Recovering in a French hospital from war injuries, Wallace had plenty of time on his hands, conceiving a host of ideas that evolved into the world-famous Reader's Digest. More than 50 years later, The American Legion awarded him the Distinguished Service Medal.
Chock full of a wide variety of articles, including stories from The American Legion Magazine, Wallace's publication became a household name, motivating people "to heighten their art of living and to improve themselves mentally, materially and spiritually," National Commander John H. Geiger said.