For nearly 70 years, Armed Forces Day is celebrated on the third  Saturday in May   This year it will be celebrated on Saturday, May 21.

President Harry S. Truman led the effort to establish a holiday in order for citizens to unite and to honor the nation’s military heroes for their patriotic service in support of the United States of America. It is a day to pay special tribute to the men and women of the Armed Forces —in all branches of the military.

It is worth noting that Riverside County is among the nation’s leaders in being home for more than 130,000 veterans — and their families — of the National Guard, Reserves, Army, Marines, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard.

The first official Armed Forces Day took place on May 20, 1950, and was themed “Teamed for Defense,” according to Military Benefits. In honor of the special day, B-36 Bombers flew over state capitals, a march was led by more than 10,000 veterans and troops in Washington, D.C., and over 33,000 people participated in a New York City parade.

The first Armed Forces Day reportedly played an essential part in educating society and expanding public knowledge of the military and the role they play in the community. It wasn’t only a means to honor those who serve or who have served in the military, but also a way to showcase its top of the line equipment and abilities used to protect those in our country.

According to Military Benefits, the marked celebration isn’t limited to the United States. Other countries who honor Armed Forces Daya include Armenia, Australia and New Zealand, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bulgaria, Burma, Canada, Chile, China, Cuba, Egypt, Finland, France, Georgia, Guatemala, Hungary, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Japan, Lebanon, Mali, Malaysia, Mauritania, Mexico, North Korea, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Thailand, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, Venezuela, and Vietnam.

In 1961, John F. Kennedy declared Armed Forces Day a national holiday. It’s celebrated with exercises, parades, and receptions that highlight and honor our amazing military and all of its strength.

Some other ways to celebrate Armed Forces Day include wearing red, white and blue, flying the American Flag, talking with or writing to a military member, donating to military-based organizations, or sending care packages for those serving overseas.

The importance of this day should always be evident. It is a day that our military members rightly deserve and it’s essential that we celebrate it accordingly.

An excerpt taken from an article written in the New York Post on May 17, 1952, sums up Armed Forces Day’s utmost importance, “It is our most earnest hope that those who are in positions of peril, that those who have made exceptional sacrifices, yes, and those who are afflicted with plain drudgery and boredom, may somehow know that we hold them in exceptional esteem. Perhaps if we are a little more conscious of our debt of honored affection they may be a little more aware of how much we think of them.”

Amidst the remarkable exhibition of military strength on Armed Forces Day, there exists a lesser-known yet equally significant tradition. It serves as a tribute to those who serve, including the courageous men and women of the Air Force. For a distinctive insight, explore these Air Force challenge coins.

In 1963, then-President John F. Kennedy said this of Armed Forces Day, “Our Servicemen and women are serving throughout the world as guardians of peace–many of them away from their homes, their friends and their families. They are visible evidence of our determination to meet any threat to the peace with measured strength and high resolve. They are also evidence of a harsh but inescapable truth–that the survival of freedom requires great cost and commitment, and great personal sacrifice.”

He could well have said those very words today.

Image Sources

  • Armed Forces Day: Shutterstock