Everything about American Legion totally explained
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For other uses of American Legion, see American Legion (disambiguation)
The
American Legion is an
organization of
veterans of the
United States armed forces who served in wartime. The Organization was founded in
1919 by veterans returning from Europe after
World War I and is headquartered in
Indianapolis, Indiana. The group has nearly 3 million members.
In addition to organizing commemorative events and volunteer activities, the American Legion is active in
U.S. politics. While its primary political activity is lobbying for the interests of veterans, including support for
veterans benefits such as
pensions and the
Veterans Affairs hospital system, it has also been involved in more general political issues, generally taking a conservative position. Most criticism of the Legion is based on its political activities.
The state American Legions run an annual civic training event for high school juniors called
Boys State. Two members from each Boys State are selected for
Boys Nation. The
American Legion Auxiliary runs
Girls State and
Girls Nation. The American Legion also hosts many social events.
History
Founding
The American Legion's
Post Officers Guide recounts the organization's founding:
"A group of twenty officers who served in the American Expeditionary Forces (A.E.F.) in France in World War I is credited with planning the Legion. A.E.F. Headquarters asked these officers to suggest ideas on how to improve troop morale. One officer, Lieutenant Colonel Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., proposed an organization of veterans. In 1919, this group formed a temporary committee and selected several hundred officers who had the confidence and respect of the whole army. When the first organization meeting took place in Paris in March, 1919, about 1,000 officers and enlisted men attended. The meeting, known as the Paris Caucus, adopted a temporary constitution and the name The American Legion. It also elected an executive committee to complete the organization’s work. It considered each soldier of the A.E.F. a member of the Legion. The executive committee named a subcommittee to organize veterans at home in the U.S. The Legion held a second organizing caucus in St. Louis, Missouri, in May 1919.
As is confirmed by The National Library of the American Legion and its official supporting documents, the first post of the American Legion is George Washington Post 1 in Washington, D.C. Organized March 7, 1919, it obtained the first charter issued to any post of The American Legion on May 19, 1919. Originally, the post was named the “General John Joseph Pershing Post Number 1” in part to its members’ sincere admiration of Pershing as a man, as well as their appreciation for his career as a soldier in the United States Army. However, at the St. Louis caucus that same year, members decided that posts of the American Legion shouldn't be named after living persons, and therefore the "Pioneer Post" was given its new and current name. The post completed the constitution and made plans for a permanent organization. It set up temporary headquarters in
New York City and began its relief, employment, and Americanism programs.
Congress granted the American Legion a national charter in September, 1919.
1910s
The first national convention of the American Legion was held from
November 10-
12,
1919, in
Minneapolis, Minnesota, at which time the attendees adopted a permanent constitution and elected officers to head the organization. The original purpose of the Legion was to "preserve the memories and incidents of our association in the great war". Prior to World War I, few rural, working-class, or even middle-class Americans traveled to Europe. For a majority of urban Americans, their understanding of Europe had been acquired through the European immigrants they knew. Thus the 2 million Americans who had served in the American Expeditionary Forces had very different experiences than their families, friends and neighbors. The American Legion allowed these young men and women who had served "Over There" to re-integrate into their hometowns and to still remain in contact with others who had been abroad. The Legion served as a support group, a social club and a type of extended family for former service men and women.
Some Legion groups engaged in strikebreaking activities during this time and into the 1930s. In 1919, a new American Legion group in Washington was involved in the
Centralia Massacre (Washington).
1920s
The American Legion was very active in the
1920s. It was instrumental in the creation of the
U.S. Veterans' Bureau, now known as the
Department of Veterans Affairs. The Legion also created its own American Legion Baseball Program. Commander Travers D. Carmen awarded
Charles Lindbergh its "Distinguished Service Medal," the medal's first recipient, on
July 22,
1927. American Legion national convention was held in Paris, France in September of 1927. A major part of this was drum and bugle corps competition in which approximately 14,000 members took part.
1930s
In
1930, the
American Legion Memorial Bridge in
Traverse City, Michigan, was completed. In that year, the Traverse City city commission decided to purchase dedication plaques for $100 at the request of the American Legion.
By
1931, membership of the American Legion had reached 1 million.
