The U.S. Army celebrates its 250th birthday on June 14, 2025, and is kicking off a year of celebration this weekend with a float in the 136th Tournament of Roses® Parade.
The float, titled “This We’ll Defend: 250 Years of Service,” highlights the U.S. Army’s greatest asset – its people – with a look at their unique stories and contributions from the Army’s founding to today.
The float’s design covers more than two centuries of U.S. Army history, recognizing the Army Soldiers who helped craft a legacy of leadership and possibility. Artistic figures representing Army Icons showcase some of the most notable Soldier stories throughout time, including:
- 1775– Gen. George Washington, commander in chief of the Continental Army and the first president of the United States
- 1778– Molly Pitcher, a nickname given to Mary Ludwig Hays for her bravery and commitment to delivering water to Soldiers on the battlefield during the Revolutionary War
- 1861– Col. Robert Shaw, abolitionist and commander of the 54th Massachusetts Regiment, the Army’s first African American regiment
- 1898– Maj. Walter Reed, a member of the Army Medical Corps whose work in epidemiology and pathology developed critical preventative measures for yellow fever
- 1918– Pfc. Joseph Oklahombi, one of 19 Choctaw Soldiers who used their native language as a code to securely pass information during World War I
- 1941– Charles “Chief” Anderson, Tuskegee Airmen Ground Commander who trained 1,000 Airmen that flew over 15,000 missions and earned 3 Distinguished Unit Citations, 8 Purple Hearts, 14 Bronze Stars, and 96 Distinguished Flying Crosses
- 1965– Lt. Col. Harold “Hal” Moore Jr., whose experiences in Vietnam inspired his novel-turned-film “We Were Soldiers Once and Young,” and is the namesake of Fort Moore in Georgia (retired as lieutenant general)
- 2007– Staff Sgt. Joseph Murtaugh, who served on 11 combat deployments and saved the life of an 8-year-old girl in Iraq with a life-threatening heart defect that set the stage for an Army program that connects charities and corporations to children’s health cases (retired as a master sergeant)
- 2025– Staff Sgt. Daisy Balbuena, a first-generation American, native Californian, and unmanned aircraft systems operator whose passion for STEM embodies the Army’s bright future and continued modernization
Both Murtaugh and Balbuena will ride on the float, ushering in the modern era alongside Army Soldier-athletes, some of whom represented the Army on the world stage in Paris this summer, including Staff Sgt. Kevin Nguyen (U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit, Competitive Shooting), Sgt. Sagen Maddalena (U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit, Competitive Shooting), Capt. Samantha Sullivan (World Class Athlete Program, Rugby Sevens), and Capt. Jacob Lachina (World Class Athlete Program, Rugby Sevens); and winners of the Sullivan Cup commemorating the best Bradley crew in the Army in 2024, Staff Sgt. James Brown, Spc. William Walker, and Spc. Jeffery Nickelson.
Additional Soldiers will bridge the past and present by showcasing some of the Army’s enduring traditions, including representatives from “The Old Guard,” the oldest active-duty infantry unit, wearing historic uniforms to showcase the evolution of Army uniforms and traditions; an historic cavalry unit, highlighting the significant contributions that horse units played in the Army’s history until WWII; and The Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps playing traditional march music. A custom musical piece, arranged by Sgt. 1st Class Sara Corry (D.M.A.) and recorded by The U.S. Army Band “Pershing’s Own” will accompany the float during the parade, capturing the spirit of the Army from the Revolutionary War to present day.
The float’s concept, design, decorating and music were brought to life by Soldiers and their family members across the United States, reflecting everyone’s possibility to impact history while conveying the U.S. Army’s historic motto: “This We’ll Defend.”
The Rose Parade will air on January 1, 2025 at 8 a.m. PST.
