American Legion

The American Legion, commonly known as the Legion, is a patriotic organization of U.S. war veterans headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. It comprises state, U.S. territory, and overseas departments, in turn, made up of local posts. It was established in March 1919 in Paris, France, by officers and men of the American Expeditionary Forces (A.E.F.). In September 1919, it was chartered by the U.S. Congress.

The Legion played the leading role in drafting and passing the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944, commonly known as the "G.I. Bill". In addition to organizing commemorative events, members assist at Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals and clinics. It is active in issue-oriented U.S. politics. Its primary political activity is lobbying on behalf of interests of veterans and service members, including support for benefits such as pensions and the Veterans Health Administration. It has also historically promoted Americanism, individual obligation to the community, state, and nation; peace and goodwill.

History
The American Legion was established on March 15, 1919, in Paris, France, by delegates to a caucus meeting from units of the American Expeditionary Forces (A.E.F.), which adopted a tentative constitution. The action of the Paris Caucus was confirmed and endorsed by a similar meeting held in St. Louis, Missouri, from May 8 to 10, 1919, when the Legion was formally recognized by the troops who served in the United States. The Paris Caucus appointed an Executive Committee of seventeen officers and men to represent the troops in France in the conduct of the Legion. The St. Louis caucus appointed a similar Committee of Seventeen. These two national executive committees amalgamated and were the initial governing body of the Legion. The temporary headquarters was located in New York.

List of founding members
The men who initiated the formation of the Legion:


 * Lieutenant Colonel Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., of the First Division
 * Colonel Henry D. Lindsley, formerly Mayor of Dallas, Texas
 * Sergeant John J. Sullivan, of Seattle
 * Lieutenant Colonel Franklin D'Olier, of Philadelphia
 * Ex-Senator Luke Lea, of Tennessee
 * Lieutenant Colonel Frederick Huidekoper, of Washington, D.C.
 * Major Redmond C. Stewart, of Baltimore
 * Wagoner Dale Shaw, of Iowa
 * Lieutenant Colonel George A. White, of Oregon
 * "Bill" Donovan, of the "Fighting 69th"
 * Major Thomas R. Gowenlock, of Illinois
 * Lieutenant Earl B. Dickerson, of the 92nd Division
 * Sergeant Alvin York, of Tennessee
 * Colonel John Price Jackson, of the S.O.S.
 * Lieutenant Colonel "Jack" Greenway, of Arizona
 * Sergeant Roy C. Haines, of Maine
 * G. Edward Buxton, Jr., of Rhode Island
 * Eric Fisher Wood, of Pennsylvania
 * Chaplain John W. Inzer, of Alabama
 * Lieutenant Colonel David M. Goodrich, of Akron
 * Chief Petty Officer B. J. Goldberg, of Chicago
 * "Tom" Miller, of Delaware
 * Major Alex. Laughlin, Jr., of Pittsburgh
 * Major Henry Leonard, of the Marine Corps
 * Dwight F. Davis, of the 35th Division
 * Corporal Charles S. Pew, of Montana
 * Brigadier General William G. Price, of the 28th Division
 * Bishop Charles H. Brent, Senior Chaplain of the A.E.F.
 * Major General John F. O'Ryan, of the 27th Division
 * Stewart Edward White, of California
 * Private Jesus M. Baca, of New Mexico
 * Brigadier General Charles H. Cole, of the 26th Division
 * Sergeant E. L. Malsbary, of Nevada
 * Lieutenant Samuel Gompers, Jr., of New York
 * Colonel Henry L. Stimson, Ex-Secretary of War
 * Lieutenant Colonel Charles W. Whittlesey, Commander of the "Lost Battalion"
 * Roy Hoffman, of Oklahoma
 * Lieutenant Colonel A. Piatt Andrew, of the American Ambulance in France
 * Brigadier General Harvey J. Moss, of the State of Washington
 * John MacVicar, Mayor of Des Moines before the War
 * Sergeant George H. H. Pratt, of New Orleans
 * Colonel F. W. Galbraith, of Cincinnati
 * Corporal Joseph H. Fountain, of Vermont
 * Devereux Milburn, of the 78th Division
 * Lieutenant Colonel Wilbur Smith, of the 89th Division
 * Sergeant Theodore Myers, of Pennsylvania
 * Colonel Bennett C. Clark, son of Champ Clark
 * Robert Bacon, Ex-Secretary of State
 * Major Horatio N. Jackson, of Vermont

Headquarters


The national headquarters, informally known as American Legion headquarters, is located on the Indiana World War Memorial Plaza at 700 North Pennsylvania Street, Indianapolis, Indiana. It is the headquarters for the National Commander of The American Legion and also houses the archives, library, Membership, Internal Affairs, Public Relations, and The American Legion magazine's editorial offices. The national headquarters has expanded multiple times since its establishment.

