Editor, Gazette-Journal:

Happy 102nd birthday to The American Legion! The American Legion was “born” on March 15, 1919 during a caucus of the American Expeditionary Force in Paris, France. It was chartered by Congress in September 1919. In 1921, the Legion’s efforts created the U.S. Veterans Bureau; later to become Veterans Administration.

In 1923, the first “Flag Code” was drafted at the Legion’s convention. In 1925, the Legion Baseball program was created and, since its inception, countless players have gone on to play in college and pro baseball with 81 players to date inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

The American Legion serves active duty and veteran service members, their families, and the communities they live in. There are Legion Posts across the nation and overseas. Legion membership is made up of proud service members who are still honored to serve their country. Last year, the Legion gave over 4.5 million hours and $5 million in community service and placed ...