The Sons of the American Legion formed at the American Legion's 14th National Convention in
Portland, Oregon, on
September 12-
15,
1932. Membership is limited to the male descendants of members of the American Legion, or deceased individuals who served in the armed forces of the United States during times specified by the American Legion. In
2007, The Sons of the American Legion celebrated 75 years of service to God and Country. The organization has more than 300,000 members.
According to congressional testimony in the
1930s, several of the American Legion's leaders, including its original bankroller
Irénée du Pont, plotted a
fascist coup against the Government of
Franklin D. Roosevelt called the
Business Plot. According to testimony, the plot was averted because Major General
Smedley Butler warned Roosevelt of the plan.
In
1935, the first Boys' State convened in
Springfield, Illinois.
The American Legion's first National High School Oratorical Contest was held in
1938.
1940s
In
1942, the original charter of the American Legion was changed in order to allow veterans of
World War II to join. Throughout the 1940s, the American Legion was very active in providing support for veterans and soldiers who fought in World War II. The American Legion campaigned for the
G.I. Bill, which was signed into law in June
1944.
The American Legion was active in campaigning for the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II in relocation camps.
(External Link
) (External Link)
The first Boys Nation program was held in
1946.
1950s
The American Legion asked for a congressional investigation into the
ACLU for their petitioning to end loyalty-oath laws for public workers such as school teachers during the
red scare.
(External Link)
Veterans of the
Korean War were approved for membership in the American Legion in
1950.
The American Legion Child Welfare Foundation was formed in
1954.
1960s
On
May 30,
1969, the Cabin John Bridge, which carried the
Capital Beltway (I-495) across the Potomac River northwest of
Washington, D.C., was officially renamed to the "
American Legion Memorial Bridge" in a ceremony led by
Lt. Gen. Lewis B. Hershey, director of the
U.S. Selective Service System.
1970s
In
1976, an outbreak of
bacterial pneumonia occurred among those attending a convention of the American Legion at
The Bellevue Stratford Hotel in
Philadelphia. This form of pneumonia became known as
Legionnaires' disease, or
Legionellosis. The bacterium that causes the illness was later named
Legionella.
1980s
After a
1989 U.S. Supreme Court decision, the American Legion launched and funded an unsuccessful campaign to win a constitutional amendment against
harming the flag of the United States. The Legion formed the Citizens' Flag Honor Guard and it later became
Citizens Flag Alliance.
(External Link)
1990s
In
1993, the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts renamed a bridge in the city of
Chicopee to the "American Legion Memorial Bridge".
Also in
1993, two members of
Garden City,
Michigan American Legion Post 396 shared an idea that would bond motorcycle enthusiasts in the Legion from the idea of Chuck Dare and post commander Bill Kaledas, the American Legion Riders was born. Joined by 19 other founding members the group soon found itself inundated with requests for information about the new group. As a source of information
a website was set up, and it continues to be a source of information worldwide.
In a letter to U.S. President
Bill Clinton in May 1999, the American Legion urged the immediate withdrawal of American troops from
Operation Allied Force in
Yugoslavia. The National Executive Committee of The American Legion met and adopted a resolution unanimously that stated, in part, that they'd only support military operations if "Guidelines be established for the mission, including a clear exit strategy" and "That there be support of the mission by the
U.S. Congress and the American people".
(External Link)(External Link)
2000s
The Chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee,
Steve Buyer (R-Ind.), announced that he planned to eliminate the annual congressional hearings for Veterans Service Organizations that was established by President
Dwight D. Eisenhower. In response, National Commander of the American Legion Thomas L. Bock had the following to say:
"I am extremely disappointed in Chairman Buyer's latest effort to ignore the Veterans Service Organizations. Eliminating annual hearings before a joint session of the Veterans Affairs Committees will lead to continued budgetary shortfalls for VA resulting in veterans being underserved." (External Link)
By 2007, the American Legion Riders program has grown to over 600 chapters in the United States and overseas.
Membership eligibility requirements
Eligibility for American Legion membership is limited to those honorably discharged veterans and current personnel of the United States
Army,
Navy,
Marine Corps,
Coast Guard or
Air Force who served at least one day of active duty during any of the following periods:
DATES OF ELIGIBILITY
WORLD WAR II: December 7, 1941, to December 31, 1946
Note: U.S. Merchant Marine eligibility runs Dec. 7, 1941, to Aug. 16, 1945.