Emblem
The World War I Victory Button on a narrow circular band of blue enamel, containing the words "American Legion" in gold letters, forms the central element of the American Legion Emblem. The Legion emblem or "button" was officially adopted by the National Executive Committee of The American Legion on July 9, 1919.

Eligibility
Membership in The American Legion was originally restricted to soldiers, sailors, and marines who served honorably between April 6, 1917, and November 11, 1918. Eligibility has since been expanded to include personnel who served on active duty in the Armed Forces of the United States or armed forces associated with the U.S., between December 7, 1941, through a date of cessation of hostilities as determined by the federal government, and was an American citizen when they entered that service or continues to serve honorably. U.S. Merchant Marines who served between December 7, 1941, and December 31, 1946, are also eligible. Honorary, associate, social, or guest memberships in the Legion are not permitted. Members must be eligible through the nature and timing of their military service.

The following is a list of eligibility dates the American Legion uses to determine membership eligibility.

Publication
The official publication, originally known as The American Legion Weekly, launched on July 4, 1919. In 1926, the Legion Weekly reduced the frequency of publication and was renamed The American Legion Monthly. In 1936, the publication's name and volume numbering system changed again, this time to The American Legion.

The American Legion Digital Archive online offers scans of "American Legion magazine, national meeting digests, newsletters, press releases, and other publications published by the national organization."

Notable members
Notable members of The American Legion have included:

