THE AMERICAN LEGION A LOOK INTO THE PAST THE NATIONAL ORGANIZATION AND THE DEPARTMENT OF TEXAS

THE NATIONAL ORGANIZATION

HOW DID IT ALL BEGINWORLD WAR I

AFTER THE WAR WHAT?

WORLD WAR I

• GROUPS OF MEN SENT OVERSEAS• COMRADSHIP AND NEW EXPERIENCES• A SENSE OF BELONGING • CONCERN FOR THEIR FELLOW SOLDIERS• LOOKING TOWARD THE FUTURE• A SENSE OF PATRIOTISM

1919 THE BEGINNINGS

• MARCH 15-17 MEMBERS OF AEF CONVENE CAUCUS IN PARIS

• MAY 8-10 ST LOUIS CAUCUS– AMERICAN LEGION NAME– DRAFT PREAMBLE AND CONSTITUTIONJUNE 9 NEC ADOPTS LEGION EMBLEMSEPT 16 US CONGRESS CHARTERS THE AMERICAN

LEGIONNOV 10-12 FIRST CONVENTION MINNEAPOLIS– --RESOLUTION SUPPORT FOR BOY SCOUTS

ACHIEVEMENTS OVER THE YEARS• AUG 1921 EFFORTS RESULT IN CREATION OF US VETERANS

BUREAU LATER THE VA• JUL 1925 LEGION CREATES AMERICAN LEGION BASEBALL

PROGRAM• JUNE 1935 FIRST AMERICAN LEGION BOYS STATE IN ILLINOIS• JUNE 1938 FIRST NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL ORATORICAL

CONTEST• DEC 1943 DRAFT OF GI BILL OF RIGHTS BY NATIONAL

COMMANDER HARRY COLMERY– LEGIONS SINGLE GREATEST LEGISLATIVE ACHIEVEMENT

• JUNE 1944 PRES ROOSEVELT SIGNS SERVICEMEN’S READJUSTMENT ACT/GI BILL OF RIGHTS

• JULY 1954 AMERICAN LEGION CHILD WELFARE FOUNDATION FORMED

• AUG 1969 NEC ESTABLISHED NATIONAL EMERGENCY FUND

• JAN 1989 VA ELEVATED TO CABINET-LEVEL STATUS • OCT 1990 LEGION CREATES THE FAMILY SUPPORT

NETWORK

• JUNE 1991 LEGION HOST FIRST JUNIOR SHOOTING SPORTS NATIONAL AIR RIFLE CHAMPIONSHIPS

• JUNE 2008 PRES BUSH SIGNS INTO LAW POST 9/11 VETERANS EDUCATION ASSISTANCE ACT

KEY ELEMENTS

• PREAMBLE TO THE CONSTITUTION– TELLS WHAT WE ARE ALL ABOUTTHE AMERICAN LEGION EMBLEM -SYMBOLIZES WHAT WE DO

DEPARTMENT OF TEXAS

A LONG AND ILLUSTRIOUS HISTORY

IN THE BEGINNING

• -21 APRIL 1919 SAN ANTONIO CAUCUS– ST ANTHONY HOTEL– CLAUDE BIRKHEAD CHAIRMAN– SET RULES– ESTABLISHED COMMITTEES• MEMBERSHIP/CREDENTIALS/EMPLOYMENT• DELEGATES TO ST LOUIS CAUCUSHENRY LINDSEY OF TEXAS CHAIRMAN AT ST LOUIS

TEXAS LEGION

• CLAUDE BIRKHEAD FIRST COMMANDER• OCT 1919 FIRST CONVENTION IN DALLAS– 18 DISTRICTS AND 78 POSTS– CONSTITUTION ADOPTED– NAME THE AMERICAN LEGION TEXAS BRANCH– RAISING FUNDS FOR HOSPITALS– REHABILITATION ONE OF THE EARLIEST

