One if by land, two if by sea.

March 19, 2010 11:54 AM

Started in 1930 (by the by the lieutenant governor while the sitting governor was out of state) to protect the great state of Nebraska from all that wish it harm, Nebraska has it's own navy. Want a commission? Just ask the governor and join these notable members.
posted by 1f2frfbf (26 comments total)

Born and raised in the Cornhusker State and did not know about this. Thanks much!

What I did know: State bird = Meadowlark.
posted by etc. at 12:01 PM on March 19, 2010 [1 favorite]

State flower = goldenrod.

Motto = Equality before the law.

Hmm. Guess I did learn something in 6th grade!
posted by etc. at 12:03 PM on March 19, 2010

See also.
posted by Pollomacho at 12:06 PM on March 19, 2010

I understand the submarine fleet is in the Platte River.

You don't know the Platte? It is said to be a mile wide and an inch deep.
posted by Cranberry at 12:09 PM on March 19, 2010

In Nebraska
Yes, you can sail the seven seas
In Nebraska
Yes, you can put your mind at ease
In Nebraska
Come on now, people, make a stand
In Nebraska, in Nebraska

“Yeomanettes”? Seriously?
posted by Smedleyman at 12:09 PM on March 19, 2010 [1 favorite]

Nebraska has it is own navy?
posted by mr_crash_davis mark II: Jazz Odyssey at 12:11 PM on March 19, 2010

triply-landlocked? Really, Wikipedia? I think I get it, but landlocked or not suffices.
posted by GuyZero at 12:12 PM on March 19, 2010

Looks like Broken Bow is in need of a Port Commander. I call dibs.
posted by cjorgensen at 12:14 PM on March 19, 2010

That's hilarious. :)
posted by zarq at 12:17 PM on March 19, 2010

triply-landlocked? Really, Wikipedia?

GuyZero, FTFY. No really. I did. Reload.
posted by cjorgensen at 12:20 PM on March 19, 2010

Now if someone could only fix my quoting above. metawiki.
posted by cjorgensen at 12:21 PM on March 19, 2010

triply-landlocked?

Apparently Wikipedia is unaware of the vast underground sea under Nebraska.
posted by Pollomacho at 12:25 PM on March 19, 2010 [1 favorite]

Iowa has a Navy too. I'm at work so I'll describe it later when I get home.
posted by charlie don't surf at 12:30 PM on March 19, 2010

Just ask the governor?

Not that easy:

As of November 2008, Governor Dave Heineman requires the following criteria for awarding an Admiralship:

* The Nominator or Nominee must be a resident of Nebraska.
* Requests nominating self will not be honored.
* etc.

posted by Kirth Gerson at 12:41 PM on March 19, 2010

Any Nebraska MeFites want to nominate me? My qualifications are as follows:

* I drove through Nebraska circa 2000
* I thought Nebraska was a surprisingly beautiful and welcoming state
* I ate the best hamburger I've veer had in a small diner in Nebraska
* I visited a National Grassland in Nebraska
* I take every opportunity to tell anyone who will listen how nice Nebraska is
* I'm a competent sailor, powerboat driver, and kayaker who actually lives very close to an ocean, should that ever become necessary
* I would consider it a great honor to be an Admiral in the Nebraska Navy

Please MeMail for info if you deem me a worthy inductee, and thanks in advance.
posted by rusty at 12:50 PM on March 19, 2010 [1 favorite]

Still can't hold a candle to the Saskatchewan Pirate.
posted by Shepherd at 12:57 PM on March 19, 2010

GuyZero, FTFY. No really. I did.

ha! ha ha!
posted by GuyZero at 1:06 PM on March 19, 2010

it is estimated that over one hundred thousand Admirals have been appointed.

Too many admirals, not enough swabbies.
posted by Halloween Jack at 1:15 PM on March 19, 2010 [1 favorite]

Ethanol, sodomy and the lash?
posted by maxwelton at 1:36 PM on March 19, 2010 [1 favorite]

Don't feel bad Nebraskans, evidently the the state itself completely lost track of its Admiralty during the 90s.
posted by XMLicious at 3:16 PM on March 19, 2010

Isn't it unconstitutional for states to have their own navies? I guess this is an honorary navy only, so it doesn't get brought up, but I'm pretty sure the federal government has the sole right to establish a navy.
posted by Electrius at 3:53 PM on March 19, 2010

The Admirals plaques in the 60's looked like this. The covered wagon is called a "prairie schooner".
posted by dws at 4:39 PM on March 19, 2010

Isn't it unconstitutional for states to have their own navies? I guess this is an honorary navy only, so it doesn't get brought up, but I'm pretty sure the federal government has the sole right to establish a navy.

No, it's not honorary. It is actually a second 600-ship nuclear navy produced by a North American polity. There have been a few destroyer-submarine collisions as the Nebraska and American navies play cat-and-mouse in the Platte. The also patrol the Ogallala Aquifer and have skirmished with the Mexican Subterranean Navy on multiple occasions. Don't get me started on the Grays.

The Space race wasn't just a US-Soviet competition. We took an early lead and, fortunately for all of us, the Nebraska Space Navy died in its infancy.
posted by codswallop at 5:34 PM on March 19, 2010 [2 favorites]

OK, now that I RTFAs, I am appalled. And I can heap some scorn on my neighboring Nebraskans. They don't have a Navy. They have Naval Officers. You can't have a Navy without ships. And they have no ships. All they have is a bunch of old farts with the title Admiral.

But here in Iowa, we have a real Navy, we even have a battleship. So I will tell you the story.

When the USS Iowa was decommissioned and mothballed after the Korean War, the US Navy donated a very large 1/48th Scale model of the battleship to the citizens of the State of Iowa. The model was installed in a prominent location in the State Capitol building. It was a beloved monument, as many Iowans had donated gifts to the crew of the battleship during the wars in which it served, starting with WWII.

But around 1982, Ronnie Reagan decided he wanted to bring the USS Iowa back into active duty. While the ship was under restoration, the US Navy decided it wanted its model back. And of course Iowans objected. The US Navy said the model was on loan, Iowans clearly understood it was a gift. The US Navy threatened legal actions to recover the ship.

So the Iowa Legislature enacted a law that commissioned the USS Iowa model as the flagship of the Iowa Navy. Any attempt to capture the ship would be considered an act of war, and subject to retaliation by state militias such as the Iowa National Guard, as well as law enforcement officers such as the Iowa State Patrol.

Nobody has ever successfully attacked the Iowa Navy.
posted by charlie don't surf at 7:18 PM on March 19, 2010 [8 favorites]

Admirable.
posted by pracowity at 10:29 PM on March 19, 2010

I have literally spent the last 4 years of my life telling people about the Great Nebraskan Navy and trying to come up with the best possible way of promoting Nebraska in my daily life. The best idea I came up with was a cocktail recipe - maybe named the Stovepipe (Lincoln) or incorporating honey/honeycomb (state insect), and probably using whiskey as the base (given all the corn grown there). I figure you only really get one shot at applying, so it has to be as good as possible.
posted by lorimt at 5:36 PM on March 20, 2010