U.S. Navy Blue Angels perform a flyover during a graduation and commissioning ceremony for the Naval Academy Class of 2015 on May 22 in Annapolis, Md.

On this day in 1845, the United States Naval Academy was born. According to History.com, the Naval Academy was “known as the Naval School until 1850” and “the curriculum included mathematics and navigation, gunnery and steam, chemistry, English, natural philosophy, and French.”

While working on Brothers Forever, which tells the true story of two fallen Naval Academy roommates, I had the privilege of spending significant amounts of time in Annapolis. It is a truly special place filled with America’s best and brightest young patriots. Happy birthday to the U.S. Naval Academy!