Fact check: What military parades has the United States held for national anniversaries?

1. Summary of the results

Based on the analyses provided, the United States has held very few military parades for national anniversaries, making such events exceptionally rare in American history. The most notable example was the National Victory Celebration in 1991 after the Gulf War ^[1].

A recent military parade took place in Washington, D.C., marking the first large military parade in over 30 years ^[2]. This parade was specifically held to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army and coincided with President Trump's 79th birthday ^[2]. The sources emphasize that the U.S. does not have a modern tradition of public military parades ^[1], making the recent Army anniversary parade particularly significant as it represents a rare event for a national anniversary ^[1].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original question lacks important context about the exceptional rarity of military parades in American political culture. The analyses reveal that such parades are outliers in U.S. history ^[3], contrasting sharply with practices in other nations where military parades are more common for national celebrations.

The question also doesn't acknowledge the global context in which military parades serve various purposes across different political systems - from democracies to monarchies to totalitarian regimes ^[3]. This broader perspective helps explain why the U.S. approach differs significantly from international norms.

Additionally, the timing and political context surrounding recent parade discussions are missing. The 2025 Army anniversary parade occurred during President Trump's presidency and coincided with his 79th birthday ^[2], which adds political dimensions not captured in the straightforward question about national anniversaries.

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question contains an implicit assumption that could be misleading - it presupposes that the United States regularly holds military parades for national anniversaries, when the historical record shows this is not a modern American tradition ^[1].

By asking "what military parades" rather than "whether" the U.S. holds such parades, the question suggests a pattern of behavior that doesn't align with American historical practice. The analyses clearly indicate that military parades for national occasions are exceptional events in U.S. history, with only the 1991 Gulf War victory celebration and the recent 2025 Army anniversary parade serving as notable examples over the past several decades.

This framing could inadvertently promote the misconception that military parades are a regular feature of American national celebrations, when they are actually rare departures from established norms ^{[3] [1]}.