History of the United States Army that captured North Africa and Sicily and later fought in Italy. On D-Day, 6 June 1944, and in the subsequent liberation of Europe and defeat of Nazi Germany, millions of U.S. Army troops played a central role. In the Pacific, Army soldiers participated alongside the U.S. Marine Corps in the "island hopping" campaign that wrested the Pacific Islands from Japanese control. Following the Axis surrenders in May (Germany) and August (Japan) of 1945, Army troops were deployed to Japan and Germany to occupy the two defeated nations. The U.S. Army Air Force, which was an outgrowth of the earlier Army
Navy Day War of the Pacific. Until 2015 and since 2018, the day also marked the opening of the ordinary Parliamentary season (through September 18, Independence Day) and is the traditional day for the President's State of the Nation address. Principal civic acts are performed in Santiago de Chile, Iquique and Valparaíso, where the Chilean Navy Headquarters are located, as well as in Punta Arenas, Puerto Montt, Arica and Talcahuano. The People's Liberation Army of China celebrates the founding of its naval arm on "Navy Day", 23 April. The "Day of the Croatian Navy" is celebrated on September 18. Navy day in