75th Anniversary of the White House Navy Mess, 2026

By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation On June 11, 1951, President Harry S. Truman formally established a unit of the United States Navy to provide culinary services to the Commander in Chief and the First Family. For 75 years, the elite service members assigned to the Presidential Food Service have demonstrated professional expertise, military precision, and unwavering commitment to serving those who hold our Nation's highest office. The practice of utilizing Navy cooks in support of the Commander in Chief began in 1880 when stewards were assigned to prepare meals for President Rutherford B. Hayes aboard the Presidential yacht, USS Despatch. This tradition continued and evolved informally until the Navy was officially tasked with the mission to provide food service at the White House. Service members selected for the Presidential Food Service operate the White House Navy Mess, a full- service executive dining room located in the West Wing of