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Old Navy

Type	Division of The Gap, Inc.
Industry	Retail
Founded	1994
Headquarters	San Francisco, California, U.S.
Number of locations	1,027
Key people	Glenn K. Murphy (CEO of parent Gap, Inc.) )
Products	Clothing
Website	OldNavy.com

Old Navy is an American clothing brand as well as a chain of stores owned by Gap, Inc.,^[1] with corporate operations in San Francisco and San Bruno, California. It is one of the first major corporations to house headquarters in the new Mission Bay district of San Francisco.^[2] As of 2007^[update], Old Navy has more than 1,000 stores in the United States and Canada.^[3] The largest Old Navy stores are its flagship stores, located in New York City, the Mall of America, Seattle, Chicago and San Francisco.^[4] The largest of these is located on Market Street in San Francisco.

History[link]

1994-2004[link]

Old Navy opened its first stores in Colma, San Leandro and Pittsburg in northern California in 1994.^[5] These first three stores were originally constructed as Gap Warehouse stores.^{[clarification needed]} The size and scale of the stores were larger and more diverse than any stores opened by the company before. Within the first year of existence, Old Navy opened 57 stores.

An Old Navy store in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Old Navy got its name from a bar in Paris.

In 1994, the creator of Old Navy, Inc., Ken Rapp and the CEO were visiting Paris, France and came upon a cafe distinctly named Old Navy Cafe and it struck a chord with them. (The Old Navy official site says, "Old Navy was named after a cafe in Paris."^[6]) In 1999, Old Navy expanded its franchise to 6 locations in Puerto Rico. In 2001, Old Navy opened 12 stores in the Greater Toronto Area in Ontario, Canada. Furthermore, in 2004, 7 stores were opened in the Quebec (including 6 in the Montreal Area). Old Navy has since opened several more stores in Ontario, and the rest of Canada.

2005-2008: Rebranding[link]

Around 2005, Old Navy's then-president Dawn Robertson planned to give Old Navy a more "high fashion feel" to keep up with Hollister Co. and American Eagle Outfitters, whom she saw as competitors. A new logo was introduced and several stores were built or remodeled to reflect the "New Old Navy."^[7] One of the newly built stores in St. Petersburg, Florida, cost roughly $5 million USD to develop. These stores, from a design stand-point, were boutique in nature, featuring green building materials, rock gardens, large murals and posters, as well as many mirrored and silver accents, unlike the traditional industrial warehouse feel most locations possess. Also, advertisements began to be created in-house, though they lacked the original kitschy and humorous feel, rather having a high fashion and feminine directive.^[8]

These stores did not fare well, proving to be a very poor investment, and Robertson was asked to leave the company.^[9] Robertson's tenure and rebranding is often referred to as "New Navy."

2008-Present: The New Old Navy[link]

After the failed re-branding trial with Dawn Robertson, Old Navy launched a new re-branding campaign to re-design their stores to be more fun, bright, and family centered. The new store design is known as Project ONE and is rolling out across the fleet of stores. On July 12, 2011 they announced that they just opened their 300th Project ONE store as well as announcing that a third of the North American fleet has been remodeled. The new design targets Old Navy's target customer who is Jennie, Mike, and the Kids and features better lighting, more vibrant colors, layouts that make shopping easier, quick-change stations, and a better, more efficient cash wrap design.

Concept[link]

An Old Navy neon sign logo in Queens, New York.

Old Navy's target market largely consists of price conscious though still fashion oriented teens to adults. The clothing is more affordable than its other Gap, Inc., counterparts. Old Navy's stores contain specialized sections for infants, boys, girls, men, and women. Most recently, Old Navy launched a re-worked line of denim for women sizes 0 to 20, men's re-worked denim and released the new line in fall 2008. In addition to clothing, Old Navy also sells a variety of accessories such as shoes, handbags, toys, hats, and sunglasses, along with a line of clothing and toys for dogs.

For many years, Old Navy has attempted to put out a product a year that focuses on attempting to catch on, some more successful than others. The products that stand out are the Tech Vest, Flip Flops, and the Performance Fleece.

Flagship stores also have "collection" business clothes for women, plus size and maternity sections. As of summer 2007 however, plus-size clothing is only available online and has been pulled from all stores. Online sales have proceeded to flourish after being offered exclusively online. Previously, Old Navy attempted to launch a bath and body line, called ONbody (Obsessively Natural),^[10] but dropped the effort after only a few months.^{[citation needed]}

Old Navy informally bills itself as an all-American brand, despite producing most of its clothes outside the United States. The chain releases a shirt every summer emblazoned with an American flag. Each year's shirt features a slightly altered flag graphic with the year listed underneath. Alternatively, they also offer shirts with the Puerto Rican flag on them. In its Canadian stores, a similar shirt with the Canadian flag is sold. Likewise they frequently release additional holiday shirts including, but not limited to: Thanksgiving, Halloween, Valentine's Day, Christmas, and for 2009, Groundhog Day.

Advertisement campaigns[link]

The most notable aspect of Old Navy's television advertisements is their kitschy, satirical and tone toward a retro time period, vaguely between 1940 and 1967. In sharp contrast to the Gap's advertisements, Old Navy's feature chipper family members sporting their clothing line while engaging in wholesome family activities, such as barbecuing. A common tagline used in their campaigns is " [insert clothing article here] for the whole family!"

