diff --git a/src/uu/date/src/date.rs b/src/uu/date/src/date.rs
index 93c08546691..e717c99f6f3 100644
--- a/src/uu/date/src/date.rs
+++ b/src/uu/date/src/date.rs
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 mod locale;
 
 use clap::{Arg, ArgAction, Command};
+use jiff::ToSpan;
 use jiff::fmt::strtime;
 use jiff::tz::{TimeZone, TimeZoneDatabase};
 use jiff::{Timestamp, Zoned};
@@ -297,8 +298,12 @@ pub fn uumain(args: impl uucore::Args) -> UResult<()> {
             } else if let Some(total_hours) = military_tz_with_offset {
                 // Military timezone with optional hour offset
                 // Convert to UTC time: midnight + military_tz_offset + additional_hours
-                let date_part =
-                    strtime::format("%F", &now).unwrap_or_else(|_| String::from("1970-01-01"));
+                let yesterday = now.checked_sub(1.day());
+                let date_part = match yesterday {
+                    Ok(yesterday) => strtime::format("%F", &yesterday)
+                        .unwrap_or_else(|_| String::from("1970-01-01")),
+                    Err(_) => String::from("1970-01-01"),
+                };
                 let composed = format!("{date_part} {total_hours:02}:00:00 +00:00");
                 parse_date(composed)
             } else if is_pure_digits {