The Puget Sound Navy Museum celebrated the U.S. Navy’s upcoming 250th birthday Sept. 26, which featured speeches from senior leaders, the debut of a new exhibit and celebrations highlighting the Kitsap community’s longstanding ties to the sea service.

The ceremony opened with remarks from Patty Lent, former Bremerton mayor and president of the Bremerton-Olympic Peninsula Council of the U.S. Navy League, followed by a presentation of colors and invocation.

Retired Master Chief Petty Officer Rick D. West, the Navy’s 12th MCPO, delivered guest remarks. He praised the Kitsap region as central to the Navy’s mission and legacy.

“This is sacred ground for our sea service,” West said, pointing to the shipyards, bases and families that have supported sailors for generations. He added that the Navy’s legacy is carried forward by its people.

Rear Adm. Christopher A. Nash, commander of Submarine Group 9 and Task Group 114.3, gave the keynote address. He reflected on the service’s 250 years of history and looked ahead to the future, underscoring the importance of readiness, resilience and continued innovation. Nash highlighted the vital role of sailors’ families.

“Our families pray for our safety, pay the bills, and sing the Star-Spangled Banner with tears in their eyes at our son’s and daughters’ graduations, recitals, and football games in our absence. I draw immense strength from my own family’s support; without them, my service wouldn’t be possible.”

Quoting the nation’s first president, George Washington, Nash added, “It follows then as certain as that night succeeds the day, that without a decisive Naval force we can do nothing definitive, and with it everything honourable and glorious.”

Following the speeches, a ribbon cutting was held for the museum’s newest exhibit, “We Have the Watch,” which featured a collection of artifacts highlighting daily life in the Navy, including the iconic white hat, sailors’ messing, and the racks where sailors sleep.

A reception followed the ceremony, and the museum continued the celebration into the afternoon with a free open house, STEM activities and refreshments. Navy Band Northwest performed later in the evening in the museum’s Parche Plaza.

The Navy traces its founding to Oct. 13, 1775, when the Continental Congress established the Continental Navy during the Revolutionary War.

The museum’s newest exhibit, ‘We Have the Watch,’ features a collection of artifacts highlighting daily life in the Navy, including the sailors’ messing.

The exhibit shows the white canvas hat, introduced in 1886, also known as the ‘Dixie cup.’