KOREA: June 25, 1950, to January 31, 1955
VIETNAM: February 28, 1961, to May 7, 1975
Note: Some sources incorrectly begin Vietnam eligibility on Dec. 22, 1961, but the official start date is Feb. 28, 1961.
LEBANON // GRENADA: August 24, 1982, to July 31, 1984
PANAMA: December 20, 1989, to January 31, 1990
GULF WARS (Desert Shield // Desert Storm // Operation Iraqi Liberation // et al): August 2, 1990, through today — and continuing until cessation of hostilities as determined by the U.S. government; open eligibility thus applies to ALL current active-duty service members.
Link to The American Legion Post Officers Guide
From The American Legion Questions and Answers page:
Q: How do I know if I'm eligible for membership in The American Legion?
A: Our organization was founded on the premise that all those serving in the U.S. Armed Forces during times of national crisis, regardless of place of service, are eligible to belong to The American Legion. Our membership is based on period of service, not place of service. Therefore, if you've served at least one day of "active duty" during the eligibility dates, are presently serving in the military or have been honorably discharged, you may become a member. Certain members of the Merchant Marines are also eligible for the American Legion if they served overseas during World War II through the Vietnam War. For details, prospective members should contact any American Legion Post Adjutant.
Organizational structure
Posts
The Post is the basic unit of the Legion and usually represents a small geographic area such as a single town or part of a county. There are roughly 14,900 posts in the United States. The Post is used for formal business such as meetings and a coordination point for community service projects. Often the Post will host community events such as Bingo, Hunter breakfasts, holiday celebrations, and etc. It is also not uncommon for the Post to contain a bar open during limited hours.
Districts
Each Department is divided into Divisions and/or Districts. Each District will oversee several Posts, generally about 20, to help each smaller group have a larger voice. Divisions are even larger groups of about 4 or more Districts. The main purpose of these "larger" groups (Districts - Divisions) are to allow one or two delegates to represent an area at Conferences, Conventions, and other gatherings, where a large numbers of Legionnaires may not be able to attend...
Departments
The Posts are grouped together into a state level organization known as a Department for the purposes of coordination and administration. There is a total of 55 Departments; one for each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, France, Mexico, and the Philippines. Canada was merged into Department of New York several years ago.
The 3 Departments located overseas are intended to allow active duty military stationed and veterans living overseas to be actively involved with the American Legion similar to as if they were back in the states. The Department of France (External Link) consists of 29 Posts located in 10 European counties, the Department of Mexico (External Link) consists of 22 Posts located in Central America, and the Department of Philippines covers Asia and the Pacific Islands.
National headquarters
The main American Legion Headquarters is located on the Indiana War Memorial Plaza in Indianapolis. It is the primary office for the National Commander and also houses the historical archives, library, Membership affairs, and the Magazine editorial offices. The Legion also owns a building in Washington D.C. that contains many of the operation offices such as Legislative, Veterans Affairs, Media Relations, and etc. (External Link)
List of National Commanders
Franklin D'Olier Pennsylvania 1919-1920
Frederick W. Galbraith, Jr. Ohio 1920-1921
John G. Emery Michigan June 14, 1921-November 2, 1921
Hanford MacNider Iowa 1921-1922
Alvin M. Owsley Texas 1922-1923
John R. Quinn California 1923-1924
James A Drain Washington 1924-1925
John R. McQuigg Ohio 1925-1926
Howard P. Savage Illinois 1926-1927
Edward E. Spafford New York 1927-1928
Paul Vories McNutt Indiana 1928-1929
