TheGeorgia Naval Militia (GNM) is the legally-authorized but currently inactivenaval militia of the U.S. state of Georgia. The Georgia Naval Militia, together with theGeorgia National Guard and theGeorgia State Defense Force, is a component of the organized militia of Georgia.[1]
The predecessor to the Georgia Naval Militia, theGeorgia State Navy, was originally created by the colony of Georgia in July 1775 to protect shipping interests inSavannah. The navy consisted of four galleys, whose funding was provided by theContinental Congress.[2]
The General Assembly created the Georgia Naval Militia 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, includingUSS Amphitrite andUSS Prairie. The federal government gave theUSS Passaic to the Georgia Naval Militia, delivering it 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]
Naval militias of U.S. states are recognized by the federal government of the United States under10 U.S.C. § 7851. Georgia law also recognizes the naval militia as a component of the organized militia.[1] Therefore, an executive order by theGovernor of Georgia or an act of legislature would be legally sufficient to reactivate the Georgia Naval Militia.
