US Military Branches: A History

I've been researching a bit about the military as a potential path post-graduation. It made me wonder, does anyone know which of the military branches in the US is actually the oldest? I'm just intrigued about the history of these institutions.

Sure, it's actually quite an interesting piece of history. The oldest branch of the U.S. military is the Army. It was established by the Continental Congress on June 14, 1775, which it recognizes as its birthday. The Army was created in response to the need for professional soldiers to fight during the Revolutionary War, making it the first military branch formed, even before the independence of the United States was officially declared.

The next branch to be formed was the Navy, which was established on October 13, 1775, by the same Congress. The Marine Corps, known for their amphibious capabilities, was created by the Continental Congress on November 10th, 1775. These three branches formed the backbone of the US military during its earliest, formative years.

Much later, the Coast Guard was formed on August 4, 1790, initially called the Revenue Cutter Service. Its main role was and still is to enforce tariff laws and help in maritime safety and security.

The Air Force, responsible for aerial warfare, is comparatively newer. It was initially part of the Army and was known as the Army Air Forces during World War II. However, it was recognized as a separate branch on September 18, 1947, following the National Security Act of 1947.

The newest branch, the Space Force, established on December 20, 2019, is organized within the Department of the Air Force, much like how the Marine Corps is part of the Department of the Navy.

In essence, the chronological order of establishment for the US military branches is as follows: Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, Air Force, and Space Force.