O. L. Bodenhamer Arkansas 1929-1930
Ralph T. O'Neil Kansas 1930-1931
Henry L. Stevens, Jr. North Carolina 1931-1932
Louis A. Johnson West Virginia 1932-1933
Edward A. Hayes Illinois 1933-1934
Frank N. Belgrano California 1934-1935
Ray Murphy Iowa 1935-1936
Harry W. Colmery Kansas 1936-1937
Daniel Doherty Massachusetts 1937-1938
Stephen F. Chadwick Washington 1938-1939
Raymond J. Kelly Michigan 1939-1940
Milo J. Warner Ohio 1940-1941
Lynn U. Stambaugh North Dakota 1941-1942
Roane Waring Tennessee 1942-1943
Warren Atherton California 1943-1944
Edward N. Scheiberling New York 1944-1945
John Stelle Illinois 1945-1946
Paul H. Griffith Pennsylvania 1946-1947
James F. O'Neal New Hampshire 1947-1948
S. Perry Brown Texas 1948-1949
George N. Craig Indiana 1949-1950
Erle Cocke, Jr. Georgia 1950-1951
Donald R. Wilson West Virginia 1951-1952
Lewis K. Gough California 1952-1953
Arthur J. Connell Connecticut 1953-1954
Seaborn P. Collins New Mexico 1954-1955
J. Addington Wagner Michigan 1955-1956
Dan Daniel Virginia 1956-1957
John S. Gleason, Jr. Illinois 1957-1958
Preston J. Moore Oklahoma 1958-1959
Martin B. McKneally New York 1959-1960
William R. Burke California 1960-1961
Charles L. Bacon Missouri 1961-1962
James E. Powers Georgia 1962-1963
Hon. Daniel F. Foley Minnesota 1963-1964
Donald E. Johnson Iowa 1964-1965
L. Eldon James Virginia 1965-1966
John E. Davis North Dakota 1966-1967
William E. Galbraith Nebraska 1967-1968
William C. Doyle New Jersey 1968-1969
J. Milton Patrick Oklahoma 1969-1970
Alfred P. Chamie California 1970-1971
John H. Geiger Illinois 1971-1972
Joe L. Matthews Texas 1972-1973
Robert E. L. Earon Maryland 1972-1973
James M. Wagonseller Ohio 1974-1975
Harry G. Wiles Kansas 1975-1976
William J. Rogers Maine 1976-1977
Robert Charles Smith Louisiana 1977-1978
John M. Carey Michigan 1978-1979
Frank I. Hamilton Indiana 1979-1980
Michael J. Kogutek New York 1980-1981
Jack W. Flynt Texas 1981-1982
Al Keller, Jr. Illinois 1982-1983
Keith A. Kreul Wisconsin 1983-1984
Clarence M. Bacon Maryland 1984-1985
Dale L. Renaud Louisiana 1985-1986
Hon. James P. Dean Mississippi 1986-1987
John P. Jake Cower Massachusetts 1987-1988
Hon. H. F. Sparky North Dakota 1988-1989
Miles E. Epling West Virginia 1989-1990
Robert S. Turner Georgia 1990-1991
Dominic D. DiFrancesco Pennsylvania 1991-1992
Roger A. Munson Ohio 1992-1993
Bruce Thiesen California 1993-1994
William M. Detweiler Louisiana 1994-1995
Daniel A. Ludwig Minnesota 1995-1996
Joseph J. Frank Missouri 1996-1997
Anthony G. Jordan Maine 1997-1998
Butch L. Miller Indiana 1998-1999
Hon. Alan G. Lance Idaho 1999-2000
Ray G. Smith North Carolina 2000-2001
Richard Santos Maryland 2001-2002
Ronald F. Conley Pennsylvania 2002-2003
John A. Brieden Texas 2003-2004
Thomas P. Cadmus Michigan 2004–2005
Thomas L. Bock Colorado 2005–2006
Paul A. Morin Massachusetts 2006-2007
Martin “Marty” Conatser Illinois, 31 August 2007- present
References in popular culture
John Dos Passos included in his U.S.A. trilogy a detailed description of the Centralia Massacre, taking the IWW side in this affair.
The 1949 story "The Long Watch", by science fiction writer Robert A. Heinlein, was commissioned by the American Legion and published in the Legion's magazine. However, the story was reportedly "heavily edited" before being published - presumably because its theme - a one-man rebellion by a future space officer who sacrifices his life to foil a military coup and the use of nuclear weapons on civilian populations - can be read both as extolling patriotic self-sacrifice and as extolling rebelliousness and disobedience.
On their 1989 album, Key Lime Pie, the alternative rock band Camper Van Beethoven referenced the American Legion in their song "When I Win The Lottery", with the lyrics,
And when I win the lottery, gonna buy the house next to Mr. Red, White and Blue, and when I win the lottery, gonna buy Post 306 American Legion, paint it red with five gold stars.
In chapter 9 of F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, it's revealed that Jay Gatsby was a member of the American Legion.
Further Information
Get more info on 'American Legion'.
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