President Donald Trump on Friday blamed a malfunctioning teleprompter for his July 4 statement that Revolutionary War soldiers took over airports in 1775, a century before the Wright brothers were even born.

At an Independence Day celebration in Washington, the president began speaking about the bravery of Revolutionary War troops and then seems to have shifted to the War of 1812, with some erroneous additions.

"Our army manned the air, it rammed the ramparts, it took over airports, it did everything it had to do," the president said.

During his July 4th speech, President Donald Trump says American forces “took over the airports” during the US War of Independence in the late 18th century.



Planes were not used in warfare until the 20th century. pic.twitter.com/pxhYVdfGz4 — Channel 4 News (@Channel4News) July 5, 2019

"I knew the speech very well," the president said, according to Fox News. "So I was able to do without a teleprompter, but the teleprompter did go out and it was actually hard to look at anyway because [there] was rain all over it."

Whatever the cause of the error, the presidential gaffe led to the creation of the Twitter hashtags #RevolutionaryWarAirports and #RevolutionaryWarAirportStories. Naturally jokes flew faster than an F-15.

Many jokesters took famous Revolutionary War paintings and added airplanes and related items.

"One of the prized possessions in my family is this commemorative postcard of the Lexington, Va. militia occupying the terminal at DCA in 1777," Keith Gaddie wrote on Twitter.

One of the prized possessions in my family is this commemorative postcard of the Lexington, Va. Militia occupying the terminal at DCA in 1777. #RevolutionaryWarAirports#RevolutionaryWarAirportStories pic.twitter.com/EYtlXcRmZE — Keith Gaddie (@GaddieWindage) July 5, 2019

White House releases 1776 era painting as proof of Trump's startling history lesson.#RevolutionaryWarAirports #TrumpSpeech #TrumpParadeFail pic.twitter.com/0uqsO90nzM — End All Pointless Wars Now 🎥 🎸 ☮️ (@ProleUprising) July 5, 2019

Others envisioned a very different history for the US, inventing battle names and heroic war stories. One Twitter user envisioned "The Battle of Baggage Claim (1776) . Many lives were lost. And bags too. Some people are saying it was the worst massacre they had ever seen."

Hey @Lin_Manuel, why did you leave the airports out of Hamilton? — drew olanoff (@yoda) July 5, 2019

Actual footage of the U.S. Army storming the airports during the War of 1812: pic.twitter.com/z4CvvgjvzP — Derek Litvak (@TheTattooedGrad) July 5, 2019

National Archives discover new pictures of the War of Independence. #RevolutionaryWarAirportStories pic.twitter.com/dvGaLYQoYE — Acdcnut (@Acdckcnut) July 5, 2019

#RevolutionaryWarAirportStories

The Battle of Baggage Claim (1776)

Many Lives were lost. And Bags too. Some people are saying it was the worst massacre they had ever seen.



Art from @Acyn pic.twitter.com/ZuKfgy3ghd — Covfefe Jones- King Of Shade👑 (@King_Of_Shade) July 5, 2019

George Jefferson. Who famously rammed the ramparts at the battle of LaGuardia International at Gettysburg. #4thofJuly #RevolutionaryWarAirportStories pic.twitter.com/sourin13P5 — Liisa Lee 🦋 (@Liisabelle) July 5, 2019

Little known fact: An immense fog that rolled in off the Atlantic grounded all flights at Logan. Otherwise, Paul Revere would have been able to implement his original plan:#RevolutionaryWarAirportStories pic.twitter.com/Gg7T3EbMxC — cosmo (@agpennypckr) July 5, 2019

#RevolutionaryWarAirportStories

Little-Known Fact: We won because so many British soldiers couldn't fit their muskets in the overhead bin on their flights over. — ReallyDon'tTrump (@reallyDontTrump) July 5, 2019

Betsy Ross and I joined the Mile-High Club on the red eye to Boston.#RevolutionaryWarAirportStories — BenjaminFranklin (@BenFranklinofPA) July 5, 2019

Commander Sully crossed the Delaware and suprised the Hessians at Trenton #RevolutionaryWarAirportStories pic.twitter.com/JZ6Fl97UNF — JoeHarte (@therealjoeharte) July 5, 2019

The quote also inspired numerous parodies of letters home from soldiers, of the type made famous by dramatic readings delivered in filmmaker Ken Burns' documentaries. "Dearest, the battle for gate C4 was hard fought, but we prevailed," wrote one. "Alas, we ran out of ammunition, and had to lob our stores of Cinnabons at them."

Dearest, the battle for gate C4 was hard fought, but we prevailed. Alas, we ran out of ammunition, and had to lob our stores of Cinnabons at them. The sacrifices of war try our souls. #RevolutionaryWarAirportStories — Diane@hpochocolate1 (@hpochocolate1) July 5, 2019

Dearest Harold, Please expect a delay of about a fortnight. I've been detained by security forces for carrying three extra ounces of moisturizer. Again. #RevolutionaryWarAirportStories — 🏝 Kim (@kim) July 5, 2019

Dearest Martha, please find enclosed a tracking number for my lost luggage at Philadelphia. It shall arrive to Mount Vernon via carriage in 21-25 days. Also enclosed is a receipt for the cost of parking my horse at Dulles for the weekend. #RevolutionaryWarAirportStories — Shawna 🇺🇸⚔️🇬🇧 (@shawna1776) July 5, 2019

Dearest Eliza,

The men are near mutiny. The 4 ounce liquid limit means their rum ration has been severely curtailed. We may not survive this campaign.



Yours Always,

A. Hamilton #RevolutionaryWarAirports#RevolutionaryWarAirportStories — Charlie Heat (@earlyamhistory) July 5, 2019

Martha,

Trying my damndest to make the 5:15 flight out of Philly, but the Valley Forge traffic is a nightmare. Leave a lantern on for me...

Your, George#RevolutionaryWarAirportStories pic.twitter.com/ynerShnylr — Laura E. Hess (@LauraEHess2) July 5, 2019

Dearest Maisie, we are holding the line at Auntie Anne’s near B7. Reinforcements just arrived from Newark, but they fled down the escalators. I fear we’re on our own. #RevolutionaryWarAirportStories — Anita Creamer (@AnitaCreamer) July 5, 2019

And Paul Revere's famed "one if by land, two if by sea" phrasing turned out to be very useful for the meme. "One if by land. Two if by sea. Three if by the Delta Shuttle from LaGuardia," ran one version.

One if by Land.

Two if by Sea.

Three if by the Delta Shuttle from LaGuardia.



~Paul Revere#RevolutionaryWarAirports #facts — Marco Price (@Primar13) July 5, 2019

One if by land. Two if by Hartsfield International. #RevolutionaryWarAirportStories — Pat Forde (@YahooForde) July 5, 2019

One if by land/Two if by sea/Three if arriving at Terminal C #RevolutionaryWarAirport #loganairport pic.twitter.com/5HA58phVKP — Clint McGuire (@clintster) July 5, 2019

One if by land, two if by sea, I'll text if by air.

Paul Revere #TrumpHistory #ContinentalArmy — Nate Bell (@NateBell4AR) July 5, 2019

One if by land and two if by sir, you need to remove your belt and shoes. #RevolutionaryWarAirportStories — Swiftian Byronic Volcanic Robotics (@JbarGarden) July 5, 2019