Burke: A parade for Army? Sure; but let a sibling march, too

By Tom Burke / Herald Columnist

June 14 is the 250th “birthday” of the U.S. Army. It marks the day in 1775 the 2nd Continental Congress officially designated the nascent Continental Army to defend the colonies against Great Britian (even though the U.S., as a nation, wasn’t yet a nation!)

And there’s a big parade in Washington, D.C., to celebrate, with more than 6,500 troops marching along with Abrams tanks, Strykers, lots of artillery, and a flyover including a World War Two-era B-25 bomber. (Note: There are also 34 horses, two mules, and a dog joining the parade.)

Cost is projected at not less than $45 million, but some estimates are higher.

(It’s also Donald Trump’s 79th birthday; and while the Army says there is no formal connection between the two events, anyone wanna make a bet Trump doesn’t make one? Hmmmm. Thought not.)

Anyway. 2025 is also the 250th anniversary of the United States Navy (Oct. 13) and the Marine Corps (Nov. 10). But the Coast Guard, Air and Spaces forces aren’t getting the birthday treatment and, although they aren’t specifically listed as marching, I can’t imagine they won’t all be represented.

But someone’s missing.

From the celebration and the recognition.

Actually a whole bunch of someones are missing.

I mean where’s the parade and party for the “service” far older than those others, and, without too much pretzelling of history, is at least as important, maybe more so.

I’m talking about the U.S. Merchant Marine, or the Merchant Navy as the British call it.

These are the folks who way-back-when voyaged aboard full-rigged sailing ships and barks and lugers and schooners and brigantines around the world; and today, they sail the tankers and freighters and bulk carriers also around the world; and staff the tugs and ferries and barges and riverboats that cruise domestic U.S. waters; and, oh yes, there’re the people who would man cruise ships; if there were actually more than one U.S.-flagged cruise ship sailing of the 350-plus worldwide-floating hotels-restaurants-bars-amusement parks-hot tubs so popular that 19 million U.S. seniors and families will embark on this year.

Why include the Merchant Marine? When the shooting starts, it isn’t just the six services that go into harm’s way. The Merchant Marine is also bound for the front lines as the key link in the logistics train, supplying those forces with everything they need to do their job. Merchant mariners, Maine villagers allied with colonists, sailed as early as June 11, 1775 at the Battle of Machias, aboard a captured British schooner.

Now the story of the merchant marine begins with one of my favorite people; that unknown proto-mariner who first sat on a log in some primordial river, with some handicrafts balanced in front of him, paddled downstream to trade for some roots and berries some other fella had, and then paddled home.

Bingo! The merchant marine was founded.

And throughout our history merchant mariners have enabled us to become a major factor in world commerce, and therefore a world power. Plus, they helped win every war we ever fought.

But despite its contributions the U.S. Merchant Marine has long been ignored, unlike in Great Britian where its merchant navy is honored and even has its own flag, the “Red Duster,” inaugurated in 1707.

But the Merchant Marine has not just been ignored, it’s been neglected, and is barely hanging on with only 178 American-flagged ships out of nearly 800 owned by U.S. companies and another 56,591 flagged under other nations.

“Ah,” you say, wasn’t there a National Maritime Day on May 22?

Yes, but it seems it was only celebrated inside the mess hall at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, N.Y., where aspiring deck and engine officers are trained) with a couple of speeches and not much else.

(“’Fess Up” time: I attended “Kings Point” and sailed for a couple of years on freighters, tankers, and one passenger ship. Went literally around the world — New York to New York via the Cape of Good Hope — on one, so my affinity for the service is longstanding.)

Now I am greatly encouraged to see the Trump administration pledging a significant effort to revitalize the industry; building new ships and training more merchant mariners. (And I hope this Trump promise turns out a lot better than his much-ridiculed “infrastructure week” that never happened; his promise to end the Russia-Ukraine war in one day; drive down inflation; support Medicare and Medicaid; and make us all rich, tax-free and prosperous via tariffs.)

But I want to be clear here. I more than celebrate and honor the U.S. Army’s 225 years of sacrifice. And revere the other services for their part in keeping us free.

But honor and celebration is not a zero-sum proposition. There’s plenty of credit to go around.

So let’s give the Army its day although, in light of Musk’s DOGE firing debacle, the devastating budget cuts passed by the Republican House, and the whatever-whim-strikes-him-today economic fever-dream grips Trump in the late watches of the night, perhaps there’s a better way to spend $45 million-plus than a parade.

Like maybe for the veterans services that Musk cut, or food for starving and dying kids caused by killing U.S. AID, or even giving (blue) Washington state back some of the $500 million Trump cruelly cut to fix a dam.

I’d like to see the proud, young men and women of the Merchant Marine Academy marching with their comrades from West Point and the other service academies as they continue to live their motto, Acta non Verba, Deeds, not words.

Maybe Trump’s White House could adopt it? Would be nice.

Slava Ukraini.

Tom Burke’s email address is t.burke.column@gmail.com.