Georgia Naval Militia

The Georgia Naval Militia (GNM) is the currently inactive naval militia of Georgia. The Georgia Naval Militia, along with the Georgia National Guard and the Georgia State Defense Force, is a component of the organized militia of Georgia.^[1]

History

The Georgia Naval Militia was originally created by the colony of Georgia in July of 1775 in order to protect shipping interests in Savannah. The Revolutionary War-era naval militia in Georgia consisted of four galleys, whose funding was provided by the Continental Congress.^[2]

The Georgia Naval Militia was reactivated by the General Assembly on December 19, 1893. By the next year, Companies A and B of the Naval Reserve Artillery were organized in Brunswick and Savannah, Georgia, respectively. The naval militia trained with the federal navy on various ships, including the USS Amphitrite and the USS Prairie. The USS Passaic was given to the Georgia Naval Militia by the federal government and delivered on July 30, 1896; it remained available for the Georgia Naval Militia for the next two years.^[3]

The Georgia Naval Militia was mustered out of service in November 1911.^[4]

Legal status

Naval militias of U.S. states are recognized by the federal government of the United States under 10 U.S. Code §7851.^[5] Georgia law also recognizes the naval militia as a component of the organized militia.^[1] Therefore, an executive order by the Governor of Georgia or an act of legislature would be legally sufficient to reactivate the Georgia Naval Militia.

References

State Defense Forces and Naval Militia State Defense Forces Alabama State Defense Force Alaska State Defense Force California State Military Reserve Connecticut Governor's Guard Georgia State Defense Force Indiana Guard Reserve Louisiana State Guard Maryland Defense Force Massachusetts State Defense Force Michigan Volunteer Defense Force Mississippi State Guard Missouri Reserve Military Force New Mexico State Guard New York Guard Ohio Military Reserve Oregon State Defense Force Puerto Rico State Guard South Carolina State Guard Tennessee State Guard Texas State Guard Vermont State Guard Virginia Defense Force Washington State Guard Naval Militia Alaska Naval Militia Connecticut Naval Militia New York Naval Militia Ohio Naval Militia South Carolina Naval Militia Texas State Guard Maritime Regiment Historical/Defunct Alaska Territorial Guard Arkansas State Guard Delaware State Guard Florida Naval Militia Florida State Guard Georgia Naval Militia Hawaii Territorial Guard Illinois Naval Militia Iowa State Guard Kansas State Guard Maine State Guard Nebraska State Guard New Hampshire State Guard New Jersey Naval Militia North Carolina State Defense Militia Pennsylvania State Guard South Dakota State Guard Utah State Defense Force Virginia Defense Force Riverine Detachment Wisconsin Naval Militia Wisconsin State Defense Force