Which U.S. military branch was established on June 14, 1775, before independence?

The United States Army was established on June 14, 1775, before American independence.

The Second Continental Congress created the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. Congress appointed George Washington as its commander in chief soon afterward, giving the colonies a unified military force against Great Britain. The Army’s founding date predates the Declaration of Independence by more than a year.

After the war, the Continental Army was disbanded, but a small federal force was retained. The modern United States Army traces its institutional history to the Continental Army and remains the land warfare service of the U.S. armed forces.

The other military services were established at different times. The Navy dates to October 13, 1775, the Marine Corps to November 10, 1775, and the Air Force became an independent service in 1947. The Army’s June anniversary is therefore distinct from the nation’s July independence anniversary.