KevinBeyer Posted October 13, 2014 Share #1 Posted October 13, 2014 LEGION OF VALOR OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, INC. The following is excerpted from the Legion of Valor's website. Its reproduction here is meant for educational purposes and for information. The Legion of Valor was organized on April 23, 1890, in Washington, DC, by a group of Civil War and Indian War Campaign veterans who were recipients of the Medal of Honor. At its inception, the name was “The Medal of Honor Legion”. The membership was augmented following the Spanish Campaign of 1898 and following the Philippines Insurrection. The membership was never large and with the passage of years and subsequent demise of members, on November 25, 1918, the recipients of the Army Distinguished Service Cross, the second ranking Army decoration for extraordinary heroism, were admitted to membership. In 1933, members of the United States Navy and Marine Corps, who were recipients of the Navy Cross, the second ranking Navy decoration for extraordinary heroism, were invited to join the membership and the name of this prestigious organization was changed to “The Army and Navy Legion of Valor”. On August 4, 1955, Public Law 224, 84th Congress, incorporated The Army and Navy Legion of Valor of the United States. With the creation of the Air Force Medal of Honor and the Air Force Cross, the membership invited the recipients of these medals to become members and on June 21, 1961, with P.L. 87-56, the name of this elite organization became the “Legion of Valor of the United States of America, Inc”. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevinBeyer Posted October 13, 2014 Author Share #2 Posted October 13, 2014 Reunion badge for the 10th annual Medal of Honor Legion reunion held in Brooklyn, N.Y., on September 12, 1900. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
12A54 Posted October 13, 2014 Share #3 Posted October 13, 2014 With the very small number of recent recipients and the dwindling numbers of older recipients, how can this organization sustain itself (and all of its assets) into the future? Or will it simply fade away? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uniformcollector Posted October 13, 2014 Share #4 Posted October 13, 2014 With the very small number of recent recipients and the dwindling numbers of older recipients, how can this organization sustain itself (and all of its assets) into the future? Or will it simply fade away? Maybe it will do something like the Polar Bear Club where relatives or interested historians will keep it together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevinBeyer Posted October 13, 2014 Author Share #5 Posted October 13, 2014 Reunion badge for the 35th annual Army & Navy Legion of Valor reunion held in Pittsburgh, Pa on November 10, 11, 12, 1925. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevinBeyer Posted October 16, 2014 Author Share #6 Posted October 16, 2014 Reunion badge for the 36th annual Army & Navy Legion of Valor reunion held in Philadelphia, Pa, on October 4, 5, 6, 1925. (The obverse of the ribbon has faded with exposure to sunlight.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevinBeyer Posted October 16, 2014 Author Share #7 Posted October 16, 2014 Reunion badge for the 39th annual Army & Navy Legion of Valor reunion held in Philadelphia, Pa, on August 11, 12, 13, 14, 1929. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevinBeyer Posted October 17, 2014 Author Share #8 Posted October 17, 2014 Reunion badge for the 40th annual Army & Navy Legion of Valor reunion held in Harrisburg, Pa, on July 13, 14, 15, 16, 1930. (The obverse of the ribbon has faded with exposure to sunlight.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevinBeyer Posted October 17, 2014 Author Share #9 Posted October 17, 2014 Reunion badge for the 41st annual Army & Navy Legion of Valor reunion held in Boston, Ma, on August 9, 10, 11, 12, 1930. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevinBeyer Posted October 18, 2014 Author Share #10 Posted October 18, 2014 Reunion badge for the 42nd annual Army & Navy Legion of Valor reunion held in Boston, Ma, on September 11, 12, 13, 14, 1932 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevinBeyer Posted October 18, 2014 Author Share #11 Posted October 18, 2014 Reunion badge for the 43rd annual Army & Navy Legion of Valor reunion held in New York, NY, on September 10, 11, 12, 13, 1933. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevinBeyer Posted October 18, 2014 Author Share #12 Posted October 18, 2014 Reunion badge for the 44th annual Army & Navy Legion of Valor reunion held in Newport, R.I., on August 5, 6, 7, 8, 1934. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevinBeyer Posted October 18, 2014 Author Share #13 Posted October 18, 2014 Reunion badge (pendant only) for the 46th annual Army & Navy Legion of Valor reunion held in Cincinnati, Oh., on August 31 to September 2, 1936. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevinBeyer Posted October 18, 2014 Author Share #14 Posted October 18, 2014 Reunion badge for the 48th annual Army & Navy Legion of Valor reunion held in Pittsburgh, Pa., on November 10, 11, 12, 1938. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevinBeyer Posted October 18, 2014 Author Share #15 Posted October 18, 2014 Reunion badge for the 49th annual Army & Navy Legion of Valor reunion held in New York, N.Y., on July 6, 7, 8, 9, 1939. The ribbon says it was held in Queens County. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevinBeyer Posted October 18, 2014 Author Share #16 Posted October 18, 2014 Reunion badge for the 45th annual Army & Navy Legion of Valor reunion held in Philadelphia, Pa., on November 10, 11, 12, 1945. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevinBeyer Posted October 18, 2014 Author Share #17 Posted October 18, 2014 It has taken me almost 15 years to find these examples of Medal of Honor Legion and Army & Navy Legion of Valor reunion badges. I welcome any new additions to this topic. If you have any badges of this type that you are willing to trade, or sell, please let me know. I am looking for examples in the best condition possible. I would gladly upgrade any of the above to better condition if possible. Kevin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uniformcollector Posted October 18, 2014 Share #18 Posted October 18, 2014 Great collection! If only I could have been at one of these reunions... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevinBeyer Posted November 23, 2014 Author Share #19 Posted November 23, 2014 Reunion badge for the 29th annual Army & Navy Legion of Valor reunion held in Columbus, Oh., Pa., September 9, 1919. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevinBeyer Posted November 23, 2014 Author Share #20 Posted November 23, 2014 Reunion badge for the 56th annual Army & Navy Legion of Valor reunion held in Buffalo, NY, on July 21, 22, 23, 24, 1946. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevinBeyer Posted November 23, 2014 Author Share #21 Posted November 23, 2014 It appears that I forgot to post two more of my Army & Navy Legion of Valor reunion badges. I am still seeking to add more to my collection. If anyone has any for trade, or sale, please let me know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevinBeyer Posted January 10, 2015 Author Share #22 Posted January 10, 2015 I am not certain as to the history of this piece. It is my assumption that post WWII, like other Veterans' Organizations, the use of reunion badges waned due to cost. How it came to be that Coors contributed this souvenir/advertisement piece to the event is unknown to me. These "dogtags" are made from aluminum. Army & Navy Legion of Valor National Convention held in Arlington, Va, August 3 - 6, 1988. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBFloyd Posted January 11, 2015 Share #23 Posted January 11, 2015 Steve Ritchie, the Air Force's only pilot ace in Vietnam, worked for Adolph Coors for a number of years in the 1980s. As an Air Force Cross recipient, Ritchie was probably a Legion of Valor member and saw the public relations value of corporate sponsorship by Coors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mars&thunder Posted January 11, 2015 Share #24 Posted January 11, 2015 The Legion of Valor used to do a members magazine, I have about 35 issues from the 1930's. They typically have very interesting photos of members on the covers, as well as society and member news content. Here is a cover from a random example.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevinBeyer Posted June 18, 2015 Author Share #25 Posted June 18, 2015 Reunion badge (complete with ribbon and suspension bar) for the 46th annual Army & Navy Legion of Valor reunion held in Cincinnati, Oh., on August 31 to September 2, 1936. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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