Armed Forces Day Photos

1950's Photo Archive

The Beginnings of Armed Forces Day

This photo archive features pictures and documents relating to the establishment of Armed Forces Day, as well as pictures of AFD events in the 1950's. Click on the image to view a high resolution version of this photograph.

THE FIRST PROCLAMATION - Page 1 of the proclamation signed by THE FIRST PROCLAMATION - Page 2 of the proclamation signed by
President Harry S. Truman. (AFD-1950)  President Harry S. Truman. (AFD-1950)




 

MAKING IT OFFICIAL - Press copy of official proclamation marking  MAKING IT OFFICIAL - Additional Documentation on the process of
third Saturday in May as Armed Forces Day. (AFD-1950)  designating Armed Forces Day. (AFD-1950)




STIRRING UP INTEREST - Getting the word out on the new ESTABLISHING "AT NOT EXTRA COST" POLICY - Expressing celebration. (AFD-1950) President Truman's policy the "no movement of troops be involved or any expense incurred to the Government for affairs of this kind." (AFD-1950) ESTABLISHING "AT NOT EXTRA COST" POLICY - Expressing STANDING TALL - Official poster for Armed Forces Day highlights the President Truman's policy the "no movement of troops be involved "Defenders of Freedom". (AFD-1951) or any expense incurred to the Government for affairs of this kind." (AFD-1950) FIRST DINNER - President Harry S. Truman addresses guests at the PASSING IN REVIEW - Airmen from Andrews AFB, Md., salute first Armed Forces Day dinner in Washington, D.C. His proclamation President Harry S. Truman during a parade down Constitution Avenue replaced separate celebrations by the Armed Services. (AFD-1950) in Washington, D.C. (AFD-1951) REVIEWING THE TROOPS - Generals review the troops at Kadena "I WANT YOU" - Specially designed jeeps carrying recruiting posters Air Force Base, Okinawa, Japan. (AFD-1950) paraded in New Orleans. (AFD- 1950) WELL DESERVED - Capt. Robert L. Fair receives the Silver Star, QUOTING BENJAMIN FRANKLIN - Servicemen and women comprise Bronze Star and Purple Heart medals and the Army Commendation this poster, which features cautionary words of Benjamin Franklin. Ribbon at a Presidio of San Francisco, Calif., ceremony. (AFD-1952) (AFD-1952) POWER FOR PEACE - Ground, air and sea power set the theme for LATEST GEAR - Army airborne troops show the "latest" equipment to this AFD poster, as witnessed by an American family. (AFD-1955) visitors during open house activities at the Presidio of San Francisco, Calif. (AFD-1955) BOLLING AFB, D.C. - The Army's new landing craft retriever shows BUILDING A CASTLE - Army engineers construct the entrance to their how it straddles a damaged craft, lifts it from the water, and carries it exhibit during an open house at Bolling Field, now Bolling AFB, D.C. onto a dry dock for repairs. (AFD-1956) (AFD-1956) PEERING AT CONTROLS - Future pilots check out the controls KEEPING THE LINES OPEN - Shotaro Tabushita (left), Japanese of a jet during an open house at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, Japan. advisor to the Army's overseas signal corps, explains mobile teletype (AFD-1956) operations to Japanese visitors at Camp Drake, Japan. (AFD-1956) WAITING THEIR TURN to sit in a U.S. Army reconnaissance BIG BOOMERS - The "Honest John," a nuclear warhead rocket helicopter are these visitors at Fort Bragg, N.C. (AFD-1957) highlights the Fort Bragg, N.C. open house. (AFD-1957) BIG BOOMERS - A self-propelled 155mm howitzer highlights the Fort Bragg, N.C. open house. (AFD-1957)