Armed Forces Day

Armed Forces Day celebrations for the first time since the central Massachusetts army based was decommissioned more than a decade ago. The public event Saturday was the idea of current base commander Lt. Col. Steven Nott, who wanted to re-establish ties with the civilian community. The day features children’s games, as well as military displays, including tanks and Humvees. Fort Devens was decommissioned in 1996 after 79 years as an active army base. But it’s still home to Reserve units and training facilities.

On August 31, 1949, Secretary of Defense Louis Johnson announced the creation of an Armed Forces Day to replace separate Army, Navy and Air Force Days. The single-day celebration stemmed from the unification of the Armed Forces under one department — the Department of Defense. Each of the military leagues and orders was asked to drop sponsorship of its specific service day in order to celebrate the newly announced Armed Forces Day. The Army, Navy and Air Force leagues adopted the newly formed day. The Marine Corps League declined to drop support for Marine Corps Day but supports Armed Forces Day, too.

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 parade of preparedness by the unified forces of our land, sea, and air defense. The theme of the first Armed Forces Day was “Teamed for Defense.” It was chosen as a means of expressing the unification of all the military forces under a single department of the government.