Old Navy sponsored a part of AT&T Park in San Francisco called the Old Navy Splash Landing, part of the right-field wall. One particular element was a large tin mechanical man named Rusty, a 1920's era style ballplayer figure. Old Navy ended the sponsorship in 2006.

Old Navy is also known for its advertising campaigns featuring celebrities such as Molly Sims, Morgan Fairchild, Joan Collins, Fran Drescher, Vanessa Anne Hudgens, Kristin Chenoweth, The Village People, Rupaul, and Lil' Kim, and Lights.^{[citation needed]} Another popular spokesperson was former Vogue editor Carrie Donovan, who often appeared in ads with company "spokesdog," Magic.^{[citation needed]} According to Gap, Inc., Magic, an Airedale terrier mix, was rescued from the streets of San Jose.^{[citation needed]} Magic remains an informal mascot of the company, though Donovan has since died. Many of the Old Navy television commercials featured voiceovers by Bill Wendell of the David Letterman show.^{[citation needed]}

Old Navy started a contest in June 2006 to choose a new mascot dog to replace Magic through a nationwide search contest.^{[citation needed]} Paco, a male from Venice Beach, California (owned by Olivia Wilde and Tao Ruspoli), was announced as the new Old Navy mascot on July 23, 2006.^[11]

Jeffersons stars Isabel Sanford and Sherman Hemsley appeared in a number of Old Navy television commercials in the late 1990s and early 2000s until Sanford died.^{[citation needed]}

The soundtracks played at Old Navy feature up-beat, modern music.^{[citation needed]} Songs are mostly current, include remixes and indie beats, as well as upbeat pop and R&B/Hip Hop records.^{[citation needed]}

In 2007, Old Navy's advertising was brought back in-house, and its television campaign began to make the transition from kitsch, to a more modern sensibility, highlighting seasonal product news. With the relaunch of their denim fits in fall, the advertising took on a sexier, more female-centric tone, and began using lesser known musical artists. The sweater spot in September was credited with launching the career of Ingrid Michaelson, an unsigned artist found by Old Navy's marketing creative director, Landis Smithers, on Myspace. Landis Smithers left Old Navy in 2008 as Old Navy began to move its focus away from modern fashion and back to the brand's kitschy, fun, family-o a new episodic television campaign, leveraging long-form stories online, then sixties and thirties on air. The campaign featured the music of Lights, another unsigned artist, and provides story arcs of modern romances that span the entire season. The campaign leveraged Old Navy's new strategy of monthly "fast fashion" news, something that started with its commitment to a faster product pipeline, and a deeper focus on more modern, relevant product in stores.

A recurring song (and artist) used by Old Navy, "World Go 'Round" by Australian rock/pop/dance band Rogue Traders, has been featured in TV spots, promos, and in-store soundtracks. "World Go 'Round," "Watching You," and "Believer," all from the 2005 album Here Come the Drums, were originally used as part of the summer 2007 Summerland campaign, but they have also been included in more recent ads.

In 2009, Old Navy hired advertising agency Crispin Porter + Bogusky to create a new advertising campaign. Also, the old logo was revived in 2009 after the new logo ended. The team came up with Old Navy's current advertising campaign that stars mannequins (Kelly, Heather, Amy, Eva, Michelle, Wesley, Josh, Christopher, Kimmy, Natalie, Rita, Maggi, and Barker the dog) who carry the title "Supermodelquins." To promote their new campaign the company also created a new website, OldNavyWeekly.com. These ads have received mixed reviews.

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Old Navy

	San Francisco Bay Area portal
	Companies portal

• Official website
• Gap Inc. - Parent company website

The Spanish Armada fighting the English navy at the Battle of Gravelines in 1588

A navy (sometimes called a maritime force) is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake- or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions. It includes anything conducted by surface ships, amphibious ships, submarines, and seaborne aviation, as well as ancillary support, communications, training, and other fields; recent developments have included space-related operations. The strategic offensive role of a navy is projection of force into areas beyond a country's shores (for example, to protect sea-lanes, ferry troops, or attack other navies, ports, or shore installations). The strategic defensive purpose of a navy is to frustrate seaborne projection-of-force by enemies. The strategic task of the navy also may incorporate nuclear deterrence by use of nuclear missiles.

Etymology[link]

First attested in English c.1600, the word "navy" came via Old French navie, "fleet of ships", from the Latin navigium, "a vessel, a ship, bark, boat",^[1] from navis, "ship" ^[2] and from Sanskrit "नाव" (Nau), "ship".^{[3][dead link][citation needed]} The word "naval" came from Latin navalis, "pertaining to ship";^{[4][dead link]} cf. Greek "ναῦς" (naus), "ship",^[5] "ναύτης" (nautes), "seaman, sailor"^[6] (the earliest attested reference to the word is the Mycenaean Greek na-u-do-mo, "shipbuilders", written in Linear B syllabic script^[7]).

History[link]

HMS Victory, the oldest warship still in commission in the world.

Dreadnoughts of the High Seas Fleet of World War I.

