Armed Forces Day in Liberia

According to a military book, entitled, “The History of the Liberian Armed Forces Day” before February 25, 1955, there was no Armed Forces Day as such, except the country and militia units, each of which had its own quarterly parade day enacted by law.

When the Liberian legislature met in session to consider colonel Dean’s recommendation for legislative enactment, it was suggested that choosing any month and date to be set aside as Army Festival would be inappropriate.

Joseph Dennis in 1909 having reached a unanimous consensus on the month and date of Major Cadell’s event, of February 25 1955, an act of Legislature was passed, declaring May 9 of each year as Armed Forces Day with a proclamation that it should be officially observed throughout Liberia as a National holiday. When the Act was proclaimed on May 9 as the month and date of the Major Cadell’s incidence, historians everywhere disagreed and argued that the incidence occurred on February 9, 1909. This argument in turn created a demand for legislative amendment.

Consequently, on March 22, 1956, amendment was made, deleting May 9 and inserting February 9 in the Act as Armed Forces Day. Less than a year after the amendment was made, some survivors of the Major Cadell’s incidence declared that it was February 11, 1909.