[mpyne]

> The Department of War was responsible for naval affairs until The Department of the Navy was spun off from it in 1798.

After the Continental Navy was disbanded, there wasn't much of an American Navy to have a department around until... mid to late 1797, when the first three of the Original Six frigates was commissioned into active service.

If you look at the U.S. Constitution you'll find that the 'land' and 'naval' forces were separated quite early on in Art. I Sect. 8. Even the appropriations permitted were treated distinctly.

Obviously new domains of warfare will require new schemes of organization, but the "Department of War" that people think about that conducted military operations against America's enemies up through WWII was the Army's department. The operational Navy was always under the Department of the Navy.

> The Department of "Defense" has never fought on home soil. Ever.

What does this have to do with anything? Who argued otherwise?