Armed Forces Day

Published: May 16, 2024

Featured Content
Observed the third Saturday in May, Armed Forces day pays tribute to the men and women who serve in the United States military

Armed Forces Day 2024 will be celebrated on Saturday, May 18th. This holiday pays tribute to men and women who serve across all six branches of the United States military. It is a day to recognize the bravery and resilience of those who safeguard our freedoms and uphold peace around the world. Communities across the United States come together on this day to express their gratitude and support for the armed forces through events, ceremonies, and parades.

Dignitaries with President Harry S. Truman on the reviewing stand during the Armed Forces Day parade. From left to right: Secretary of the Army Frank Pace, General Dwight D. Eisenhower, Secretary of Defense Louis Johnson, President Truman, and Admiral William Leahy. In the center in the second row is Attorney General J. Howard McGrath. All others are unidentified. May 20, 1950. Credit: Abbie Rowe National Park Service, Harry S. Truman Library & Museum, Accession Number 73-3364

Armed Forces Day Historical Timeline


July 26, 1947 – President Harry S. Truman signed the National Security Act into law (*Statute Compilation, codified in Title 50 of the U.S. Code: War and National Defense). This Act unified the four branches of the military under a single executive authority, the Secretary of Defense. This decision led to the creation of the National Military Establishment.

August 31, 1949 – Secretary of Defense Louis Johnson announced Armed Forces Day as a unification of the separate Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force celebrations, a reflection of the unification of the forces under the National Security Act. Armed Forces Day was intended to replace the separate days of celebration, but some branches maintain their own celebrations in addition to the joint observance. (Source: Defense.gov ) Read remarks from Senator Lodge on Secretary Johnson's announcement as printed in the Congressional Record on April 7, 1949.

February 27, 1950 – The first Armed Forces day was proclaimed by Presidential Proclamation 2873, but it was not observed until May that year. President Truman declared, "Armed Forces Day, Saturday, May 20, 1950, marks the first combined demonstration by America's defense team of its progress, under the National Security Act, towards the goal of readiness for any eventuality. It is the first formal procession of preparedness by the unified forces of our land, sea, and air defense."

May 20, 1950 – Armed Forces Day is first celebrated.

March 18, 1961 – President John F. Kennedy signs Presidential Proclamation 3399 (75 Stat. 1038) officially declaring Armed Forces Day a national holiday on every third Saturday in May.


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It's Electric! Air Force Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Geraghty prepare to taxi for an electric aircraft test flight at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., April 22, 2024. Pilots tested the electric aircraft for more than a three-week period to provide qualitative evaluations. VIRIN: 240422-F-OC707-8004M.JPG, Source: Department of Defense


Splash Down! A Marine Corps amphibious combat vehicle splashes from the well deck of the USS Harpers Ferry and into Oyster Bay during exercise Balikatan 24 in the Philippines, May 4, 2024. The annual exercise strengthens bilateral interoperability between U.S. and Philippine forces. VIRIN: 240504-N-HV010-1062Y.JPG Source: Department of Defense

Related Resources

  • Browse documents produced by the Senate Committee on Armed Services and the House Committee on Armed Services.
  • View Military Review Online Exclusives and other documents published by the Army University Press.
  • Explore documents related to World War I including The United States Army in the World War, 1917-1919.
  • Military OneSource is "DOD's gateway to trusted information, resources and confidential help... giving service members and military families tools to stay well and thrive."
  • In April, the Department of Defense (DOD) celebrates "Month of the Military Child." Check out how they join with national, state and local government, schools, military serving organizations, companies, and private citizens in celebrating military children and the sacrifices they make.
  • Blue Star Museums is a partnership between the National Endowment for the Arts and Blue Star Families, in collaboration with the Department of Defense and museums across America, offering free admission to the nation’s active-duty military personnel and their families, including National Guard and Reserve. The 2024 Blue Star Museums program begins on Armed Forces Day, Saturday, May 18, 2024 and ends on Labor Day, Monday, September 2, 2024. Click on the link to find participating museums.
  • Visit the U.S. Government Publishing Office’s online bookstore to browse the extensive collection of products for sale by the various agencies and branches of the Department of Defense.
  • Visit websites for the Department of Defense and each branch of the military:
    Air Force | Army | Coast Guard | Marine Corps | Navy | Space Force | National Guard


*Asterisk indicates link to a Statute Compilation. This is a compilation of the public law, as amended, is an unofficial document and should not be cited as legal evidence of the law. Learn more.


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