PROGRAMS– HENRY HUTCHINGS ELECTED COMMANDER

1920’SA TIME OF UNCERTAINTY

• 1 AUG 1920 DEPARTMENT CHARTER ISSUED BY NATIONAL HQ• NOW THE AMERICAN LEGION DEPARTMENT OF TEXAS• KERRVILLE HOSPITAL• LEGION ASSISTANCE TO VETERANS OF TEXAS MANDATED AT

1920 CONVENTION• 1920 AUXILIARY LAUNCHED IN SAN ANTONIO• 1920 HQ GUNTER BLDG MOVED TO DALLAS• 1921 JUDGE ADVOCATE POSITION CREATED• 1922 VETERANS’ LAWS OF TEXAS

– DISCHARGES FILED AT NO COST– SUSPEND STATUTES OF LIMITATION 12 MONTHS AFTER DISCHARGE

• 1923 INTEREST IN BOY SCOUTS• COMMUNITY SERVICE ATTITUDE OF POSTS• 1923 KERRVILLE HOSPITAL COMPLETED• IDEA OF NATIONAL SECURITY RISING• 1924 JUNIOR BASEBALL CAUGHT ATTENTION OF LEGION• 1925 BOARD OF TRUSTEES CREATED BY AMENDMENT TO

BYLAWS• 1926 HQ MOVED TO LAND OFFICE BLDG IN AUSTIN• 1927 HQ MOVED TO 2ND FLOOR STATE CAPITOL• 24,592 MEMBERS AND 331 POSTS

1930’STHE WORLD IN TURMOIL

• 1931 BASEBALL 125 TEAMS• 1931 LEGION HEIRS RESOLUTION• 1932 WACO VETERANS FACILITY DEDICATED• 1933 HEIRS BECOME SONS OF THE AMERICAN

LEGION-NATIONAL APPROVED• 1933-34 DISTRICTS SET AT 21 TO CONFORM WITH

CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS• 1935 STATE HIGHWAY 66 THE AMERICAN LEGION

MEMORIAL HIGHWAY

• 1937 BOYS STATE IN TEXAS CREATION• 1939 AL PROJECT HOUSE AT TEXAS A&M

APPROVED• 1939 CAR FOR COMMANDER• MEMBERSHIP 26,838

1940’S WAR AGAIN

• PROGRAMS TO ORGANIZE BLACK VETERANS• RESOLUTION TO ADD WWII VETERANS INTO AMERICAN

LEGION• 1941 HQ MOVED TO TRIBUNE TOWER BLDG IN AUSTIN• 1943 HQ MOVED TO LITTLEFIELD BLDG 6TH AND CONGRESS• 1944 HIGHWAY 80 DEDICATED TO WWII VETERANS• 1945 NEW VETERAN OFFICES IN DALAS, LUBBOCK, HOUSTON,

