HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. — The Massachusetts National Guard joins the City of Salem on Saturday, April 11, 2026, starting at 8:00 a.m., to celebrate the 389th Anniversary of the First Muster of the National Guard on Salem Common, Salem, Mass.
WHAT: The 2026 Salem First Muster Ceremony
WHERE: 8:00 a.m. – Memorial at the Gen. Abbott Monument, St. Peter’s Church, 24 St. Peter Street, Salem, Mass.
09:00 a.m. – Ceremony at Armory Park, Essex Street, Salem, Mass.
10:00 a.m. – Muster Ceremony on Salem Common, Salem, Mass.
WHEN: Saturday, April 11, 2026, beginning at 8:00 a.m. (Rain or Shine)
The celebration commemorates significant events in the history of the Massachusetts National Guard including the origin of the U.S. Army.
On December 13th, 1636, the General Court of the Massachusetts Bay Colony ordered the organization of the Colony’s militia companies into three regiments, specifically the North, South and East Regiments. The Colonists had adopted the English militia system, which obligated males between the ages of 16 and 60, to possess arms and participate in defense of the community. The early colonial militia drilled weekly and provided guard details each evening to sound an alarm in case of attack. Strained relations between the Pequot Tribal Nation and the people of the Massachusetts Bay Colony required the militia to maintain a state of readiness. Though the exact date is not known, the First Muster of the East Regiment took place in Salem, Massachusetts in the spring of 1637.
“This commemoration marks an extraordinary milestone not only for the Massachusetts National Guard, but for our nation as a whole as we approach the 250th anniversary of American independence,” said Maj. Gen. Gary W. Keefe, The Adjutant General, Massachusetts National Guard. “The legacy we honor today began in 1636 with the formation of the colony’s first militia regiments and was forged in the earliest days of our fight for freedom. The very units we recognize here today answered the call at Lexington and Concord, standing among the first to defend our liberties, and went on to become some of the earliest forces organized under General George Washington in the Continental Army.”
America’s National Guard heritage can be traced back to the First Muster in Salem 389 years ago. Today, National Guardsmen from Salem and throughout Massachusetts continue a tradition of service at home and abroad. The original regiments continue to serve the Massachusetts Army National Guard as the 1st Battalion, 101st Field Artillery Regiment, the 101st Engineer Battalion, the 1st Battalion, 181st Infantry Regiment, and the 1st Battalion, 182nd Infantry Regiment. In January 2013, President Barack Obama signed legislation designating Salem as the birthplace of the National Guard.
“From their first muster in Salem nearly four centuries ago to their continued service today, these formations embody an unbroken lineage of dedication, readiness, and sacrifice,” said Keefe. “Their history is not just Massachusetts history. It is the foundation of the Army and a living testament to the enduring spirit of those who have defended our nation from its very beginning.”
The celebration begins at 8:00 a.m. at St. Peter’s Church in Salem. Soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 101st Field Artillery Regiment and the Second Corps of Cadets will lay wreaths and fire a rifle-salute at the grave site of Capt. Stephen Abbott, founder and first commander of the 2nd Corps Cadets, and the site of the residence of Gen. John Glover, commander of the 14th Continental (Marblehead) Regiment. The Muster Ceremony on Salem Common will feature a U.S. Army helicopter flyover and landing, 300 Soldier Pass-in-Review, and Howitzer Cannon Salute. Also on hand will be several static military displays of trucks, cannons, HMMWVs (Humvees) and military equipment.