Page Created on February 07, 2008
Page Updated on May 09, 2008
AMERICAN LEGION HISTORY
The American Legion was born at a caucus of the First American Expeditionary Force held at the Cirque de Paris located on the Rue Ernst Psichari in Paris, France, on the 15 to 17 March 1919. It was at the Paris Caucus that the American Legion received its name The delegates of the Paris Causus brought with them the raw materials with which to to build an association of veterans whose primary devotion was to God and Country.
A second caucus was held in St. Louis, Missouri, on 8 to 10 May 1919. This St. Louis Caucus was where the official name The American Legion was adopted, and the Preamble to the Constitution of the American Legion was put into final form. On 9 June 1919 the American Legion Emblem is adopted by the National Executive Committee.
On 16 September 1919 The National Charter of the American Legion was granted by the Congress of the United States of America.
The Charter Convention of the American Legion was held on 10 to 12 November 1919 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.The American Legion Constitution and Preamble are adopted. The delegates passed a resolution to support the Boys Scouts of America and selected Indianapolis, Indiana, as the location for the permanent National Headquarters. The American Legion Auxiliary was also formed as a helping hand to the Legion.
The Sons of The American Legion was created on 12 to15 September 1932 in Portland, Oregan, at the 14th National Convention of The American Legion.
The first and only change to the Preamble of the Constitution of the American Legion since its creation in 1919 is made on 19 to 21 September 1942, the word is changed to. The American Legion charter is amended on the following dates allowing the veterans of this wars and conflict to join The American Legion; on 29 October 1942 for the veterans of World War II, on 28 December 1950 for veterans of the Korean War, on 1 September 1966 for veterans of the Vietnaw War, on 30 October 1990 for the veterans of Lebanon, Grenada and Panama hostilities, and on 3 December 1991 for the veterans of Desert Sheild / Desert Storm and because the eligibility dates remain open,all members of the U.S. Armed Forces are eligible for membership in The American Legion at this time.The American Legion is made up of 55 Departments, one for each of the 50 States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, France, Mexico, and the Philippines. With nearly 15,000 American Legion Posts World Wide. John Wayne Post # 79, Heilbronn,Germany, Department of France, is one of those Posts.
Today the Legion Family is made up of The American Legion, the Sons of The American Legion and The American Legion Auxiliary; together this Family boast a total membership of nearly 4.2 million members.
