No, not the huge celebrations planned for next July. Many people know June 14th is Flag Day; most don’t know it is also the U.S. Army’s birthday. Well, people know this time because of the big parade and other events publicized. As I was reminded when I found the below site, it is actually the birthday of the Infantry as well.
Wednesday, 14 June 1775
The resolutions being read, were adopted as follows:
Resolved, That six companies of expert riflemen, be immediately raised in Pennsylvania, two in Maryland, and two in Virginia; that each company consist of a captain, three lieutenants, four serjeants, four corporals, a drummer or trumpeter, and sixty-eight privates.
That each company, as soon as completed, 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.
That the pay of the Officers and privates be as follows, viz. a captain @ 20 dollars per month; a lieutenant @ 13 1/3 dollars; a serjeant @ 8 dollars; a corporal @ 7 1/3 dollars; drummer or [trumpeter] @ 7 1/3 doll.; privates @ 6 2/3 dollars; to find their own arms and cloaths.
That the form of the enlistment be in the following words:
I ____ have, this day, voluntarily enlisted myself, as a soldier, in the American continental army, for one year, unless sooner discharged: And I do bind myself to conform, in all instances, to such rules and regulations, as are, or shall be, established for the government of the said Army.2(https://www.lineofdeparture.army.mil/Journals/Infantry/Infantry-Archive/Spring-2025/14-June-1775/)
Anyway, with all the current turmoil in the world, it’s easy to forget those who most want peace are men and women of the military. That does not of course include the “death cult” countries/groups, and people who profit from never-ending conflict, but is the hallmark of everyone else. The truth is while I do believe human nature will some day evolve beyond the territorial and other greedy motives at the core of most conflicts, we’re probably 800 or so years from that time. Until then, the reality is a strong military – or in the case of small countries, strong alliances for protection – are needed.
One of the themes of the only overtly political novel I have ever written (To Play on Grass Fields) is about accepting the harsh reality of human nature even in striving to break away from the worse parts. In weaving the story of a king determined to move his country from it’s blood-soaked past, one of the measures is to restructure the military from an offensive force to one of defense and collaborative with stronger allies. Like all the other solutions described in the book, this is grounded in fact. A number of smaller nations have adopted this model.
And so, a day late, here’s Happy 250th Birthday U.S. Army and Infantry!