Founded by the Continental Congress in 1775, the American Navy faced a formidable foe in the mighty and usually invincible Royal Navy. It acquitted itself surprisingly well and by the end of 1777 had captured 464 British vessels. That year, as a reward for his accomplishments in Providence and Alfred, Captain John Paul Jones was given command of the 18-gun sloop of war Ranger. On February 14, 1778, in Quiberon Bay, France, the flagship of a French fleet fired a salute to Ranger‹the first salute to the Stars and Stripes by a foreign warship.

Two months later Ranger defeated HMS Drake in the Irish Sea, which battle is depicted in the bronze relief by sculptor Fred Press. Later, in anticipation of yet another command, Jones set forth his specifications, ``I wish to have no connection with any ship that does not sail fast, for I intend to go in harm's way.''

The relief is made possible in part by a contribution from the Navy V-12 Program National Committee. The V-12 Program was one of several commissioning programs for naval officers instituted during World War II.