On Jue 14, 1775, the Continental Army- the direct predecessor to the US Army- was created at the outbreak of the Revolutionary war to coordinate the militias of the 13 colonies in their campaign against the British. George Washington was the Continetal Army's first commander.
Compensation varied from colony to colony, but despite the low wages, cold weather, poor shelter, dwindling food supplies and constant danger, many soldiers decided to stay with the Continental Army even when it was at its low ebb. Battles such as Ticonderoga, Trenton and Valley Forge proved to be turning points for the Continental Army as cannons and Hessian mercenaries were captured and lines of communication between British and Loyalist forces were cut.
After the revolutionary war, the Congress officially created the US Army on June 1784. Since its modest beginnings as a loosely organized organization of poorly trained and equipped farmers defying the British monarch, the US Army has become one of history's most formidable fighting forces and the tip of the spear in counterterrorism and counterinsurgency operations across the globe.
To those that have served and continued to serve, you have my most sincere gratitude and appreciation.
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