Naval warfare developed when humans first fought from water-borne vessels. Prior to the introduction of the cannon and ships with sufficient capacity to carry the large guns, navy warfare primarily involved ramming and boarding actions. In the time of ancient Greece and the Roman Empire, naval warfare centered on long, narrow vessels powered by banks of oarsmen (such as triremes and quinqueremes) designed to ram and sink enemy vessels or come alongside the enemy vessel so its occupants could be attacked hand-to-hand. Naval warfare continued in this vein through the Middle Ages until the cannon became commonplace and capable of being reloaded quickly enough to be reused in the same battle. The Chola Dynasty of medieval India was known as a one of the greatest naval powers of its time from 300BC-1279AD. The Chola Navy, Chola kadarpadai comprised the naval forces of the Chola Empire along with several other Naval-arms of the country. The Chola navy played a vital role in the expansion of the Chola Tamil kingdom, including the conquest of the Sri Lanka islands, Kadaaram (Present day Burma), Sri Vijaya (present day Southeast Asia), the spread of Hinduism, Tamil architecture and Tamil culture to Southeast Asia and in curbing the piracy in Southeast Asia in 900 CE. In ancient China, large naval battles were known since the Qin Dynasty (also see Battle of Red Cliffs, 208), employing the war junk during the Han Dynasty. However, China's first official standing navy was not established until the Southern Song Dynasty in the 12th century, a time when gunpowder was a revolutionary new application to warfare.

The mass and deck space required to carry a large number of cannon made oar-based propulsion impossible and ships came to rely primarily on sails. Warships were designed to carry increasing numbers of cannon and naval tactics evolved to bring a ship's firepower to bear in a broadside, with ships-of-the-line arranged in a line of battle.

The development of large capacity, sail-powered ships carrying cannon led to a rapid expansion of European navies, especially the Spanish and Portuguese navies which dominated in the 16th and early 17th centuries, and helped propel the age of exploration and colonialism. The repulsion of the Spanish Armada (1588) by the English fleet revolutionized naval warfare by the success of a guns-only strategy and caused a major overhaul of the Spanish Navy, partly along English lines, which resulted in even greater dominance by the Spanish. From the beginning of the 17th century the Dutch cannibalized the Portuguese Empire in the East and, with the immense wealth gained, challenged Spanish hegemony at sea. From the 1620s, Dutch raiders seriously troubled Spanish shipping and, after a number of battles which went both ways, the Dutch Navy finally broke the long dominance of the Spanish Navy in the Battle of the Downs (1639).

England emerged as a major naval power in the mid-17th century in the first Anglo-Dutch war with a technical victory. Successive decisive Dutch victories in the second and third Anglo-Dutch Wars confirmed the Dutch mastery of the seas during the Dutch Golden Age, financed by the expansion of the Dutch Empire. The French Navy won some important victories near the end of the 17th century but a focus upon land forces led to the French Navy's relative neglect, which allowed the Royal Navy to emerge with an ever-growing advantage in size and quality, especially in tactics and experience, from 1695. Throughout the 18th century the Royal Navy gradually gained ascendancy over the French Navy, with victories in the War of Spanish Succession (1701–1714), inconclusive battles in the War of Austrian Succession (1740–1748), victories in the Seven Years' War (1754–1763), a partial reversal during the American War of Independence (1775–1783), and consolidation into uncontested supremacy during the 19th century from the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. These conflicts saw the development and refinement of tactics which came to be called the line of battle.

U.S. Navy supercarrier USS Nimitz (CVN-68)

The next stage in the evolution of naval warfare was the introduction of metal plating along the hull sides. The increased mass required steam-powered engines, resulting in an arms race between armor and weapon thickness and firepower. The first armored vessels, the French Gloire and British HMS Warrior, made wooden vessels obsolete. Another significant improvement came with the invention of the rotating turrets, which allowed the guns to be aimed independently of ship movement. The battle between the CSS Virginia and the USS Monitor during the American Civil War (1861–1865) is often cited as the beginning of this age of maritime conflict. The Russian Navy was considered the third strongest in the world on the eve of the Russo-Japanese War, which turned to be a catastrophe for the Russian military in general and the Russian Navy in particular. Although neither party lacked courage, the Russians were defeated by the Japanese in the Battle of Port Arthur, which was the first time in warfare that mines were used for offensive purposes. The warships of the Baltic Fleet sent to the Far East were lost in the Battle of Tsushima. A further step change in naval firepower occurred when the United Kingdom launched HMS Dreadnought (1906), but naval tactics still emphasized the line of battle.

The first practical military submarines were developed in the late 19th century and by the end of World War I had proven to be a powerful arm of naval warfare. During World War II, the German Navy's submarine fleet of U-boats almost starved the United Kingdom into submission and inflicted tremendous losses on U.S. coastal shipping. The German battleship Tirpitz, a sister ship of the Bismarck, was almost put out of action by miniature submarines known as X-Craft. The X-Craft severely damaged her and kept her in port for some months.

A major paradigm shift in naval warfare occurred with the introduction of the aircraft carrier. First at Taranto in 1940 and then at Pearl Harbor in 1941, the carrier demonstrated its ability to strike decisively at enemy ships out of sight and range of surface vessels. The Battle of Leyte Gulf (1944) was arguably the largest naval battle in history; it was also the last battle in which battleships played a significant role. By the end of World War II, the carrier had become the dominant force of naval warfare.

