The Legion's 1930 National Convention created a
committee to study the feasibility of a junior
Legion. The establishment of the Sons as a
non-profit, nonsectarian civilian organization
was authorized by action of The American
Legion's 14th National Convention in Portland,
Oregon in September 1932. The 1933 national
Convention officially changed the name of the
organization to "The Sons of The American
Legion," authorized the abbreviation "S.A.L."
and set annual national dues at 25 cents.
The first Squadron chartered was Bruce P.
Robinson Post #133 in Indianapolis, Indiana. The
very first membership card was issued to John P.
Ragsdale; his brothers Edward and Robert were
also charter members and received cards #2 and
#3. John was killed in an aerial mission over
Germany in 1943. In 1946, the name of the Post
was changed to Robinson-Ragsdale Post 133. By
1934, the S.A.L. expanded to 24 Detachments, 170
Squadrons and 524 members. In the late 1930's,
Sons were closely involved with Legionnaires in
nationwide radio programs and printed a monthly
national newspaper called "The Legion-Heir."
There were over 60,000 members in 1938 when
Paramount Pictures released a film entitled
"Sons of The Legion" starring Donald O'Connor,
William Frawley and Evelyn Keyes. The movie
played in thousands of theaters around the
country where local S.A.L. musical units
furnished live entertainment.
The S.A.L. had over 70,000 members in the
late 30's and was growing rapidly. But World War
II erupted and most Sons marched off, many of
them never returned. Sons who remained on the
homefront also did their part working in civil
defense, helping to operate aircraft warning
posts, participating in war bond drives,
collecting scrap metals and working in defense
plants.
When Sons returned home after World War II,
they found their military service had made them
eligible to join the ranks of The American
Legion. In the decade between 1946 and 1956, an
era, which included the Korean War, millions of
ex-serviceman and women, joined The American
Legion. Paradoxically, as the ranks of The
American Legion swelled, membership in the Sons
dropped to fewer than 6,000 and the organization
flirted with extinction.
Only through the efforts of dedicated Legion
Family members did the S.A.L. turn around. in
1958, membership passed the 10,000 mark then
climbed to nearly 17,000 in the early 1960's.
The Legion's 44th National Convention in October
1962 appointed a special study group to revamp
the structure of the Sons. A study group met in
April 1963 and recommended increasing dues to 50
cents per member, eliminated military sounding
S.A.L. officer titles and designated an official
S.A.L. uniform. The study group met again in
January 1964 and recommended updating the S.A.L.
Constitution, initiating membership awards and
revising the S.A.L. handbook.
The Sons' first National S.A.L. Workshop was
conducted during the Legion's 1964 National
Convention in Dallas. National Workshops
continued annually through 1967, and then were
replaced by National Caucuses, which were held
annually through 1971. All Past National Caucus
Chairmen are now recognized as Past National
Commanders of the S.A.L. In 1972, the legion's
National Executive Committee approved the
creation of a national S.A.L. organization under
the full supervision and control of the Legion's
N.E.C., thus opening the door for the Sons of
The American Legion to hold their first National
Convention in Chicago in August 1972. Robert
Faust of California was elected the 1st National
Commander of the Sons.
Sons celebrated their 50th Anniversary in
1982. At the S.A.L. National Convention in
Chicago that year, the Sons held a gala Golden
Anniversary Banquet. A 50th Anniversary Book and
special commemorative lapel pins were issued and
the movie "Sons of The Legion," produced in
1938, was shown.
In 1992, the S.A.L. National Organization
began a reorganization of its commissions and
committees. Various committees were placed under
the oversight of one of six national commissions
for the purpose of coordinating activities.
Under this new structure, the S.A.L. established
Squadron Americanism Awards in 1993, Scholastic
Awards for Boys Nation and Junior Shooting
Sports in 1994 and re-established the S.A.L.
National Color Guard Award in 1996.
The Sons conducted their first Training
Institute for Detachment Commanders in 1995,
providing state officers with valuable
leadership skills and managerial expertise. At
their 1996 National Convention in Salt Lake
City, Sons celebrated their Silver Anniversary
National Convention. That same year, S.A.L.
members nationwide contributed more than
$116,000 to the American Legion's Child Welfare
Foundation, making them the largest contributor
to the Foundation that year.
Every year since the establishment of the
National Organization in 1972, the S.A.L. has
recorded new all-time membership records. In
1990, membership in the Sons exceeded 100,000
for the first time ever. S.A.L. membership broke
the 200,000 mark in 1997. Membership in 2006
soared to over 300,000 members with the National
Renewal rate of over 85%.
2007
American Legion Auxiliary National
President Jan Pulvermacher-Ryan begins an
endowment fund for the National President's
Scholarship entitled "Educating Children of
Warriors." The goal is $1.2 million.
