The Hill is reporting on a planned military parade in Washington DC on June 14th. The headline reads: Trump planning military parade through DC for 79th birthday.
At no point in the entire story is there a source for the claim that the purpose for the parade has anything to do with the President’s birthday.
The original source of this item is the left leaning Washington Citypaper. They mention Trump’s birthday in passing, noting it after stating the parade is for the Army’s birthday.
I will say the entire story is very thinly sourced, neither source got an on-record statement from anyone involved.
The supposed route takes the parade from the Pentagon to the Whitehouse, some 4 miles.
Expect to see more 250th anniversary celebrations this year. The Army, Navy and Marine Corps were all founded in 1775. Also expect to see lots of leftist freak-outs over the Celebrations this year. They’ll freakout next year too for the Semiquincentennial*.
*This term, derived from Latin, means “half of five hundred” and is used to denote the 250th anniversary.
Today, 14 June, way back in 1775 the US Army was established.
The Continental Congress, having convened in response to the events of Lexington and Concord, passed the following resolution:
Resolved, That six companies of expert riflemen [sic], be immediately raised in Pennsylvania, two in Maryland, and two in Virginia; … [and] that each company, as soon as completed [sic], shall march and join the army near Boston, to be there employed as light infantry, under the command of the chief Officer in that army.
With this resolution, the Continental Congress adopted the New England Army of Observation, making it a “continental” army — a united colonial fighting force — that could represent all 13 colonies with the addition of the troops from the three middle colonies. The Continental Army thus became America’s first national institution.
George Washington was chosen as the Commander in Chief of the new Army. His commissioning letter, dated 19 June 1775 reads:
IN CONGRESS
THE delegates of the United Colonies of New-hampshire, Massachusetts bay, Rhode-island, Connecticut, New-York, New-Jersey, Pennsylvania, New Castle Kent & Sussex on Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina & South Carolina
TO GEORGE WASHINGTON Esquire
WE reposing especial trust and confidence in your patriotism, conduct and fidelity Do by these presents constitute and appoint you to be GENERAL AND COMMANDER IN CHIEF of the army of the United Colonies and of all the forces raised or to be raised by them and of all others who shall voluntarily offer their service and join the said army for the defence of American Liberty and for repelling every hostile invasion thereof. And you are hereby vested with full power and authority to act as you shall think for the good and Welfare of the service.
AND we do hereby strictly charge and require all officers and soldiers under your command to be obedient to your orders & diligent in the exercise of their several dut[ies.] AND we do also enjoin and require you to be careful in executing the great trust reposed in you, by causing strict discipline and order to be observed in th[e] army and that the soldiers are duly exercised an[d] provided with all convenient necessaries.
AND you are to regulate your conduct in every respect by the rules and discipline of war (as herewith given you) and punctually to observe and foll[ow] such orders and directions from time to time as you shall receive from this or a future Congress of the said United Colonies or a committee of Congress for that purpose appointed.
This Commission to continue inforce until revoked by this or a future Congress. By order of the Congress JOHN HANCOCK President Dated Philadelphia June 19th 1775. Attest CHAS THOMSON Secy.
Since then, the Army has fought on 5 of the 7 continents, winning two world wars and several smaller conflicts along the way.
In May of 1775 the Second Continental Congress was meeting in Philadelphia. On the docket were the growing hostilities between the Colonies and Britain.
Boston was besieged by a force of locals, bottling up the Redcoats stationed there. Forts Ticonderoga and Crown Point had been taken by colonists under Ethan Allen and Benedict Arnold.
During the course of the Congress, it was decided that an army would be needed to meet the upcoming military crisis. On June 14, 1775, the Continental Congress passed the following resolution:
Resolved, That six companies of expert riflemen [sic], be immediately raised in Pennsylvania, two in Maryland, and two in Virginia; … [and] that each company, as soon as completed [sic], shall march and join the army near Boston, to be there employed as light infantry, under the command of the chief Officer in that army.
With this resolution, the Continental Congress adopted the New England Army of Observation, making it a “continental” army — a united colonial fighting force — that could represent all 13 colonies with the addition of the troops from the three middle colonies. The Continental Army thus became America’s first national institution.
Since its official establishment, June 14, 1775, more than a year before the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Army has played a vital role in the growth and development of the American nation. Drawing on both long-standing militia traditions and recently introduced professional standards, it won the new republic’s independence in an arduous eight-year struggle against Great Britain.
Today, 247 years later, the United States Army boasts over one million soldiers on duty, with an additional 800,000 Reserve- and National Guard members.
