The United States Army was founded on June 14, 1775.
The Second Continental Congress established the Continental Army on that date, placing the military force under national authority during the Revolutionary War. The modern United States Army traces its lineage to that Continental Army, making June 14 its official birthday.
The Army’s 250th anniversary fell in 2025, one year before the United States’ 250th anniversary in 2026. The Army commemorated the milestone with a major parade and celebration in Arlington, Virginia, and Washington, D.C., on June 14, 2025. The event was presented as an early or “soft launch” of the broader America250 period.
June 14 is also Flag Day in the United States, creating an additional historical association. The date is not the same as July 4, 1776, when Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence, nor April 19, 1775, when fighting began at Lexington and Concord.