John Paul Jones was the first great American naval officer. He fought brilliantly against great odds and his victory over HMS Serapis during the American Revolution remains one of the most celebrated ship-to-ship encounters in history. In concert with John Barry, Jones helped establish the U.S. Navy's tradition of aggressive action and victory.
John Paul Jones (1747-1792), American Revolutionary War officer, was a great fighting sailor and a national hero. Like any master mariner in the eighteenth century, John Paul Jones was in the fullest sense the captain of his ship.
Victory at sea : John Paul Jones and the Continental Navy by 