World War II also saw the United States become by far the largest Naval power in the world. In the late 20th and early 21 centuries, the United States Navy possessed over 70% of the world's total numbers and total tonnage of naval vessels of 1,000 tons or greater.^[8] Throughout the rest of the 20th century, the United States Navy would maintain a tonnage greater than that of the next 17 largest navies combined. During the Cold War, the Soviet Navy became a significant armed force, with large numbers of large, heavily armed ballistic missile submarines and extensive use of heavy, long-ranged antisurface missiles to counter the numerous United States carrier battle groups. Only 3 nations (United States, France, and Brazil) presently operate CATOBAR carriers of any size. However, France's upcoming future carrier (see Future French aircraft carrier) will also be approximately the same size of 70,000 tons (and possibly even of a similar design) as the Queen Elizabeth class carriers, and the Soviet Union was building two 80,000 ton Ulyanovsk class carriers prior to its dissolution.

Operations[link]

HMS Invincible sails towards the Falkland Islands during the Falklands War. The Falklands War was the largest naval conflict since World War II.

A navy typically operates from one or more naval bases. The base is a port that is specialized in naval operations, and often includes housing, a munitions depot, docks for the vessels, and various repair facilities. During times of war temporary bases may be constructed in closer proximity to strategic locations, as it is advantageous in terms of patrols and station-keeping. Nations with historically strong naval forces have found it advantageous to obtain basing rights in other countries in areas of strategic interest.

Navy ships can operate independently or with a group, which may be a small squadron of comparable ships, or a larger naval fleet of various specialized ships. The commander of a fleet travels in the flagship, which is usually the most powerful vessel in the group. Prior to the invention of radio, commands from the flagship were communicated by means of flags. At night signal lamps could be used for a similar purpose. Later these were replaced by the radio transmitter, or the flashing light when radio silence was needed.

A "blue water navy" is designed to operate far from the coastal waters of its home nation. These are ships capable of maintaining station for long periods of time in deep ocean, and will have a long logistical tail for their support. Many are also nuclear powered to save having to refuel. By contrast a "brown water navy" operates in the coastal periphery and along inland waterways, where larger ocean-going naval vessels can not readily enter. Regional powers may maintain a "green water navy" as a means of localized force projection. Blue water fleets may require specialized vessels, such as mine sweepers, when operating in the littoral regions along the coast.

Traditions[link]

A basic tradition is that all ships commissioned in a navy are referred to as ships rather than vessels, with the exception of submarines, which are known as boats. The prefix on a ship's name indicates that it is a commissioned ship.

An important tradition on board naval vessels of some nations has been the ship's bell. This was historically used to mark the passage of time, as warning devices in heavy fog, and for alarms and ceremonies.

The ship's captain, and more senior officers are "piped" aboard the ship using a Boatswain's call.

In the United States, the First Navy Jack is a flag that has the words, "Don't Tread on Me" on the flag.

By English tradition, ships have been referred to as a "she". However, it was long considered bad luck to permit women to sail on board naval vessels. To do so would invite a terrible storm that would wreck the ship. The only women that were welcomed on board were figureheads mounted on the prow of the ship.

Firing a cannon salute partially disarms the ship, so firing a cannon for no combat reason showed respect and trust. As the tradition evolved, the number of cannon fired became an indication of the rank of the official being saluted.

Naval organization[link]

Ships[link]

Sejong the Great class destroyer of the Republic of Korea Navy

Typhoon class submarines are the largest submarines ever built.

Historically, navy ships were primarily intended for warfare. They were designed to withstand damage and to inflict the same, but only carried munitions and supplies for the voyage (rather than merchant cargo). Often, other ships which were not built specifically for warfare, such as the galleon or the armed merchant ships in World War II, did carry armaments. In more recent times, navy ships have become more specialized and have included supply ships, troop transports, repair ships, oil tankers and other logistics support ships as well as combat ships. So long as they are commissioned, however, they are all "ships"...

Modern navy combat ships are generally divided into seven main categories: aircraft carriers, cruisers, destroyers, frigates, corvettes, submarines, and amphibious assault ships. There are also support and auxiliary ships, including the oiler, minesweeper, patrol boat, hydrographic and oceanographic survey ship and tender. During the age of sail, the ship categories were divided into the ship of the line, frigate, and sloop-of-war.

Naval ship names are typically prefixed by an abbreviation indicating the national navy in which they serve. For a list of the prefixes used with ship names (HMS, USS, etc.) see ship prefix.

Today ships are significantly faster than in former times, thanks to much improved propulsion systems. Also, the efficiency of the engines has improved, in terms of fuel, and of how many sailors it takes to operate them. In World War II, ships needed to refuel very often. However, today ships can go on very long journeys without refueling. Also, in World War II, the engine room needed about a dozen sailors to work the many engines, however, today, only about 4–5 are needed (depending on the class of the ship). Today, naval strike groups on longer missions are always followed by a range of support and replenishment ships supplying them with anything from fuel and munitions, to medical treatment and postal services. This allows strike groups and combat ships to remain at sea for several months at a time.

Boats[link]

Royal Canadian Navy's Orca class patrol vessel.

The term "boat" refers to small craft limited in their use by size and usually not capable of making lengthy independent voyages at sea. The old navy adage to differentiate between ships and boats is that boats are capable of being carried by ships. (Submarines by this rule are ships rather than boats, but are customarily referred to as boats reflecting their previous smaller size.)

Navies use many types of boat, ranging from 9-foot (2.7 m) dinghies to 135-foot (41 m) landing craft. They are powered by either diesels, out-board gasoline engines, or waterjets. Most boats are built of aluminum, fiberglass, or steel. Rigid-hulled inflatable boats are also used.

