Gen. Henry H. "Hap" Arnold

1944, Gen. Henry H. "Hap" Arnold

From his days as a flight student of the Wright Brothers to commanding general of the Army Air Forces, Arnold had enjoyed a lengthy career by the time of The American Legion's 1944 convention. One of three recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal that year, Arnold was honored for his "outstanding contributions to the cause of national defense and the development of American air power," and expansion of the Army Air Forces from 21,000 in 1938 to a war strength of 2.4 million in 1944.

Henry Ford

1944, Henry Ford

More than the "car man" and assembly-line proponent, Ford was a great friend of The American Legion, which honored him as one of three Distinguished Service Medal winners in 1944.

Adm. Ernest J. King

1943, Adm. Ernest J. King

As the second Distinguished Service Medal honoree at The American Legion's national convention in 1943, King - commander of the U.S. Fleet and chief of naval operations - said, "It is my conviction that the action of the Legion, in conferring this signal award, will serve to confirm to all officers and men of the Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard - and to our country and our allies, even to our enemies - that our fellow citizens, veterans of another great war, believe in us and our will to win."

Gen. George C. Marshall

1943, Gen. George C. Marshall

Receiving the Distinguished Service Medal at The American Legion's national convention in 1942, Marshall, the Army's chief of staff, said of his job, "My consideration is for the American soldier, to see that he has every available means with which to make successful war: that he is not limited in ammunition, that he is not limited in equipment, and that he has sufficient training and medical care ... to see that for the first time, for once in history, he is given a fair break in the terrible business of making war."

Gen. Douglas A. MacArthur

1942, Gen. Douglas A. MacArthur

When he received The American Legion's Distinguished Service Medal in1942, Gen. Douglas A. MacArthur had already served as chief of staff of the U.S. Army, retired from active service, served as adviser to the Philippines, and returned to active duty as supreme Allied commander of U.S. forces in the Pacific.

In Australia during the Legion's convention, MacArthur was represented in Kansas City, Mo., by Maj. Gen. James A. Ulio, the Army's adjutant general.

Adm. William S. Sims

1930, Adm. William S. Sims

A native of Canada, a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and a two-time president of the Naval War College, Sims received The American Legion's Distinguished Service Medal in 1930. The Legion's National Executive Committee called him "a man whose leadership, whose courage and whose efficient service was most vital to our military success in the World War."

 Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis

1929, Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis

Judge, Major League Baseball commissioner and friend of The American Legion, Kenesaw Mountain Landisreceived the Legion's Distinguished Service Medal in 1929. Presenting the award, National Commander Paul V. McNutt told Landis, "Since the inception of the Legion, in its legislative program, in its endowment-fund campaign to aid our disabled comrades and orphans of the war and in its Americanism programs, you have responded instantly to every call the Legion has made upon you."

Field Marshal Edmund Henry Hynman (1st Viscount) Allenby

1928, Field Marshal Edmund Henry Hynman (1st Viscount) Allenby

Great Britain's role in World War I received special recognition from The American Legion in 1928. At their annual convention in San Antonio, Legionnaires honored Field Marshal Edmund Henry Hynman Allenby, whose military fame included his leadership of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force in the conquest of Palestine and Syria in 1917 and 1918. Accustomed to a leader who commanded from afar, Allenby's troops appreciated his frequent presence on the front line. In 1919, he was made a field marshal and earned the distinction of viscount.

1927, Comte Francois Marie Robert Dejean

Eight years after the Legion's founding in Paris, its members assembled again in France, and they conferred the Distinguished Service Medal upon Dejean with the distinction "that he be authorized to wear this insignia for life." Convention planners had the help of Dejean, chief of the American section of France's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in overcoming the language barrier.

Ignace Jan Paderewski

1926, Ignace Jan Paderewski

A Polish patriot, statesman and accomplished musician, Paderewski was the largest individual donor to The American Legion Endowment Fund for the Disabled and Orphans of Veterans before receiving the Legion's Distinguished Service Medal in 1926.

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