The United States Coast Guard was created as the “Revenue Marine” by an act of Congress on August 4, 1790 at the request of Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton. Not only is this branch of the military the oldest seagoing service of the United States, but also the only branch that has a racing stripe.
Yeah, I know the U.S. Navy lists it’s founding as 1775 – when the Continental Navy was formed – but we should all remember that the Continental Navy was disbanded in 1785, and the United States Navy wasn’t founded until 1794.