U.S. Military History
250 years of service, sacrifice, and strategic leadership — from the Continental Army to Operation Epic Fury.
57
Events Documented
38
Wars & Conflicts
246
Years of History
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Full Timeline
All 57 events in chronological order. Filter by branch or category to explore specific areas.
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WarWars & Conflicts
38 documented wars, battles, and military operations from the Revolution to Operation Epic Fury.
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DecorationMedal of Honor
America’s highest military decoration — its history, criteria, and the recipients among our documented graduates.
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LeadershipPresidents Who Served
From Washington at Valley Forge to Bush in the Pacific — commanders-in-chief who first wore a uniform.
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Landmark Events
September 11 Attacks
Al-Qaeda terrorists hijack four aircraft, attacking the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. Nearly 3,000 people are killed. The U.S. invokes Article 5 of the NATO treaty and launches the Global War on Terror.
Attack on Pearl Harbor
Japanese carrier aircraft attack the U.S. Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on December 7, 1941, killing 2,403 Americans and destroying or damaging 19 warships and 328 aircraft. President Roosevelt calls it "a date which will live in infamy." Congress declares war on Japan on December 8; Germany and Italy declare war on the U.S. on December 11.
Battle of Midway
U.S. Navy carrier aircraft, guided by intelligence from broken Japanese naval codes, sink four Japanese fleet carriers at Midway (June 4–7, 1942), permanently reversing Japanese naval superiority in the Pacific. Planned by Admiral Nimitz, executed by Admirals Fletcher and Spruance, Midway is widely considered the turning point of the Pacific War.
D-Day — Normandy Invasion
Operation Overlord launches on June 6, 1944, as 156,000 Allied troops cross the English Channel and assault five beaches in Normandy, France. Commanded by General Eisenhower, D-Day is the largest amphibious operation in history. Allied casualties are severe — particularly at Omaha Beach — but the lodgment is secured, opening the decisive Western Front in Europe.
Osama bin Laden Killed
U.S. Navy SEALs from SEAL Team Six raid a compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan on May 2, 2011, killing Osama bin Laden — the founder of al-Qaeda and the architect of the September 11 attacks. The raid, authorized by President Obama, is conducted without Pakistani government knowledge and represents one of the most consequential special operations missions in American history.
Operation Epic Fury
On February 28, 2026, the United States and Israel launched Operation Epic Fury — a coordinated joint military campaign against Iran. The operation's stated objectives were to permanently destroy Iran's ballistic missile arsenal, dismantle its naval fleet in the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman, and eliminate its nuclear weapons development infrastructure. U.S. forces employed carrier strike groups, B-2 Spirit stealth bombers, F-35 strike packages, submarine-launched Tomahawk cruise missiles, and Special Operations assets operating in coordination with the Israel Defense Forces. The campaign represented the largest direct U.S. military action against a nation-state since the 2003 invasion of Iraq and the most significant joint U.S.-Israeli military operation ever conducted.