List of national commanders

 * 1) Franklin D'Olier, of Pennsylvania, 1919–1920
 * 2) Frederic W. Galbraith, Jr., of Ohio, 1920–1921
 * 3) John G. Emery, of Michigan, 1921
 * 4) Hanford MacNider, of Iowa, 1921–1922
 * 5) Alvin M. Owsley, of Texas, 1922–1923
 * 6) John R. Quinn, of California, 1923–1924
 * 7) James A. Drain, of Washington, 1924–1925
 * 8) John R. McQuigg, of Ohio, 1925–1926
 * 9) Howard P. Savage, of Illinois, 1926–1927
 * 10) Edward E. Spafford, of New York, 1927–1928
 * 11) Paul V. McNutt, of Indiana, 1928–1929
 * 12) O. L. Bodenhamer, of Arkansas, 1929–1930
 * 13) Ralph T. O'Neil, of Kansas, 1930–1931
 * 14) Henry L. Stevens, Jr., of North Carolina, 1931–1932
 * 15) Louis A. Johnson, of West Virginia, 1932–1933
 * 16) Edward A. Hayes, of Illinois, 1933–1934
 * 17) Frank N. Belgrano, of California, 1934–1935
 * 18) Ray Murphy, of Iowa, 1935–1936
 * 19) Harry W. Colmery, of Kansas, 1936–1937
 * 20) Daniel J. Doherty, of Massachusetts, 1937–1938
 * 21) Stephen F. Chadwick, of Washington, 1938–1939
 * 22) Raymond J. Kelly, of Michigan, 1939–1940
 * 23) Milo J. Warner, of Ohio, 1940–1941
 * 24) Lynn U. Stambaugh, of North Dakota, 1941–1942
 * 25) Roane Waring, of Tennessee, 1942–1943
 * 26) Warren H. Atherton, of California, 1943–1944
 * 27) Edward N. Scheiberling, of New York, 1944–1945
 * 28) John Stelle, of Illinois, 1945–1946
 * 29) Paul H. Griffith, of Pennsylvania, 1946–1947
 * 30) James F. O'Neill, of New Hampshire, 1947–1948
 * 31) S. Perry Brown, of Texas, 1948–1949
 * 32) George N. Craig, of Indiana, 1949–1950
 * 33) Erle Cocke, Jr., of Georgia, 1950–1951
 * 34) Donald R. Wilson, of West Virginia, 1951–1952
 * 35) Lewis K. Gough, of California, 1952–1953
 * 36) Arthur J. Connell, of Connecticut, 1953–1954
 * 37) Seaborn P. Collins, of New Mexico, 1954–1955
 * 38) J. Addington Wagner, of Michigan, 1955–1956
 * 39) Dan Daniel, of Virginia, 1956–1957
 * 40) John S. Gleason, Jr., of Illinois, 1957–1958
 * 41) Preston J. Moore, of Oklahoma, 1958–1959
 * 42) Martin B. McKneally, of New York, 1959–1960
 * 43) William R. Burke, of California, 1960–1961
 * 44) Charles L. Bacon, of Missouri, 1961–1962
 * 45) James E. Powers, of Georgia, 1962–1963
 * 46) Daniel F. Foley, of Minnesota, 1963–1964
 * 47) Donald E. Johnson, of Iowa, 1964–1965
 * 48) L. Eldon James, of Virginia, 1965–1966
 * 49) John E. Davis, of North Dakota, 1966–1967
 * 50) William E. Galbraith, of Nebraska, 1967–1968
 * 51) William C. Doyle, of New Jersey, 1968–1969
 * 52) J. Milton Patrick, of Oklahoma, 1969–1970
 * 53) Alfred P. Chamie, of California, 1970–1971
 * 54) John H. Geiger, of Illinois, 1971–1972
 * 55) Joe L. Matthews, of Texas, 1972–1973
 * 56) Robert E. L. Eaton, of Maryland, 1972–1973
 * 57) James M. Wagonseller, of Ohio, 1974–1975
 * 58) Harry G. Wiles, of Kansas, 1975–1976
 * 59) William J. Rogers, of Maine, 1976–1977
 * 60) Robert C. Smith, of Louisiana, 1977–1978
 * 61) John M. Carey, of Michigan, 1978–1979
 * 62) Frank I. Hamilton, of Indiana, 1979–1980
 * 63) Michael J. Kogutek, of New York, 1980–1981
 * 64) Jack W. Flynt, of Texas, 1981–1982
 * 65) Al Keller, Jr., of Illinois, 1982–1983
 * 66) Keith A. Kreul, of Wisconsin, 1983–1984
 * 67) Clarence M. Bacon, of Maryland, 1984–1985
 * 68) Dale L. Renaud, of Iowa, 1985–1986
 * 69) James P. Dean, of Mississippi, 1986–1987
 * 70) John P. Comer, of Massachusetts, 1987–1988
 * 71) H. F. Gierke III, of North Dakota, 1988–1989
 * 72) Miles S. Epling, of West Virginia, 1989–1990
 * 73) Robert S. Turner, of Georgia, 1990–1991
 * 74) Dominic D. DiFrancesco, of Pennsylvania, 1991–1992
 * 75) Roger A. Munson, of Ohio, 1992–1993
 * 76) Bruce Thiesen, of California, 1993–1994
 * 77) William M. Detweiler, of Louisiana, 1994–1995
 * 78) Daniel A. Ludwig, of Minnesota, 1995–1996
 * 79) Joseph J. Frank, of Missouri, 1996–1997
 * 80) Anthony G. Jordan, of Maine, 1997–1998
 * 81) Harold L. Miller, of Virginia, 1998–1999
 * 82) Alan G. Lance, Sr., of Idaho, 1999–2000
 * 83) Ray G. Smith, of North Carolina, 2000–2001
 * 84) Richard J. Santos, of Maryland, 2001–2002
 * 85) Ronald F. Conley, of Pennsylvania, 2002–2003
 * 86) John A. Brieden III, of Texas, 2003–2004
 * 87) Thomas P. Cadmus, of Michigan, 2004–2005
 * 88) Thomas L. Bock, of Colorado, 2005–2006
 * 89) Paul A. Morin, of Massachusetts, 2006–2007
 * 90) Martin F. Conatser, of Illinois, 2007–2008
 * 91) David K. Rehbein, of Iowa, 2008–2009
 * 92) Clarence E. Hill, of Florida, 2009–2010
 * 93) Jimmie L. Foster, of Alaska, 2010–2011
 * 94) Fang A. Wong, of New York, 2011–2012
 * 95) James E. Koutz, of Indiana, 2012–2013
 * 96) Daniel Dellinger, of Virginia, 2013–2014
 * 97) Michael D. Helm, of Nebraska, 2014–2015
 * 98) Dale Barnett, of Georgia, 2015–2016
 * 99) Charles E. Schmidt, of Oregon, 2016–2017
 * 100) Denise H. Rohan, of Wisconsin, 2017–2018
 * 101) Brett P. Reistad, of Virginia, 2018–2019
 * 102) James W. Oxford, of North Carolina, 2019–2021
 * 103) Paul E. Dillard, of Texas, 2021–2022
 * 104) Vincent J. Troiola, of New York, 2022–2023
 * 105) Rev. Daniel J. Seehafer, of Wisconsin, 2023–2024

List of honorary commanders

 * Marshal Ferdinand Foch, of the French Army
 * General John J. Pershing, Commander in Chief of the A.E.F.

List of past national commanders by vote of national conventions

 * Henry D. Lindsley, of Texas, 1919
 * Milton J. Foreman, of Illinois, 1921
 * Bennett Champ Clark, of Missouri, 1926
 * Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., of New York, 1949
 * Eric Fisher Wood, of Pennsylvania, 1955
 * Thomas W. Miller, of Nevada, 1968
 * Maurice Stember, of New York, 1975
 * Hamilton Fish III, of New York, 1979
 * E. Roy Stone, Jr., of South Carolina, 1987
 * Robert W. Spanogle, of Michigan, 2008