Patrol boats are used for patrols of coastal areas, lakes and large rivers.

Soviet PT-76 light amphibious tank moves down the ramp of an Aist class hovercraft.

Landing craft are designed to carry troops, vehicles, or cargo from ship to shore under combat conditions, to unload, to withdraw from the beach, and to return to the ship. They are rugged, with powerful engines, and usually armed. There are many types in today's navies including hovercraft. They will typically have a power-operated bow ramp, a cargo well and after structures that house enginerooms, pilot houses, and stowage compartments. These boats are sometimes carried by larger ships.

Special operations craft are high-speed craft used for insertion and extraction of special forces personnel and some may be transportable (and deployed) by air.

Boats used in non-combat roles include lifeboats, mail boats, line handling boats, buoy boats, aircraft rescue boats, torpedo retrievers, explosive ordnance disposal craft, utility boats, dive boats, targets, and work boats. Boats are also used for survey work, tending divers, and minesweeping operations. Boats for carrying cargo and personnel are sometimes known as launches, gigs, barges or shore party boats.

Units[link]

Naval forces are typically arranged into units based on the number of ships included, a single ship being the smallest operational unit. Ships may be combined into squadrons or flotillas, which may be formed into fleets. The largest unit size may be the whole Navy or Admiralty.

A task force can be assembled using ships from different fleets for an operational task.

Ships of the multinational fleet Combined Task Force 150

Personnel[link]

Despite their acceptance in many areas of naval service, women sailors were not permitted to serve on board U.S. submarines until the U.S. Navy lifted the ban in April 2010.^[9] The major reasons historically cited by the U.S. Navy were the extended duty tours and close conditions which afford almost no privacy. The United Kingdom's Royal Navy has had similar restrictions. Australia, Canada, Norway, and Spain previously opened submarine service to women sailors.^[10]

Ranks[link]

Chinese sailors, 2009

Newly commissioned officers celebrate their new positions by throwing their midshipmen covers into the air as part of the a U.S. Naval Academy graduation and commissioning ceremony.

A navy will typically have two sets of ranks, one for enlisted personnel and one for officers.

Typical ranks for commissioned officers include the following, in ascending order (Commonwealth ranks are listed first on each line; USA ranks are listed second in those instances where they differ from Commonwealth ranks):

• Acting Sub-Lieutenant / Ensign / Corvette Lieutenant
• Sub Lieutenant / Lieutenant Junior Grade / Frigate Lieutenant
• Lieutenant (Commonwealth & USA)/ Ship-of-the-Line Lieutenant / Captain Lieutenant
• Lieutenant Commander (Commonwealth & USA)/ Corvette Captain
• Commander (Commonwealth & USA)/ Frigate Captain
• Captain (Commonwealth & USA)/ Ship-of-the-Line Captain
• Commodore / Flotilla Admiral (in USA only: Rear Admiral (lower half))
• Rear Admiral (in USA only: Rear Admiral (upper half))
• Vice Admiral (Commonwealth & USA)
• Admiral (Commonwealth & USA)
• Admiral of the Fleet (Commonwealth) / Fleet Admiral (USA) / Grand Admiral

"Flag officers" include any rank that includes the word "admiral" (or commodore in services other than the US Navy), and are generally in command of a battle group, strike group or similar flotilla of ships, rather than a single ship or aspect of a ship. However, commodores can also be temporary or honorary positions. For example, during World War II, a Navy captain was assigned duty as a convoy commodore, which meant that he was still a captain, but in charge of all the merchant vessels in the convoy.

The most senior rank employed by a navy will tend to vary depending on the size of the navy and whether it is wartime or peacetime, for example, few people have ever held the rank of Fleet Admiral in the U.S. Navy, the chief of the Royal Australian Navy holds the rank of Vice Admiral, and the chief of the Irish Naval Service holds the rank of Commodore.

Naval infantry[link]

Jaubert commandos of French Navy demonstrating a mock seaborne assault on the support vessel Alcyon.

During the era of the Roman empire, the naval forces included marine legionaries for boarding actions. These were troops primarily trained in land warfare, and did not need to be skilled at handling a ship. Much later during the age of sail, a component of marines served a similar role, being ship-borne soldiers who were used either during boarding actions, as sharp-shooters, or in raids along the shore.

The Spanish Infantería de Marina was formed in 1537, making it the oldest current marine corps in the world. The British Royal Marines combine both being a ship-based force and also being specially trained in commando-style operations and tactics, operating in some cases separately from the rest of the Navy. The Royal Marines also have their own special forces unit. The United States Marine Corps is a component of the Navy with a separate military leadership structure.

Naval aviation[link]

A Sea Harrier on the flight deck of an Indian Navy aircraft carrier in 2007.

In World War I several navies used floatplanes and flying boats - mainly for scouting. By World War II the aircraft carrier could carry bomber aircraft capable of attacking naval and land targets as well as fighter aircraft for defence. Since World War II helicopters have been embarked on smaller ships in roles such as anti-submarine warfare. Some navies have also operated land-based patrol aircraft.

