THE AMERICAN LEGION
A LOOK INTO THE PAST
THE NATIONAL ORGANIZATION AND
THE DEPARTMENT OF TEXAS
THE NATIONAL ORGANIZATION
HOW DID IT ALL BEGIN
WORLD WAR I
AFTER THE WAR WHAT?
WORLD WAR I
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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 CONSTITUTION
JUNE 9 NEC ADOPTS LEGION EMBLEM
SEPT 16 US CONGRESS CHARTERS THE AMERICAN
LEGION
NOV 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 ABOUT
THE 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 CAUCUS
HENRY 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’S
A TIME OF UNCERTAINTY
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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
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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’S
THE WORLD IN TURMOIL
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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’S
A 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’S
AN 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’S
POW/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 BEYOND
A NEW CENTURY
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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