Cheers and chants rang out Saturday from a crowd of thousands as soldiers manned modern and historic tanks and aircraft for the Army’s 250th anniversary celebration in the District.
Gunners positioned atop Bradley Fighting Vehicles shouted “U-S-A, U-S-A” while the Army Golden Knights parachuted onto the Ellipse during the military parade along Constitution Avenue Northwest that brought veterans, active-duty soldiers and everyday Americans to the nation’s capital.
President Trump looked on from the main stage, sitting just south of the White House in an event featuring 50 helicopters, 60-ton M1 Abrams battle tanks and more than 6,000 soldiers, with some dressed in historical garb. The Army’s anniversary celebration coincided with Mr. Trump’s 79th birthday and Flag Day.
The rain largely held off for the densely packed National Mall, which was lined with “anti-scale” fencing and saw hundreds of law enforcement personnel patrolling the grounds.
Good weather gave families and fanatics a chance to inspect the Army’s weaponry up close during a festival that took place before the parade.
“It’s been great to interact with the public, it’s been nothing but great support,” Lt. Dean Kleinfelder, a platoon leader for a Howitzer crew stationed in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, told The Washington Times. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to celebrate the 250th birthday of the Army.”
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Lt. Kleinfelder spent a chunk of time teaching a young boy about the ins and outs of the massive artillery gun — educating the child about how it aims the cannon, how many rounds it can fire a minute and how one man is required to hoist the 100-pound shell into the chamber for each deafening shot.
Other soldiers on the Mall helped attendees into the cockpit of a Black Hawk helicopter, demonstrated the signature ping of the WWII-era M1 Garand rifle once it empties its clip or let them wield a Carl Gustav rocket launcher.
Brian Saxton, a Richmond, Virginia, resident, said his sister planned to fly in from Italy for a visit in the States some time ago. The festival celebration happened to fall on the weekend she was coming to town.
“We were just planning to hit the Smithsonians when she decided to come awhile ago, but the fact this event was going on we thought ’How cool is that?’” Mr. Saxton said.
Mr. Saxton, who served four years in the Marine Corps, also thought the event would serve as a recruitment boost for the Army in the same way the “Top Gun” films had for the Navy.
Some dissenters of the event mingled in with the masses.
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Joe Tiernan stood right outside the security gate with a sign that read “You’re either an American or a Trump defender, you can’t be both.”
He said he arrived at the Mall around 8 a.m. and intended to stay outside the security gate along 9th Street Northwest until it was almost dark out. The Arlington resident had a visible sunburn on his face when The Times caught up with him.
“This was a big flag parade for Donald Trump, and I did not want people to feel like they could take pride in him or in tying himself to the military,” Mr. Tiernan said.
Right by the Washington Monument, John and Bella brought a sign that said “Thank our troops for their service, but this is bulls—-.”
John, who along with Bella did not want to share their last names, said he would have preferred an event that showed real appreciation for the military, and not “empowering a step toward authoritarianism.”
Among the concerns at the parade were the potential damage to D.C. streets.
Army engineers laid metal plates on spots where tank treads could potentially rip up the pavement. Military brass estimated the procession could cost upwards of $45 million depending on the damage.
A flyover of military aircraft included World War II-era planes, including a B-25 Mitchell bomber, and Army helicopters flew low over the crowd, below the top of the Washington Monument.
Mounted soldiers from the 1st Cavalry Division made an appearance — horses once played a crucial role in warfare, but today they’re mostly used in ceremonial events like today’s parade.
– This story is based in part on wire service reports.
