| 1944 |
American Veterans of World War II (AMVETS) founded in Kansas
City |
| 1945 |
First national convention held in Chicago/World War
II ends |
| 1946 |
National Ladies Auxiliary formed in Pittsburgh |
| 1947 |
AMVETS charter legislation signed/Sad Sacks hold first
scrimmage |
| 1948 |
National Service Foundation becomes corporate subsidiary |
| 1949 |
First memorial carillon dedicated at Arlington National
Cemetery |
| 1950 |
Charter amended to accept Korean War veterans as members |
| 1951 |
Elliot Newcomb assumes top post in World Veterans
Federation |
| 1952 |
First headquarters dedicated on Rhode Island Ave.
in Washington, DC |
| 1953 |
Economy plan goes to Congress/Korean War Armistice
signed |
| 1954 |
First Silver Helmet award presented to Gen. George
C. Marshall |
| 1955 |
Action spurred on reburial of WWII unknown at Arlington
Cemetery |
| 1956 |
National Veterans Day Program hosted at Arlington
Cemetery |
| 1957 |
National Safety Program initiated |
| 1958 |
First science scholarship presented |
| 1959 |
Scholarships added for physical education study |
| 1960 |
Harold Russell elected to third term as national commander |
| 1961 |
Civil Defense assigned to DOD after nationwide awareness
campaign |
| 1962 |
USS Arizona Memorial and AMVETS Memorial Wall
dedicated |
| 1963 |
Final respects paid to President John F. Kennedy |
| 1964 |
JFK Memorial Sports Fund honors late president |
| 1965 |
Ground broken for new headquarters on Rhode Island
Ave. |
| 1966 |
Headquarters dedicated/Vietnam veterans accepted as
members |
| 1967 |
Drivers Excellence Program started |
| 1968 |
First Gold Helmet Award present to President Lyndon
B. Johnson |
| 1969 |
AMVETS 25th Anniversary |
| 1970 |
NEC meets in Berlin—seeks support for POW effort |
| 1971 |
First thrift store open opens on Georgia Ave. in Washington,
DC |
| 1972 |
Ladies Auxiliary hosts Women’s Forum on National
Security |
| 1973 |
The National AMVET resumes monthly publication as
tabloid |
| 1974 |
Ladies Auxiliary adopts John Tracy Clinic as national
program |
| 1975 |
Vietnam era ends/Amnesty-for-draft evaders legislation
defeated |
| 1976 |
Rep. Corrine C. Boggs receives First Auxiliary Humanitarian
Award |
| 1977 |
Stand taken in support of Senate Veterans’ Affairs
Committee |
| 1978 |
New carillon dedicated at Arlington Cemetery |
| 1979 |
Ground broken for headquarters on Forbes Blvd.
in Lanham, Md. |
| 1980 |
Appeals made to elevate VA/Third headquarters dedicated |
| 1981 |
Gramm-Latta Amendment endorsed |
| 1982 |
Because We Care Day started/Vietnam Veterans Memorial
dedicated |
| 1983 |
Assistance provided families of marines wounded in
Lebanon |
| 1984 |
New memorial wall dedicated/Active military accepted
as members |
| 1985 |
AMVETS National Memorial Carillon dedicated |
| 1986 |
Statue of Liberty restored/AMVETS contributes $100,000
to project |
| 1987 |
First Independent Budget produced/first overseas carillon
dedicated |
| 1988 |
VA achieves cabinet-level status as Department of
Veterans Affairs |
| 1989 |
AMVETS Against Drug and Alcohol Abuse Program started |
| 1990 |
National guardsmen and reservists accepted as members |
| 1991 |
Arizona Memorial Room dedicated at headquarters/Gulf
War ends |
| 1992 |
Massive veterans’ protest stops VA rural healthcare
initiative |
| 1993 |
AMVETS-Toyota Safe Driving Challenge launched |
| 1994 |
AMVETS 50th Anniversary |
| 1995 |
Korean War Veterans Memorial dedicated |
| 1996 |
VAVS 50th anniversary/Site of World War II Memorial
dedicated |
| 1997 |
New logo adopted |
| 1998 |
Town meetings conducted nationwide on VA budget crisis |
| 1999 |
National Headquarters renovated/Largest flying flag
dedicated |
| 2000 |
National magazine changes name to AMERICAN VETERAN |
| 2001 |
Terrorists attack U.S./Veterans Day National Commemoration
hosted |
| 2002 |
Albert Geremia, last surviving founder, dies |
| 2003 |
Nationwide marketing effort launched |
| 2004 |
60th anniversary of the founding of AMVETS |
| 2005 |
Memorandum
of Understanding signed with the National Guard Bureau |
| 2006 |
AMVETS hosts the first-ever National Symposium for the Needs of Young Veterans |
