On March 15-17, 1919, more than a thousand war-weary members of the American Expeditionary Forces gathered in Paris for a “morale conference.” The Paris Caucus would lead to the creation of what would become The American Legion, a national organization that would advocate for veterans and service members of all branches of the military for more than a century. BVA congratulates the American Legion on this milestone accomplishment.

The Legion, as it became known, was chartered by Congress just six months after its founding. With headquarters now in Indianapolis and posts across the country, the organization is perhaps best known for assuming the leading role in drafting and passing the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944, commonly known as the “G.I. Bill.”