14 June, 1775 - 240 years

Happy Birthday Army

pl

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Army

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Army_National_Guard

 

 

Comments

[turcopolier]

All

This is the US Army's official birthday but I would argue that it really should be the date of foundation of the 182nd Infantry regiment of the Massachusetts Army National Guard. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/182nd_Infantry_Regiment_(United_States)
pl

[Hank Foresman]

Pat, totally agree that the date should be the birthday of the Massachusetts Militia.

[The Twisted Genius]

Yes. Happy Birthday.

Letter writing has always been a part of Army life. This is a letter from Ensign Gideon Hotchkiss to his eldest son serving elsewhere. Gideon was one of the early Puritan settlers of my Connecticut hometown, a farmer and a deacon in what became the town's Congregational Church. He writes this letter days after the French and their indian allies defeated the British at Fort William Henry at the lower end of Lake George.

Saratoga, Aug 16, 1757

After my tender regards to you, hoping that these lines may find you in good health as I am at present and so was your mother, brothers and sisters and all your and our friends when I came from home. You will hear the melancholy news of our upper fort. I understand you was well the last I heard from you. I am glad to hear from you and the welfare of all of our friends. Give my love to Lieut. Beebe and to Cor. Weed and tell Cor. Weed that I would not have him send any letter to me but what he is willing everyone to see for they break almost all open that comes. You will hear the reason of our being here. I have not time to write for the men are now agoing and so I must conclude with a word of advice to you, beseeching of you to seek to him that is able to deliver you and sanctify and cleanse you from all sin. O my son I beg of God to fit you for a dying hour, this is the only time, now while you are in health.

[turcopolier]

Hank Foresman

Yes, and specifically of this regiment which has now evidently been changed into one of these RSTA things. I had ancestors in this unit when it was founded. pl

[Matthew]

Col: I'd like share a story. Last Thursday, I met two new graduates of Airborne School at the Atlanta airport. Both were very impressive gentlemen. Both spoke about the Army as a vocation, not a job. One said he had just been accepted into "special forces school."

I think you would have liked both of these men tremendously.

[Tyler]

Happy Birthday Army. Here's to many more, whatever form you may take in the future.

[William Fitzgerald]

Pat Lang,

Is the founding of the army dated from when General Washington took command of the assortment of colonial militias surrounding Boston? The problem is that there was no United States then. Rather it was a coalition of colonies in rebellion against the crown. Which begs the question, if there was no United States how would it have been possible to have a United States Army?

WPFIII

[turcopolier]

William Fitzgerald

"The Continental Army was created on 14 June 1775 by the Continental Congress as a unified army for the colonies to fight Great Britain, with George Washington appointed as its commander" Wiki on the US Army.

If you have a quarrel with the Army's recognition of former colonial militia units as units of the US Army then you should take that up with the Secretary of the Army. pl