The American Legion turns 99
Col. Lewis L. Millett Post 38 of Seoul, South Korea, celebrates The American Legion’s 98th birthday during its March 2017 monthly meeting. (Photo via Donald Wong)

The American Legion turns 99

The American Legion will celebrate its 99th birthday on March 15. It is the day in 1919 when the first American Legion caucus, held by members of the American Expeditionary Force, convened in Paris.

A birthday speech is available here for posts to use during events that commemorate this anniversary. Remember to use the hashtag #LegionFamilyDinner when promoting your event.

American Legion posts across the country hold events – public, private or both – to commemorate this anniversary. For example, in 1939 for the Legion's 20th birthday, Battle Mountain Post 71 in Hot Springs, S.D., celebrated with a 40-pound birthday cake – 2 pounds for every year of The American Legion's history. Posts can upload recaps and photos of their birthday celebrations (and other community activities) online at www.legiontown.org.

Members of The American Legion Amateur Radio Club will operate a special event station on March 10, at 1 p.m. EST to commemorate the Legion's birthday. Operating from the radio room at National Headquarters in Indianapolis, ham radio operators at club station K9TAL will communicate with both member and non-member amateur radio operators around the world. Learn more about the event station here.

Preparations for the celebration of The American Legion's 100th anniversary are underway. The 100th American Legion National Convention in Minneapolis (home of the first national convention in 1919) Aug. 24-30, 2018, kicks off a 15-month commemoration to honor the organization’s first century of service. Centennial events and activities will be conducted at the national, department and post levels through the 101st National Convention in Indianapolis Aug. 23-29, 2019, and will culminate on Veterans Day 2019.