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Our commitment to service traces its roots back to 1944 when veteran volunteers first began helping veterans of World War II obtain the benefits promised them by the federal government. As the number of returning veterans swelled into the millions, it was evident that some sort of nationally organized assistance for them would be needed. The older established national groups wouldn’t do; the leaders of this new generation of veterans wanted their own organization.

With that in mind, eighteen of them, representing nine veterans clubs, met in Kansas City, Missouri and founded The American Veterans of World War II on Dec. 10, 1944. Less than three years later, on July 23, 1947, President Harry S. Truman signed Public Law 216, making AMVETS the first World War II organization to be chartered by Congress.

 

Since then, the original charter has been amended several times to admit as members those who served in different eras. Today, membership in AMVETS is open to anyone who is currently serving, or who has honorably served, in the U.S. Armed Forces from World War II to the present, to include the National Guard and Reserves.

 

As a volunteer-led organization, we annually elect and/or appoint officers at the national, district, department and post levels. Each August, representatives from these levels attend the AMVETS national convention to make decisions on issues affecting veterans and the organization.

 

The AMVETS organization has grown and evolved over the years to best serve each new generation of veterans and their families. Explore this website to appreciate the services, programs and public policy impact we drive every day across the United States.

As the organization moves further into the 21st century, it does so with the conviction that its focus on preserving freedom, supporting America’s defenders and serving her communities remains a clear blueprint for continued service to God and country.

AMVETS' 2022 - 2023 National Constitution & Bylaws

Year

1944-1945

1945-1946

1946-1947

1947-1948

1948-1949

1949-1950

1950-1951

1951-1952

1952-1953

1953-1954

1954-1955

1955-1956

1956-1957

1957-1958

1958-1959

1959-1960

1960-1961

1961-1962

1962-1963

1963-1964

1964-1965

1965-1966

1966-1967

1967-1968

1968-1969

1969-1970

1970-1971

1971-1972

1972-1973

1973-1974

1974-1975

1975-1976

1976-1977

1977-1978

1978-1979

1979-1980

1980-1981

1981-1982

1982-1983

1983-1984

1984-1985

1985-1986

1986-1987

1987-1988

1988-1989

1989-1990

1990-1991

1991-1992

1992-1993

1993-1994

1994-1995

1995-1996

1996-1997

1997-1998

1998-1999

1999-2000

2000-2001

2001-2002

2002-2003

2003-2004

2004-2005

2005-2006

2006-2007

2007-2008

2008-2009

2009-2010

2010-2011

2011-2012

2012-2013

2013-2014

2014-2015

2015-2016

2016-2017

2017-2018

2018-2019

2019-2021

2021-2022

2022-2023

*Deeply missed

AMVETS

Elmo W. Keel*

Jack W. Hardy*

Ray Sawyer*

Edgar C. Corry, Jr.*

Harold A. Keats*

Harold S. Russell*

Harold S. Russell*

John L. Smith*

Marshall E. Miller*

Henry J. Mahady*

Rufus H. Wilson*

Rudolph G. Pesata*

Dominick L. Strada*

Stuart J. Satullo*

Dr. Winston E. Burdine*

Harold T. Berc*

Harold S. Russell*

Edwin F. Fifielski*

Dante E. Spagnolo*

Edmund M. Gulewicz*

Lincoln S. Tamraz*

Ralph E. Hall*

A. Leo Anderson*

Anthony J. Caserta*

Joseph V. Ferrino

Robert B. Gomulinski*

Robert W. Showalter*

Joe F. Ramsey, Jr.*

Joseph R. Sanson*

Berge Avadanian*

Essley B. Burdine*

Paul C. Welsh*

Thomas J. McDonough, Sr.*

Frank D. Ruggiero*

Ted Leszkiewicz*

Joseph R. Koralewski*

Ernest F. Pitochelli*

Donald R. Russell*

Robert Martin*

Robert L. Wilbraham*

John S. Lorec*

Robert A. Medairos*

Joseph T. Piening

James B. King

Jimmy T. Smith

Warren W. Eagles, Sr.*

Vaughn L. Brown, Sr.*

James L. Singler*

James J. Kenney

Donald M. Hearon*

Arthur W. Klingel, Jr.*

Kenneth E. Wolford

David E. Ovesen

Josephus Vandengoorbergh*

Cecil R. Aultman*

Charles L. Taylor

Arthur C. Stahl

Joseph W. Lipowski

W.G. “Bill” Kilgore

S. John Sisler*

William A. Boettcher

Edward Kemp*

Thomas C. McGriff*

John P. “JP” Brown III

John “Chad” Hapner*

Duane Miskulin

Jerry Hotop

Gary L. Fry

Cleve Geer*

John Mitchell*

Larry Via

James D. Pidgeon

Harold Chapman

Marion Polk*

Regis 'Rege' Riley

Jan Brown

Gregory S. Heun

Donald 'Don' McLean

Ladies Auxiliary

Edith G. Males*

Kathryn N. Snyder*

Adeline P. Fogg*

Evelyn Lauritson*

Evelyn M. Flasco*

Dorothy Sullivan*

Darline Gordon*

Beatrice F. Russell*

Ruth K. Nickerson*

Florence B. Stripe*

Gloria I. Clark

June L. Miller*

Mae Boone*

Aldean M. Sorrells*

Lucia C. Russo*

Anne E. Hall*

Alice Oana*

Leah Monasterio*

Marie Redden*

Jewel W. Fifielski*

Ellen Bogatay*

 

