American Legion Jastrzremski-Lelo Post 439

A Brief History of The American Legion

 

A group of twenty officers who served in the American Expeditionary Forces (A.E.F.) in France in World War 1 are credited with planning the Legion.  A.E.F. Headquarters asked these officers to suggest ideas on how to improve troop morale.  One officer, Lieutenant Colonel Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., proposed an organization of veterans.  In February, 1919, this group formed a temporary committee, and selected several hundred officers who had the confidence and respect of the whole army.

Then the first organization meeting took place in Paris in March, 1919, about 1000 officers and enlisted men attended. The meeting, known as the Paris Caucus, adopted a temporary constitution and the name "The American Legion." It also elected an executive committee to complete the organization work. It considered each soldier of the A.E.F. a member of the Legion. The executive committee named a subcommittee to organize veterans at home in the U.S.

The Legion held a second organizing caucus in St. Louis, MO in May, 1919. It completed the constitution and made plans for a permanent organization. It set up temporary headquarters in NY,NY and began its relief, employment and Americanism programs.

The American Legion was chartered by Congress in 1919 as a patriotic, mutual-help war-time veteran’s organization. The American Legion is a  community-service organization which now numbers nearly 3 million members – men and woman – nearly 15,000 American Legion Posts worldwide. These posts are organized into 55 Departments – one each for the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, France, Mexico and the Philippines. Our local Post 439 was founded in 1947. 

THE AMERICAN LEGION NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS

The American Legion's National Headquarters is in Indianapolis, Indiana, with additional offices in Washington, DC.  In addition thousands of volunteers serving in leadership and program implementation capacities in local communities to the Legion's standing national commissions and communities, the National Orginization has a regular ful 

National Headquarters Indianapolis Office
700 North Pennsylvania St.
P.O. Box 1055
Indianapolis, IN 46206
Telephone: 317/630-1200
Fax: 317/630-1223

 

Affiliated Organizations

A Women's Auxiliary of American Legion Post 439 was formed in October 1947. The Legion has every reason to be proud of it's Auxiliary.  Auxiliary members are always anxious and willing to co-operate in every Legion activity.

A Sons of the Legion for American Legion Post 439 was formed in July 1965. The Legion has every reason to be proud of it's Sons of Legion unit, which gained statewide recognition because of it's programs of service.

Patriotic Days

MEMORIAL DAY has always been an outstanding occasion in this community. In addition to memorial events throughout the Saginaw community, the  goal of every Veteran to it's last man is to keep MEMORIAL DAY sacred to the memory of our war dead of all of the wars of the country; and all graves are decorated on this National Holiday.

ARMISTICE DAY, now called VETERANS' DAY, originally marked the end of fighting in World War I. It is an important holiday on the calendar of Legionnaires everywhere and in the hearts of all Veterans. It has been in Saginaw. An important tradition was established when the Post led in the memorial exercises at 11 o'clock on the morning of November 11, marking the exact hour of the cessation of hostility on the war fronts.

Registration Of Graves

Since it's inception American Legion Post 439 has been a leader in this community in the area of graves registration; which has been incorporated by all the American Legion Posts in Saginaw County. Grave Registration enables all interested parties to locate the site of the grave of each Veteran. American Legion Post Saginaw acquired a burial lot in Roselawn Cemetery and this has been marked by the erection of a massive monument marking it as the burial lot for servicemen without kin. Each year, active members place a flag on each Veteran's grave.

Scholarships and Community Projects

American LegionPost 439 sponsors various scholarships for the further education of our children. We also sponsor and financially assist many worthy community projects and programs initiated by the National American Legion.

Join Us and Keep this History Alive