WACO, AND SAN ANTONIO• 1946 FIRST AL COLLEGE• 1947 TX VETERANS AFFAIRS COMMISSION ENACTED INTO LAW

• 1949 BOXCARS DONATED FROM FRANCE– MERCI BOXCAR FOR TEXAS– INITIALLY AT CAMP MABRY IN AUSTIN MOVED TO

TRAVIS POST NO 76– 40&8 GIVEN CARE OF BOXCAR– 1949 MEMBERSHIP 100,043 END OF DECADE

94,244

1950’SA NEW ADVERSARY

• HQ MOVED TO BASEMENT OF COMMODORE PERRY HOTEL IN AUSTIN

• 1951 PURCHASED LAND ON CONGRESS AND 15TH

• 1953 HQ MOVED 15TH AND CONGRESS NEW BUILDING DEDICATED

• 1954 LONE STAR BOYS STATE BECOMES BOYS STATE• 1956 BLACK DISTRICTS ADDED TO DEPARTMENT

BRINGING THE TOTAL TO 26• 1957 EMPLOYMENT RETIREMENT PLAN ESTABLISHED

• 1959 LEGISLATURE PURCHASES LAND ON CONGRESS –DEPARTMENT TO MOVE

• MEMBERSHIP 76,837

1960’SAN UNPOPULAR WAR

• STABILIZED COMMITTEES WITH FOUR: AMERICANISM, MEMBERSHIP AND ORGANIZATION, NATIONAL SECURITY, AND REHABILITATION

• 1962 BLACK YOUTHS AUTHORIZED FOR ADMISSION TO BOYS STATE

• 1964 HQ MOVED TO EAST AVE AND EAST 10TH STREET IN AUSTIN

• 1965 SERVICE OFFICERS EXPANDED TO 4 2/WACO 2/HOUSTON

• 1965 TEXALPA ESTABLISHED• 1966 HQ MOVED 10TH AND I-35• 1966 OIL WELL DRILLED AT BIG LAKE ON LEGION LAND• DOUGHBOY • 1967 20 & 4 FORMED• 1969 GNUTS FORMED• MEMBERSHIP 73,598

1970’SPOW/MIA QUESTION

• 1976 LIBERTY BELL PURCHASED• 1977 VICE COMMANDER NOW RESPONSIBLE

FOR MEMBERSHIP• MEMBERSHIP 79,747

1980’S

• 1983 US HIGHWAY 83 NAMED VIET NAM VETERAN MEMORIAL HIGHWAY

• 1984 15TH DISTRICT DIVIDED NEW DISTRICT 23RD

• 1985 MEDIA AWARDS• 1986 DIRECT MEMBERSHIP SOLICITATION• 1987 POW/MIA FLAG FLYING ENCOURAGED• 1987 JOE MATTHEWS NATIONAL COMMANDER

1990’S• 1990 BOYS STATE 50TH ANNIVERSARY• NON PROFIT ORGANIZATION RAFFLES• 1991 POST HOMES EXEMPT FROM VALOREM

TAX• 1991 FAMILY SUPPORT NETWORK• 1991 HOUSTON VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL

CENTER• 1991 BUY A CHEVY GET A PUFL

• 1991 100,300 MEMBERS• 1991 PATSY PALMQUIST COMMANDER• 1992 ACTIVE TEXAS LEGIONNAIRE IN SPACE

KEVIN CHILTON• 1992 VA OUTPATIENT CLINIC IN FORT WORTH

2000 AND BEYONDA NEW CENTURY

• 2002 HQ MOVES TO 3401 BLUESTEIN BLVD• 2003 LEGION COLLEGE IN TEXAS• 2003 JOHN BRIEDON III ELECTED NAT COM• 2003 DISCUSSION ON LEGION RIDERS• 2003 REDISTRICTING DISCUSSIONS• 2005 VET EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM MOVED FROM

TX WORKFORCE COMM TO TX VETERANS COMM

• 2006 HQ BLDG UP FOR SALE• 2007 FALLEN SOLDIER PLAQUES• 2007 HQ MOVES TO 7901 CAMERON BLDG 3

SUITE 210• 2007 LEGION TIMES ON WEB SITE• 2007 WWII MEMORIAL ON CAPITOL

GROUNDS• 2007 #1 PINS INITIATED

• 2007 TX STATE CEMETERY –MONUMENT TO VIETNAM WAR VETS

• 2007 MEMBERSHIP 93,500• 2008 HQ MOVED TO 1624 E. ANDERSON LN

THE FUTURE

• DEPT OF TEXAS HAS ALWAYS BEEN A LEADER IN NATIONAL AFFAIRS

• FUTURE IS UNCERTAIN WITH LOSS OF WWII AND KOREAN VETS

• AFGHANISTAN AND IRAQ VETS WILL BE THE FUTURE OF THE AMERICAN LEGION

• HISTORY FOR THE FUTURE IS IN THE HANDS OF TODAYS MEMBERS