WWI and A History of Army Day

The story of Army Day begins before WWI started. In 1914, the Archduke of Austria, Franz Ferdinand, and his wife, Sophie, were assassinated in their vehicle in the streets of Sarajevo.

Though the assassination is often cited as the catalyst for the beginning of the war, it’s important to note that the underlying tension surrounding foreign policy talks also played a significant role. A month later, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia. A week after that, Russia, France, Belgium, Great Britain, and Serbia had already sided against Austria-Hungary and Germany.

Regardless, the United States, under the guidance of President Woodrow Wilson, was initially not interested in getting involved. It wasn’t until later events transpired that the United States would become involved in what many call the “war to end all wars.” Unfortunately, U.S. involvement would prove to be inevitable.

The U.S. Enters WWI

In 1915, the Lusitania, a British ship, was sunk by a German U-boat. The attack resulted in the deaths of around 2,000 passengers, 128 of whom were Americans. It was only at this time that some Americans began to call for the country to enter the war. However, the president and U.S. officials were still reluctant to get involved.

The Germans continued to sink U.S. ships, resulting in the loss of merchandise and lives. However, it wasn’t until 1917, when Germany sent the Zimmerman Telegram and tried to coerce Mexico into an alliance against America that President Wilson decided to take official military action.

The British had intercepted the telegram from the Germans. Initially, Britain had considered not informing U.S. officials about the telegram, as they didn’t want to alert the Germans that their telegraphic code had been cracked. However, the British ultimately decided to use the telegram to try to persuade the U.S. to become involved in the war. It was at this point that Woodrow Wilson, with the growing support of the American people, approached Congress to ask for a declaration of war against Germany. Not long after, on April 6th, 1917, the U.S. officially became involved in the war.

How Army Day Began

You can find deep roots of Army Day in what used to be celebrated as Defense Test Day, which was briefly observed from 1924-1925 before Congress disallowed its observance. Later, Army Day was reborn from the Military Order of the World War under Colonel Thatcher Luquer.

Originally, Army Day was observed on May 1st as an opportunity to bring awareness to the public about the efforts of U.S. troops abroad. One year later in 1929, Army Day celebrations were moved to April 6th, the anniversary of the United State’s involvement in World War I.

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How Army Day Became Armed Forces Day

In April 1936, President Roosevelt proclaimed that Army Day should be recognized by Congress and observed nationwide. Congress passed a resolution in March 1937 which officially recognized Army Day. April 1949 was the last time Army Day was observed nationally. 

Army Day has since been formally replaced by Armed Forces Day, which sought to unify all branches of the military to celebrate them in one day, as opposed to having a separate day for each branch. This was a direct result of all branches of the military being consolidated into the Department of Defense.

The decision was made by President Harry Truman and the Secretary of Defense at the time, Louis Johnson, in 1949. However, it is still common for the individual branches to continue to celebrate their own day. Armed Forces Day is celebrated on the third Saturday in May each year.

Since its conversion to Armed Forces Day, many have praised President Truman and Defense Secretary Johnson on their decision to combine the separate military branch celebrations into one. Senator Lodge, a member of the U.S. Senate at the time, even stated that it was a necessary move for “real national security.”

How You Can Celebrate Armed Forces Day

Although Armed Forces Day is not a federal holiday, many cities have events to celebrate the holiday honoring our servicemen and women. Celebrations often include parades, fireworks, educational exhibits, group motorcycle rides, and much more. For example, the city of Torrance, California will be bringing back one of the largest celebrations of Armed Forces Day this year after undergoing a short hiatus. Wisconsin is holding concerts and obstacle races to mark the day. And Ohio will have displays of army vehicles and weapons and will also include a memorabilia swap. Check with your local government or chamber of commerce to see if there are any Armed Forces Day celebrations in your area.

Looking for a way to celebrate at home? Invite the service members you have in your life over for a dinner, cookout, or game night. You can also visit the USO website for information on volunteering and donating. If you have served yourself, you may enjoy having some of our WWI-era patches, like the 1st Infantry Division patch, 7th Corps patch, 2nd Infantry Division patch, or 4th Infantry Division patch. Regardless of how you celebrate, Armed Forces Day is another opportunity to honor our service members – past, present, and future.

At Popular Patch, we strive to honor a wide array of service members every day. See how you can celebrate yourself or your loved ones with our wide selection of patches.