Which U.S. military branch marked its own 250th anniversary on June 14, 2025, ahead of America’s 250th?

The United States Army marked its own 250th anniversary on June 14, 2025, ahead of America’s 250th anniversary.

The Continental Congress created the United States Army on June 14, 1775, during the Revolutionary War. That date is commemorated annually as the Army’s birthday. The Army’s 250th anniversary therefore occurred one year before the national semiquincentennial in 2026.

A large Army 250th Anniversary Parade and Celebration took place in Arlington, Virginia, and Washington, D.C., on June 14, 2025. The date also coincided with Flag Day, which commemorates the adoption of the Stars and Stripes on June 14, 1777.

The Army is the oldest of the six U.S. military branches. The Navy was established later in 1775, while the Marine Corps dates to November 10, 1775. The Air Force became an independent branch in 1947, so its institutional anniversary is much more recent.