AMVETS
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Abbreviation | AMVETS |
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Established | December 10, 1944 |
Type | Veterans' organization |
Legal status | Federally chartered corporation |
Headquarters | 4647 Forbes Blvd., Lanham, Maryland |
Region served | Worldwide |
Membership(2016) | 250,000 |
Executive Director | Joseph Chenelly |
National Commander | Bill Clark (2023–2024) |
Main organ | National Convention |
Subsidiaries |
|
Website | amvets |
Formerly called | American Veterans of World War II, Korea, and Vietnam |
American Veterans(AMVETS) is a non-partisan, volunteer-led organization formed byWorld War IIveteransof theUnited Statesmilitary. It advocates for its members as well as for causes that its members deem helpful to the nation at large. The group holds aFederal charterunderTitle 36 of the United States Code.It is a501(c)19 organization.
History
[edit]In December 1944 twelve small groups of World War II veterans met in Kansas City and formed AMVETS. A year later there were 20,000 memberships and 200 Amvets posts.[1]
Originally only World War II veterans were eligible to join, and the organization's stated goals were:
- 1. Full employment for veterans
- 2. Working for veterans' rights
- 3. Influencing national issues that benefit the United States
- 4. Gaining recognition of veterans' needs
- 5. Maintaining friendships made during military service
- 6. Keeping alive the ideals veterans fought for[2]
Change in membership requirements
[edit]In 1966 AMVETS requested Congress to amend their charter so that veterans of the Korean War and the Vietnam conflict could join, and President Lyndon Johnson signed the bill changing eligibility dates for AMVETS membership. Then in 1984 President Ronald Reagan signed a public law that amended AMVETS charter to open membership to all honorably discharged veterans.[3]
Harold Russell's terms as National Commander
[edit]Harold Russell,the handless World War II veteran andAcademy Awardwinner forThe Best Years of Our Lives,served three terms as National Commander in the 1950s. As head of AMVETS, Russell wrote to PresidentHarry S. Trumanin 1951 supporting his decision to dismiss GeneralDouglas MacArthurduring theKorean War.
Russell's telegram to Truman cited MacArthur's "repeated insubordination in violation of basic American principles governing civil versus military authority." His telegram said those were "obvious grounds" to relieve MacArthur.Erle Cocke Jr.,commander of theAmerican Legion,said that he was "shocked by the news" that AMVETS and theAmerican Veterans Committeesupported MacArthur's firing.[4]
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5a/Photograph_of_President_Truman_and_other_dignitaries_at_the_dedication_of_the_new_AMVETS_headquarters_in_Washington._-_NARA_-_200365.jpg/220px-Photograph_of_President_Truman_and_other_dignitaries_at_the_dedication_of_the_new_AMVETS_headquarters_in_Washington._-_NARA_-_200365.jpg)
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d1/AMVETS_memorial_sign_on_Thruway.jpg/220px-AMVETS_memorial_sign_on_Thruway.jpg)
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8c/Defense.gov_photo_essay_080729-N-4281P-525.jpg/220px-Defense.gov_photo_essay_080729-N-4281P-525.jpg)
Awards
[edit]![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c4/Silver_Helmet.tif/lossless-page1-220px-Silver_Helmet.tif.png)
AMVETS presents its annual Silver Helmet Awards to "recognize excellence and achievement in Americanism, defense, rehabilitation, congressional service and other fields."[6]
Nursing scholarships
[edit]In 1945 the AMVETS National Sad Sacks were formed to raise money for the Sad Sacks Nursing Scholarship Fund.[7]The scholarships, named afterGeorge Baker’sSad Sackcartoon character, are awarded to children of military veterans.[8]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^Royland Evans Jr., 50,000 Veterans Who Stayed Out of Big Organizations Have Own Little Groups,Fort Worth Star-Telegram,December 16, 1945, page 4
- ^The Future of America Depends on AMVETS (Advertisement),The Ogden Standard-Examiner,September 9, 1945, page 13
- ^Sidney AMVETS open to all veterans,Sidney Daily News(Sidney, Ohio), November 9, 2000, p. 36
- ^"AMVETS, AVC Support MacArthur Ouster, Legion Head Shocked".The Gazette and Daily.York, Pennsylvania.Associated Press.12 April 1951. p. 1.Retrieved19 March2021– viaNewspapers.com.
- ^"Honoring John P. Brown, III".CapitolWords.org.May 13, 2003. Archived fromthe originalon 2014-04-26.Retrieved2014-04-26.
- ^"Our History".Amvets.Archived fromthe originalon 2007-06-07.RetrievedSeptember 13,2007.
- ^History of the Sad Sacks
- ^'Sad Sack',York Daily Record,November 26, 1975, page 18
External links
[edit]![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- Official Website
- A film clip"Longines Chronoscope with Henry J. Mahady)"is available for viewing at theInternet Archive
- "Career Center".AMVETS.
- Charities based in Maryland
- American veterans' organizations
- 1944 establishments in the United States
- Organizations established in 1944
- Lobbying organizations in the United States
- Magazine publishing companies of the United States
- Nonpartisan organizations in the United States
- Patriotic and national organizations chartered by the United States Congress