Gallery[link]

• 

  Navy ship with aircraft (Harry Walker, photographer, Texas, circa 1910-1940)

Additional reading[link]

• Non-fiction:
  • Combat Fleets of the World: Their Ships, Aircraft and Systems - Naval Institute Press. Published annually. Comprehensive.
  • Braudel, Fernand, The Mediterranean in the Ancient World
  • Corbett, Sir Julian, Some Principles of Maritime Strategy, 1911.
  • Hughes, Jr., Wayne P., Fleet Tactics and Coastal Combat, 1999, Naval Institute Press, ISBN 1-55750-392-3
  • Kennedy, Paul. The Rise and Fall of British Naval Mastery. New York: Scribner, 1976. ISBN 0-394-54674-1
  • Mahan, Alfred Thayer, The Influence of Sea Power upon History, 1660-1783, 1918, Little Brown, Boston.
  • Marder, Arthur. The Anatomy of British Seapower. New York: Octagon Books, 1940.
  • Marder, Arthur. "The Influence of History on Sea Power: The Royal Navy and the Lessons of 1914-1918," Pacific Historical Review. November, 1972.
  • Richmond, Herbert. National Policy and National Strength and other Essays. London: Longman, Green and Co., 1928.
  • Sprout, Harold and Margaret Sprout. Toward a New Order of Sea Power: American Naval Policy ... 1918-1922. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1940.
  • Starr, Chester G., The Influence of Sea Power on Ancient History, 1989, Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-505666-3
  • Tangredi, Sam, "Globalization and Maritime Power", 2002 - National Defense University, ISBN 1-57906-060-9
  • Trafalgar 200 Through the Lens, ISBN 0-9553004-0-1
  • Woolley, Peter J. "The Role of Strategy in Great Power Decline," Naval War College Review. Vol. XLIX, no. 1 (1996). ISBN 1-884733-06-9

• Fiction:
  • Alan Lewrie series by Dewey Lambdin
  • Aubrey–Maturin series by Patrick O'Brian
  • Horatio Hornblower series by C. S. Forester
  • Richard Bolitho series by Alexander Kent (Pseudonym of Douglas Reeman)
  • Tom Clancy, The Hunt for Red October, Red Storm Rising

See also[link]

• • The British East India Company's Marine or Honourable East India Company's Marine, a colonial precursor of the Indian Navy that existed from 1612 to 1686
  • Bombay Marine, a colonial precursor of the Indian Navy that existed from 1686 to 1830 and from 1863 to 1877
  • Deutsche Marine, the German Navy
  • Her Majesty's Indian Marine, a colonial precursor of the Indian Navy that existed from 1877 to 1892
  • Koninklijke Marine, the Royal Dutch Navy
  • Marine nationale, the French Navy
  • Royal Indian Marine, a colonial precursor of the Indian Navy that existed from 1892 to 1934

• Blue-water navy
• List of naval battles
• List of navies
• Number of warships in service worldwide
• List of submarine classes in service
• List of naval ship classes in service
• List of auxiliary ship classes in service
• Modern naval tactics
• Naval fleet
• Navies of landlocked countries

References[link]

1. ^ navigium, Charlton T. Lewis, Charles Short, A Latin Dictionary, on Perseus Digital Library
2. ^ navis, Charlton T. Lewis, Charles Short, A Latin Dictionary, on Perseus Digital Library
3. ^ http://india.gov.in/myindia/facts.php
4. ^ navalis, Charlton T. Lewis, Charles Short, A Latin Dictionary, on Perseus Digital Library
5. ^ ναῦς, Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon, on Perseus Digital Library
6. ^ ναύτης, Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon, on Perseus Digital Library
7. ^ Palaeolexicon, Word study tool of ancient languages
8. ^ Weighing the US Navy Defense & Security Analysis, Volume 17, Issue December 3, 2001 , pages 259 - 265
9. ^ http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iIMxaTQ7lpX-Ow6grVziJ7ZKeNpQD9FVUPKG3
10. ^ http://www.nato.int/docu/review/2001/0102-09.htm

External links[link]

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Navy

Look up navy in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

• Naval Technology - News, projects, images and white papers on the naval industry
• NOSI (Naval Open Source Intelligence) - a library of world naval operational news

Vanessa Hudgens
Vanessa Hudgens at the Sydney premiere of Journey 2: The Mysterious Island in 2012.
Background information
Birth name	Vanessa Anne Hudgens
Born	(1988-12-14) December 14, 1988 (age 23) Salinas, California, United States
Genres	Pop, dance[1]
Occupations	Actress, singer
Years active	2002–present
Labels	Hollywood
Website	VanessaHudgensOfficial.com

Vanessa Anne Hudgens^[2] (born December 14, 1988)^[3] is an American actress and singer.

Hudgens rose to prominence playing Gabriella Montez in the High School Musical series.^[4] Hudgens also has appeared in several television programs including Quintuplets, Still Standing, The Brothers García, Drake & Josh, and The Suite Life of Zack & Cody. In 2009, she earned critical acclaim for her role in the film Bandslam.^[5]

In addition to acting, Hudgens released her debut album V on September 26, 2006 which entered the Billboard 200 at number twenty four, and was later certified Gold.^[6] Her second album, Identified, was released on July 1, 2008 in the United States.^[7]

Early life[link]

Hudgens was born in Salinas, California, and has lived with her parents throughout the West Coast from Oregon to Southern California. Her mother, Gina (née Guangco), held a succession of office jobs, and her father, Gregory Hudgens, was a firefighter.^[2][3] She has a younger sister, Stella Hudgens, who is also an actress.^[8] She was raised as a Roman Catholic.^[9] Hudgens is of mixed ethnic background, as her father is of Irish and Native American descent, and her mother, a native of Manila, Philippines, is of Chinese-Filipino-Spanish descent.^[3][10] All of her grandparents were musicians.^[11]

