Navy Day

"Navy Day" by Harry Harrison is a science fiction short story published in the mid-20th century. The plot centers around a satirical conflict between the U.S. Army and Navy as the Army pushes for the abolition of the Navy, declaring its own superior technological advancements that allow military vehicles to traverse both land and water. This humorous narrative reflects on themes of military rivalry and bureaucratic absurdity, set against a backdrop of political maneuvering in a fictionalized version of Washington, D.C. The story follows General Wingrove, who proposes to Congress that the Navy be disbanded, claiming that the Army's new innovation—the ability to use vehicles on water by manipulating surface tension—renders naval forces obsolete. In response, Admiral Fitzjames reveals a counter-invention that allows Navy ships to sail on land, igniting a comedic battle of technological prowess between the two armed services. The narrative culminates in a farcical showdown as each side presents their conflicting innovations to Congress, showcasing the absurdity of their rivalry. Ultimately, it serves as an entertaining critique of military priorities and the nature of institutional competition. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Harry Max Harrison was an American science fiction author, known mostly for his character The Stainless Steel Rat and for his novel Make Room! Make Room! (1966). The latter was the rough basis for the motion picture Soylent Green (1973). Long resident in both Ireland and the United Kingdom, Harrison was involved in the foundation of the Irish Science Fiction Association, and was, with Brian Aldiss, co-president of the Birmingham Science Fiction Group.