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America’s boldest advocate for navy veterans is celebrating 103 years of service.
Congress formally chartered the American Legion on Sept. 16, 1919, to serve veterans, service members and communities following World Battle I.
The group shortly advanced from “war-weary” veterans to “one of the influential nonprofit teams in the US,” in keeping with the American Legion’s web site.
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American Legion spokesperson John Raughter informed Fox Information Digital that the group’s long-lasting legacy has been exceptional but tireless, as legionnaires nationwide have carried on their service “lengthy after they dangle up their navy uniforms.”

Mitch Laing of the American Legion Riders holds a flag with different members of the group outdoors the Performing Arts Middle earlier than a memorial service for Christine Loeber, Dr. Jennifer Grey Golick and Jennifer Gonzales Shushereba, on March 19, 2018, in Yountville, Calif.
(Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The San Francisco Chronicle by way of Getty Pictures)
“From the drafting of the unique GI Invoice in 1944 to the passage of the Honoring Our PACT Act in 2022, The American Legion’s historical past over 103 years is one among important accomplishment and repair,” he stated.
Raughter additionally stated by way of e-mail, “With present points reminiscent of veteran suicide and transitional challenges confronted by International Battle on Terrorism veterans, The American Legion will proceed to be the main advocate for the women and men of the Armed Forces for the following 103 years and past.”
Here is a short historical past of the American Legion’s standout accomplishments over the past century, in keeping with the Legion itself.
The primary Legion conference befell on Nov. 10, 1919, in Minneapolis. There, delegates voted for his or her nationwide headquarters to be in Indianapolis.
As membership grew shortly, native chapters popped up throughout the nation, permitting for extra veterans to turn into concerned.
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On Aug. 9, 1921, the Legion’s efforts led to the U.S. Veterans Bureau, which preceded the Veterans Administration.
The group continues to foyer for funding to cowl veterans’ advantages, together with medical, incapacity and schooling, via these companies in the present day.

The Oakland, California, boys’ baseball crew defeated the boys’ crew from Worcester, Massachusetts, 4-0, within the opening sport of the American Legion’s Junior World Sequence at Oomiskey Park on Aug. 1, 1928.
(George Rinhart/Corbis by way of Getty Pictures)
On July 17, 1925, the American Legion Baseball program was created for teens; it graduates about 50% of Main League Baseball gamers.
Amid World Battle II, the American Legion modified the verbiage of the preamble of its structure from “struggle” to “wars” for the primary and solely time in September 1942.
President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the unique GI invoice into regulation on June 22, 1944, providing veterans higher academic, skilled and monetary alternatives within the U.S.
In 1950, the American Legion voted to contribute funding to psychological well being fields, which was a catalyst for launching the Nationwide Affiliation for Psychological Well being.
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The American Legion Little one Welfare Basis was established on July 9, 1954. As we speak, it is blossomed into greater than $11 million awarded to youth organizations and tasks to assist America’s kids.
The group turned vastly concerned amid outcry in the course of the Vietnam Battle within the Nineteen Sixties — and in the present day it nonetheless requires a full accounting of POWs and troops lacking in motion.
A $1 million verify was granted by the Legion to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund to assemble the Wall in Washington in 1982.
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After the assaults of Sept. 11, 2001, the American Legion stepped up by reactivating the Household Help Community and creating the American Legacy Scholarship Fund for youngsters of navy killed on or after 9/11.

Dozens of kids from greater than 120 space colleges paraded via downtown Denver, Colo., with flags on June 12, 1976. The Flag Day parade was sponsored by Leyden-Chiles-Wickersham Submit. No. 1, American Legion.
(Ira Homosexual Sealy/The Denver Submit by way of Getty Pictures)
Now, the American Legion has almost two million members in additional than 13,000 posts, together with worldwide and U.S. territory chapters in Puerto Rico, France, Mexico and the Philippines.
Richard Pecci, a Vietnam veteran and the present commander of his native American Legion — Admiral Farrugut Submit 1195 in Hastings-on-Hudson, N.Y. — mirrored on his membership in feedback to Fox Information Digital.
“The American Legion means a lot to me,” he stated.

On the left, Richard Pecci at 20 years previous, in Tay Ninh, Vietnam, in 1967; on the correct, Pecci of Hastings-on-Hudson, New York, in 2019.
(James Fast/Linda Loeb)
“They’ve given me the chance to serve different veterans in my group and help others, going to lecture rooms to teach and mentor younger folks.”
He added, “We increase funds for every kind of causes, reminiscent of youth scholarships and veteran help packages.”
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“Extra importantly,” stated Pecci of the Legion, “we have now a spot for different veterans to go the place they really feel protected and know that there’s anyone else there who went via what they did.”