Starting at the age of eight, Hudgens performed in musical theater as a singer, and appeared in local productions of Carousel, The Wizard of Oz, The King and I, The Music Man, and Cinderella, among others.^[12] Two years after her career in stage plays and musicals, she started auditioning for commercials and television shows, and her family moved to Los Angeles after she won a role in a television commercial.^[11][13] Her acting career started at the age of 15, and she briefly attended Orange County High School of the Arts, followed by homeschooling with tutors.^[14][15]

Career[link]

2003–2009[link]

In 2003, Hudgens played a minor role in the independent drama film Thirteen, in which she played Noel, a friend of a lead character Tracy, (played by Evan Rachel Wood). The film was a commercial success, receiving generally positive reviews, with the USA Today calling it "powerful of all recent wayward-youth sagas".^[16] Hudgens subsequently landed a role in the 2004 science fiction-adventure film Thunderbirds as Tintin. However, the film was a commercial failure and received heavy criticism for "abandoning the original concepts".^[17]

A year later, Hudgens made guest appearances on television shows Quintuplets, Still Standing, The Brothers García, Drake & Josh, and The Suite Life of Zack & Cody. In late 2005 she landed her breakout role of shy and meek Gabriella Montez in High School Musical, opposite to Zac Efron.^[18] Her performance received numerous nominations and awards.^[19] With the success of the film, the BBC predicted that Hudgens would be a "household name" in the US.^[20]

In 2007, Hudgens reprised her role as Gabriella Montez in the sequel of High School Musical, High School Musical 2.^[21] Virginia Heffernan of TV Review described Hudgens performance as "matte," as she "glows like a proper ingénue".^[22] The third film in the series, High School Musical 3: Senior Year was released in 2009. Her performance in the film prompted her win for "Favorite Movie Actress" in the 2009 Kids Choice Awards.^[23][24]

2009–present[link]

Hudgens at the Comic-Con Day in 2010

After High School Musical, Hudgens remarked that she will focus on acting and films while "taking a break" from her music career as a solo artist.^[25] She played a supporting role in a musical comedy Bandslam, which was released theatrically on August 14, 2009.^[26][27] Hudgens plays "Sa5m", a 15-year-old awkward freshman with untapped talents.^[28] Although Bandslam was commercially unsuccessful, Hudgens's performance received praise from critics.^[29] David Waddington of the North Wales Pioneer noted that Hudgens "outshines the rest of the cast, failing to fit in with the outcast narrative and making the inevitable climactic ending all the more expected,"^[30] and Philip French of The Guardian compared her acting to Thandie Newton and Dorothy Parker.^[31]

Hudgens performed a musical number with other artists during the 81st Academy Awards.^[32] Hudgens later provided voice roles in an episode of Robot Chicken. Hudgens' involvement in Beastly, a film based on Alex Flinn's novel of the same name, was announced in early 2009.^[33] She played one of the main characters in the film, Linda Taylor. Hudgens described her as, "...the "beauty" of the story but not the stereotypical beauty everyone thinks of."^[34] Along with Beastly co-star, Alex Pettyfer, Hudgens was recognized as ShoWest stars of Tomorrow.^[35] Her next role was in the action film, Sucker Punch, directed by Zack Snyder. She played Blondie, an institutionalized girl in an asylum. The film was released in March 2011.^[36]

Hudgens made a return to theater productions and starred in the musical Rent as Mimi. The stage production ran from August 6–8, 2010 at the Hollywood Bowl.^[37] Her involvement in the production drew negative comments, but director Neil Patrick Harris defended his decision with casting Hudgens by saying, "Vanessa [Hudgens] is awesome. She's a friend. I asked her to come in and sing to make sure she had the chops for it. And she was very committed and seemed great."^[38]

In October 2010, Hudgens joined the cast of Journey 2: The Mysterious Island, the sequel to the 2008 film Journey to the Center of the Earth, alongside Dwayne Johnson and Josh Hutcherson, playing Hutcherson's love interest.^[39] In April 2011, it was reported that she would star in Gimme Shelter with Brendan Fraser, a film written and directed by Ron Krauss.^[40] Hudgens will also play Cindy Paulson in The Frozen Ground, a film based on the Robert Hansen case wherein she plays as his only victim who escaped. She co-stars with John Cusack and Nicolas Cage.^[41] In November 2011, Hudgens announced on her official website that she will be starring with Selena Gomez and James Franco in Spring Breakers.^[42]

Music[link]

Hudgens and Drew Seeley in 2007

Hudgens received a recording contract with Hollywood Records.^[43] On September 2006 her debut album entitled V was released. It charted on the Billboard 200 at number twenty-four,^[6] and was certified Gold on February 27, 2007.^[44] Her first single, "Come Back to Me" became her highest-charting single. Her second single was "Say OK". Billboard readers chose "V" as the seventh best album of the year.^[45] Hudgens was named Female Breakout Singer of the year at the 2007 Teen Choice Awards.^[46]

Hudgens also participated in the nationwide High School Musical: The Concert tour in fall 2006, performing the songs from the soundtrack album as well as the three songs from her debut album.^[47] She sang the duet "Still There For Me" with Corbin Bleu for his debut album. In the following December, she sang to George W. Bush, who was then the president of the U.S., and his family, at The National Building Museum in Washington, D.C. with other singers at a Christmas event.^[48]

