The American Legion, a U.S. war veterans organization, received a federal charter from Congress on this day in history, Sept. 16, 1919, for its continued assistance to wounded warriors and military families, its legacy of community volunteerism and its important role in establishing important national legislation, according to the American Legion's official website.
The American Legion also provides free professional assistance to any veteran in filing and following up on claims for benefits with the Department of Veterans Affairs, the source said.
It was founded in Paris on March 15–17, 1919, by delegates from combat and service units of the American Expeditionary Force, Britannica.com reported.
ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY, SEPTEMBER 15, 1981, SANDRA DAY O'CONNOR WAS APPROVED FOR THE SUPREME COURT BY THE SENATE COMMITTEE
The national charter granted by the United States Congress on September 16, 1919, was later amended to admit veterans of World War II (1942), the Korean War (1950), the Vietnam War (1966), the hostilities in Lebanon, Grenada and Panama (1990) and Operation Desert Shield/Storm (1991), the same source noted.
The American Legion is nonpolitical and nonsectarian.
The organization
The criteria for membership are honorable service and honorable discharge, several sources said.
The American Legion's national headquarters is located in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Walter Butler, former commander of the American Legion Post Winslow-Holbrook-Merritt No. 1 in Rockland, is shown accepting a wreath and a photograph of wreaths at Arlington National Cemetery from Morrill Worcester, president of Worcester Wreath Company in Harrington, as the Wreaths Across America convoy stopped at the Rockland Legion. (Jill Brady/Portland Press Herald via Getty Images)
The American Legion is made up of veterans and service members and has more than two million members and 14,000 posts nationwide, making it the largest veterans service organization in the United States, according to Veterans.com.
One of the missions of the American Legion is to care for disabled and sick veterans.
The organization was instrumental in establishing hospitals and other services for World War I veterans, services that have been expanded to meet the needs of veterans of later wars, Britannica.com reported.
THE AMERICAN LEGION TURNS 103: A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE ORGANIZATION FORMED TO HELP WORLD WAR I VETERANS
The organization has been and remains instrumental to U.S. veterans and members of the armed forces. The Legion successfully sponsored the creation of the U.S. Veterans Administration in 1930, according to Britannica.com.
The American Legion drafted the first “Flag Code,” which was adopted by Congress in 1942.
Additionally, the American Legion drafted the first “Flag Code,” which was adopted by Congress in 1942. Known as the Federal Flag Code, it contains rules for the handling and display of the American flag, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
In 1944, he played a leading role in passing the Veterans' Bill of Rights for World War II veterans, and later in supporting similar legislation for Korean War veterans, the same source said.
Mitch Laing of the American Legion Riders holds a flag with other members of the group outside the Performing Arts Center before a memorial service on March 19, 2018, in Yountville, California. (Carlos Ávila González/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)
“These measures enabled more than 10.5 million veterans to attend college or vocational training and more than 5.6 million veterans to purchase homes under the loan provisions of the act,” Britannica.com said.
The American Legion has more than 12,000 posts in communities across the United States.
In 1989, as a result of an effort led by the American Legion to ensure that veterans had representation within the federal government, the then-Veterans Administration was given Cabinet-level status as the Department of Veterans Affairs, according to Veterans.com.
The American Legion has more than 12,000 posts in communities across the United States. In addition to posts in every state, the American Legion has posts in the District of Columbia, France, Mexico, Puerto Rico and the Philippines, according to the American Legion.
MEET THE AMERICAN WHO INSPIRED AMERICAN LEGION BASEBALL, JOHN GRIFFITH, WORLD WAR I VETERAN AND SPORTS PIONEER
Today, the organization sponsors thousands of Boy Scout troops and youth baseball teams.
Since 1919, American Legion posts have sponsored more than 2,500 scouting units nationwide, and annually the American Legion honors an Eagle Scout of the Year with a $10,000 scholarship, the source said.
A monument marks Milbank, South Dakota, as the birthplace of American Legion Baseball on July 17, 1925. The organization, the monument reads, “was first proposed as a program of service to the youth of America.” (Courtesy of Birch-Miller American Legion Post #9)
Legion Baseball was formed in 1925 and today the program registers more than 5,400 teams in all 50 states, Canada and Puerto Rico, according to The American Legion.
For more lifestyle articles, visit www.foxnews.com/lifestyle
Additionally, approximately 20,000 young men annually participate in Boys State, a Legion program dedicated to promoting leadership.
CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TO OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER
Boys State alumni include former President Bill Clinton, news commentator Tom Brokaw, professional basketball player Michael Jordan, astronaut Neil Armstrong and many more, the source said.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
The work of the American Legion is impactful and members continue to care for and meet the needs of veterans, their families and the community.
