Branches and Special Forces
What year was the United States Army officially established?
1775
What is the oldest continuously manned military post in the United States?
Fort Leavenworth, Kansas (established in 1827).
What 1998 film, directed by Steven Spielberg, is famous for its realistic depiction of the D-Day landings?
Saving Private Ryan.
The U.S. Air Force became an independent branch in what year?
1947 — under the National Security Act of 1947.
What year was the United States Navy officially established?
1775 — by the Continental Congress on October 13, 1775.
Which branch of the U.S. Armed Forces is the oldest?
The U.S. Army
What song is recognized as the official anthem of the United States Army?
The Army Goes Rolling Along.
In Top Gun (1986), what is the call sign of Tom Cruise’s character?
Maverick.
Before becoming its own branch, the Air Force was part of what organization?
The U.S. Army (as the Army Air Forces and, earlier, the Army Air Corps).
What year was the United States Marine Corps founded?
1775 — on November 10, 1775, at Tun Tavern in Philadelphia.
What is the official motto of the United States Marine Corps?
Semper Fidelis (“Always Faithful”).
Which U.S. President was also a five-star general during World War II?
Dwight D. Eisenhower.
Which 2008 film about a U.S. Army bomb disposal unit won the Academy Award for Best Picture?
The Hurt Locker.
What is the official motto of the United States Army?
“This We’ll Defend.”
What is the official motto of the U.S. Marine Corps?
Semper Fidelis (“Always Faithful”).
The U.S. Navy’s elite special operations force is known by what acronym?
SEALs — Sea, Air, and Land Teams.
What symbolic U.S. Marine Corps monument is based on a famous WWII photograph?
The Iwo Jima Memorial (Raising the Flag on Mount Suribachi).
Full Metal Jacket (1987) was directed by which legendary filmmaker?
Stanley Kubrick.
What is the motto of the U.S. Air Force?
“Aim High... Fly-Fight-Win.”
What is the official motto of the U.S. Navy?
Non sibi sed patriae (“Not for self, but for country”).
What year was the U.S. Space Force officially established?
2019
What is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government?
The Medal of Honor
Platoon (1986), written and directed by Oliver Stone, was based on his experiences in which war?
The Vietnam War.
What is the primary training academy for U.S. Army officers?
The United States Military Academy at West Point, New York.
What is the Marine Corps hymn’s opening line?
“From the Halls of Montezuma to the Shores of Tripoli.”
The U.S. Army Special Forces are better known by what nickname?
Green Berets.
What year did the U.S. Armed Forces officially become desegregated?
1948 (by Executive Order 9981, signed by President Harry S. Truman).
In A Few Good Men (1992), which actor delivers the famous line, “You can’t handle the truth!”?
Jack Nicholson.
What is the primary training academy for U.S. Air Force officers?
The United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
What is the name of the Navy’s elite special operations force?
The Navy SEALs (Sea, Air, and Land Teams).
Which branch operates nuclear submarines and aircraft carriers?
The U.S. Navy.
The phrase “Old Ironsides” refers to which historic U.S. Navy ship?
USS Constitution.
What 2019 film recreated World War I trench warfare in a single continuous-shot style?
1917.
The 82nd Airborne Division is part of which branch?
The U.S. Army.
What U.S. Navy ship was attacked in 1967, leading to major controversy?
USS Liberty.
What is the elite counterterrorism unit within the Army, officially named 1st SFOD-D?
Delta Force.
The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is located at which cemetery?
Arlington National Cemetery.
Which 2001 film depicts the first U.S. Special Forces mission in Afghanistan after 9/11?
12 Strong.
The B-52 Stratofortress and the B-2 Spirit belong to which branch?
The U.S. Air Force.
What Marine general became the 34th Commandant of the Marine Corps and famously said, “No better friend, no worse enemy”?
General James “Mad Dog” Mattis.
Which U.S. military branch’s academy is located in Annapolis, Maryland?
The United States Naval Academy.
What is the U.S. Air Force’s official aerial demonstration squadron called?
The Thunderbirds.
What 2017 film portrays the 2012 Benghazi attack on U.S. personnel in Libya?
13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi.
What Army unit’s nickname is “The Big Red One”?
The 1st Infantry Division.
What Marine Corps base in North Carolina is home to the II Marine Expeditionary Force?
Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune.
What is the Air Force’s elite tactical ground unit that provides air support coordination for the Army?
Tactical Air Control Party (TACP).
What U.S. Army division is known by the nickname “The Screaming Eagles”?
The 101st Airborne Division.
What actor played the title role in Patton (1970)?
George C. Scott.
What elite U.S. Air Force unit performs combat search and rescue missions?
Pararescue (PJs).
What famous World War II naval battle is considered the turning point in the Pacific Theater?
The Battle of Midway (1942).