National Doughnut Day, or National Donut Day — celebrated in the United States and in some other countries, is on the first Friday of June of each year, succeeding the Doughnut event created by The Salvation Army in Chicago in 1938 to honor those of their brave members who served doughnuts to soldiers during World War I.

Soon after the US entrance into World War I in 1917, ladies of the Salvation Army went to the front lines of Europe and served donuts to the soldiers. Home-cooked foods were also provided by these brave volunteers, boosting the moral of the troops.

The doughnuts were often cooked in oil inside the metal helmets of American soldiers. American infantrymen were then commonly called “doughboys.” A more standard spelling of the word is “donut.”

The holiday celebrates the doughnut. Many American donut shops offer free doughnuts on National Doughnut Day.

The Salvation Army Celebrates the True Meaning of National Donut Day