll see on her gun deck aren’t the originals launched with the ship. The guns aboard the ship are replicas, and only two of them are capable of firing salute charges. …
Cannonballs literally bounced off the USS Constitution
If you look at the USS Constitution today, berthed at the Boston Navy Yard, you might find yourself wondering how a wooden ship got the nickname, “Old Ironsides.” The answer to that question is actually very simple: Cannonballs used to li…
Watch the USS Constitution fire a cannon for the Marines birthday
The United States Marine Corps turned 244 on Nov. 10, 2019. To celebrate, the Devil Dogs probably did whatever it is Marines do after their respective Marine Corps Balls. The U.S. Navy, often called the Marines’ Taxi Service, laid aside sibling riv…
The US Navy just threw a birthday cruise for its 222-year-old warship
A 222nd birthday is quite a milestone, and the USS Constitution celebrated in style on Oct. 18, 2019. A cruise through Boston Harbor showed off Old Ironsides, the oldest commissioned ship in the Navy, according to the National Parks Service…