Her second album, Identified, which received generally favorable reviews,^[49] was released on July 1, 2008, debuting at #23 on the Billboard 200.^[50] The album's lead single was "Sneakernight", which was a moderate commercial success, peaking at #88 on the Billboard Hot 100^[51] and #94 on the Australian Singles Chart.^[52] Hudgens's Identified Summer Tour began on August 1, 2008 and ended on September 9 of the same year.^[53]

Other work[link]

Hudgens promotes Neutrogena^[54] and was the 2008 featured celebrity for Sears' back-to school campaign.^[55] In 2007, she became a spokesperson for Mark Ecko products but ended the contract after two years. ^[56][57] Hudgens regularly volunteers for charitable activities, including those for Best Buddies International,^[58][59] Lollipop Theater Network,^[60] St. Jude Children's Research Hospital^[61] and the VH1 Save The Music Foundation.^[62] Hudgens is also featured in A Very Special Christmas Vol.7 disc which benefits the Special Olympics.^[63] Hudgens is also part of the "Stand Up to Cancer (SU2C): Change The Odds" along with other Hollywood stars including Zac Efron, Dakota Fanning, Kristen Bell, and others.^[64]

Personal life[link]

Us Weekly said Hudgens and her High School Musical series co-star Zac Efron "met in 2005 while making the first High School Musical flick, and became a romantic item about two years later."^[65] The two were paired together during the audition process and got the part because of their chemistry.^[66] The two ended their relationship in December 2010.^[65] Hudgens briefly dated her Journey 2 co-star, Josh Hutcherson but the two are now good friends.^[67] Hudgens has been dating fellow actor, Austin Butler since the fall of 2011.^[67][68]

Hudgens at the My Habit launch at Skylight West Studios in May 2011

Hudgens was represented by William Morris Agency^[69] but signed on to Creative Artists Agency in 2011.^[70]

In 2006, Hudgens's earnings were estimated to be $2 million.^[71] Hudgens was included in Forbes richest list in early 2007, and the Forbes article noted that she was included in Young Hollywood's Top Earning-Stars.^[72] On December 12, 2008, Hudgens was ranked #20 in the list of Forbes "High Earners Under 30", having reported to have an estimated earnings of $3 million in 2008.^[73][74] She was number 62 at FHM's Sexiest Women in the World of 2008 and number 42 in the 2009 list.^[75][76] Hudgens is also featured in Maxim's lists.^[77] She was included in People's annual "100 Most Beautiful People" 2008 and 2009 lists.^[78][79]

On September 6, 2007, photos of Hudgens appeared online, one showing her posing in lingerie and another showing her nude. A statement from her publicist claims that the photo was taken privately and it was unfortunate that they were released on the Internet. Hudgens later apologized, saying that she was "embarrassed over the situation" and regretted having "taken [those] photos."^[80] Hudgens subsequently released a statement indicating that she declined to comment further on the scandal.^[81] OK! magazine speculated that Hudgens would be dropped from High School Musical 3 as a result of the images,^[82] but The Walt Disney Company denied this, saying, "Vanessa has apologized for what was obviously a lapse in judgment. We hope she's learned a valuable lesson."^[83][84][85]

In August 2009, another set of pictures showing Hudgens topless emerged on the Internet. Hudgens's representatives did not comment, though her lawyers requested the removal of the pictures from the Internet.^[86][87] In late 2009, Hudgens sued "www.moejackson.com" for posting nude 'self-portrait photographs'^{[clarification needed]} of her taken on a mobile phone in a private home.^[88] Hudgens later commented on the photos' impact on her career in the October issue of Allure with, "Whenever anybody asks me, would I do nudity in a film, if I say that it's something I'm not comfortable with, they're like, 'Bullshit, you've already done it.' If anything, it makes it more embarrassing, because that was a private thing. It's screwed up that someone screwed me over like that. At least some people are learning from my mistake."^[89] According to Us Weekly, further pictures were released on the Internet March 15, 2011^[90] as well as a nude video.

Brian Schall sued Hudgens in 2007 for an alleged "breach of contract"; according to the suit, Schall claims he advanced costs and expenses on Hudgens's behalf for her songwriting and recording career.^[91] Schall claims Hudgens owed him $150,000 after helping her earn more than $5 million for her music career. Hudgens argued that she was a 16-year-old minor when she signed the contract in October 2005, and therefore too young to do so. She subsequently disaffirmed it on October 9, 2008. Papers filed in court by her lawyer say California's Family Code "provides that the contract of a minor is voidable and may be disaffirmed before (age 18) or within a reasonable time afterward."^[92] In 2008, Hudgens was sued by Johnny Vieira, who claims he was owed a share of Hudgens' advances, royalties and merchandising revenue in exchange for his management services. Vieira accuses Hudgens of abandoning her talent team as soon as she became a commercial name in the High School Musical era.^[93] In early May 2009, the case was settled.^[94]

Filmography[link]

Hudgens at the 38th People's Choice Awards in 2012

Discography[link]

• V (2006)
• Identified (2008)

Awards and nominations[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikinews has related news: Vanessa Hudgens publicist makes apology about nude photo incident

Media related to Vanessa Hudgens at Wikimedia Commons

• Official website
• Vanessa Hudgens at the Internet Movie Database
• Vanessa Hudgens at Allmusic