Rita Potvin*

 

Kathleen Hengely*

 

Marie Miller*

 

Betty Torner*

 

Dorothy M. LeRoy*

Doris L. Burdine*

 

Dorothy J. Bussard Ruph

 

Grace G. Osborn*

 

Toni Gomulinski*

 

Doris G. Shrake

 

Pearl V. Barnett*

 

Jane Ashley*

 

Lila B. Longworth*

 

Anne Brown*

 

Margaret Rummel*

 

Ruth Singler

 

Agnes P. Kolano*

 

Elizabeth M. Wineland*

 

Mary S. Barrow

 

Sylvia Lipowski*

 

Dorothy J. Stoddard

 

Betty J. Leisure*

 

Jean Baxter *

 

Nita I. Cornell*

 

Dorothy R. Bull*

 

Betty S. Lawson*

 

Barbara S. Hinsley *

 

Janet M. St. Michel*

 

Cathy S. Fishero

 

Brenda R. Kilgore

 

Denise LaBatt

 

Janice Hapner*

 

Linda L. Johnston

 

Beverly A. Box

 

Susan Sisler*

 

Sandye Aultman*

 

Virginia Hays

 

Carol King

 

Bonnie A. Scott*

 

Barbara K. Guth

 

Heidi Dineen

 

Charlene Kee

 

Patty Piening

 

Dee Kreiling

 

Lynda Taylor

 

Leslie Wunderle

 

Linda McGriff

 

Sylvia Rowland

 

Kathryn M. Berning

 

Evelyn McElvin

 

Marvell Rupel

 

Barbara Valley

Dee Baggett

Joan Sirek

Karin Simmons

Sons of AMVETS

 

Roger Damron

Allan McKinney

 

James R. Brown

 

John V. Creech

 

John V. Creech

 

Daniel P. Connolly

 

Richard Mooney Jr.*

 

George W. Burral

 

Stanley Mellott*

 

Stephen M. Turner

 

Charles S. Kyser

 

Charles S. Kyser

 

Randy E. Greene

 

Stephen M. Tuner

 

Patrick G. Morgan

 

Jim Burleson*

 

Rene Valley*

 

Ray Hutchinson

 

Larry E. Combs

 

David R. Helmuth

 

Charlie Summerall

 

Bob Grose

 

Mike Mrzlak

 

Dale Byrd

 

Jay Williams

 

Ben Haynes Jr

 

David Spencer

 

Robert Hammett

 

John Barnhill

 

Jon Keith

 

Don Finnegan

 

Daniel K. Briggs

 

David T. Strittmather

 

Mark Serpis

 

Harold Collins

 

Ken Barber

Richard Thibodeau

Paul Speigle

Mick Ciesla

Convention

Chicago

 

St. Louis

 

Columbus

 

Chicago

 

Des Moines

 

Cleveland

 

Boston

 

Grand Rapids

 

Indianapolis

 

Miami

 

Philadelphia

 

Milwaukee

 

Boston

 

St. Louis

 

Grand Rapids

 

Miami Beach

 

Louisville

 

New York City

 

Detroit

 

Philadelphia

 

Boston

 

Columbus

 

Hollywood

 

New Orleans

 

Detroit

 

New York City

 

Los Angeles

 

New Orleans

 

St. Louis

 

Hollywood

 

Des Moines

 

Philadelphia

 

Atlantic City

 

Milwaukee

 

Cleveland

 

Dallas

 

Louisville

 

Hollywood

 

New Orleans

 

Knoxville

 

Baltimore

 

Cincinnati

 

St. Louis

 

Albuquerque

 

Grand Rapids

 

Atlanta

 

Louisville

 

Orlando

 

New Orleans

 

Buffalo

 

Cincinnati

 

Dallas

 

Orlando

 

Greensboro

 

Omaha

 

Philadelphia

 

Dallas

 

Louisville

 

Orlando

 

Spokane

 

Kansas City

 

Reno

 

Greensboro

 

Orlando

 

New Orleans

 

Louisville

 

St. Louis

 

Reno

 

Memphis

 

Birmingham

 

Reno

 

Norfolk

 

Orlando

Louisville

Greensboro

New Orleans

AMVETS History

sh2_truman_01.jpg

President Harry Truman accepting a 1958 AMVETS Silver Helmet in Americanism.

Past National Commanders (PNC)

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