History

The History of The Vietnam War POW/MIA Flag

In 1971, Mrs. Mary Hoff, an MIA wife and member of the National League of American Prisoners and Missing in Southeast Asia, recognized the need for a symbol of our POW/MIAs.  Prompted by an article in the Jacksonville, Florida TIMES-UNION, Mrs. Hoff contacted Norman Rivkees, Vice-President of Annin & Company which had made a banner for the newest member of the United Nations, the People’s Republic of China, as a part of their policy to provide flags to all UN member nations.  Mrs. Hoff found Mr. Rivkees very sympathetic to the POW/MIA issue, and he, along with Annin’s advertising agency, designed a flag to represent our missing men.   Following League approval, the flags were manufactured for distribution.

The flag is black, bearing in the center, in black and white, the emblem of the League.  The emblem is a white disk bearing in black silhouette the bust of a man, watch tower with a guard holding a rifle, and a strand of barbed wire; above the disk are the white letters POW and MIA framing a white 5-pointed star; below the disk is a black and white wreath above the white motto YOU ARE NOT FORGOTTEN.

Concerned groups and individuals have altered the original POW/MIA Flag many times; the colors have been switched from black with white to red, white and blue, to white with black; the POW/MIA has at times been revised to MIA/POW.  Such changes, however, are insignificant.  The importance lies in the continued visibility of the symbol, a constant reminder of the plight of America’s POW/MIA’S.

On March 9,1989 a POW/MIA Flag, which flew over the White House on the 1988 National POW/MIA Recognition Day, was installed in the United States Capitol Rotunda as a result of legislation passed overwhelmingly during the 100th session of Congress.   The leadership of both Houses hosted the installation ceremony in a demonstration of bipartisan congressional support. This POW/MIA Flag, the only flag displayed in the United States Capitol Rotunda, stands as a powerful symbol of our national commitment to our POW/MIAs until the fullest possible accounting for Americans still missing in Southeast Asia has been achieved.

Month & Day	Year	Event
March 15-17	1919	The American Legion is founded in Paris by members of the American Expeditionary Force.
September 16	1919	The U S. Congress charters The American Legion.
November 10-12	1919	First national convention of The American Legion convenes in Minneapolis, Minn. Organization’s Constitution and Preamble are adopted. Resolution adopted supporting the Boy Scouts of American as first youth program.
August 9	1921	U.S. Veterans Bureau, forerunner of the Veterans Administration, is created as a result of efforts by The American Legion.
June 15	1923	First “Flag Code” is drafted during conference called by The American Legion. Congress adopted the code in 1942.
July 17	1925	American Legion Baseball program is created.
June 23	1935	First American Legion Boys State convenes in Springfield, Ill.
June 1	1938	First American Legion National High School Oratorical Championship held in Norman, Okla.
September 19-21	1942	Preamble to the Constitution of The American Legion is changed for the first and only time since it was written in 1919. The word “War” is changed to “Wars.”
December 15	1943	Harry W. Colmery, past national commander of The American Legion, writes in longhand on hotel stationery the first draft of what will become the “GI Bill of Rights.”
June 22	1944	President Franklin Roosevelt signs The GI Bill into law.
May 29	1946	A $50,000 grant from the American Legion and the American Legion Auxiliary is presented to a small, struggling organization – the American Heart Association – to inaugurate a nationwide program for the study, prevention and treatment of rheumatic heart disease.
May 4	1950	The American Legion votes to contribute funds to the field of mental health with the provision that the three major mental health organizations then in existence be amalgamated into one. They accepted this provision and the National Association for Mental Health was born.
July 9	1954	The American Legion Child Welfare Foundation is formed.
September 1	1966	The American Legion voices great concern over the fate of POWs in Vietnam.
August 26	1982	The American Legion presents a $1million check to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund toward the construction of ‘The Wall’ in Washington, D.C.
July 21	1983	The American Legion announces its sponsorship of an independent study of the effects of exposure to Agent Orange on Vietnam veterans. (The results of “The American Legion Columbia University Study of Vietnam-era Veterans’ were presented to Congress in 1989.)
January 1	1989	The Department of Veterans Affairs begins operations. The American Legion fought for the VA to become a cabinet-level department, arguing that veterans deserved representation in the highest conuncils fo government.
October 16	1989	Longstanding objective of The American Legion is achieved as the U.S. Court of Veterans Appeals begins operations.
October 11	1990	The Family Support Netword of The American Legion is formed to assist the families of military personnel deployed during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm.
June 15	1991	The American Legion’s first Junior Shooting Sports National Air Rifle Championships are held at the Olympic Training Center at Colorado Springs, Colo.
April 5	1993	The First class of recently discharged veterans begins training in Sterling, VA for eventual placement in well-paying jobs in the construction industry. The landmark training and job-placement program is a joint effort by The American Legion and the Laborers’ International Union of North America.
August 24	1994	The American Legion announces creation of the Citizens Flag Alliance to work for a constitutional amendment to protect the American flag from physical desecration.
September 24	1994	The American Legion announces partnership with the Smithsonian Institute’s Air and Space Museum to develop an exhibit for the bomber Enola Gay, which droped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan. Previous museum plans and drawn intense criticism from veterans, scholars and the public.
January 30	1995	The American Legion announces acceptance of scaled-down exhibit “without political commentary” for the Enola Gay, ending the greatest controversy in the Smithsonian Institute’s 149-year history.
October 1	1995	The American Legion forms a Persian Gulf Tast Force to enhance the organization’s service to these veterans.
September 16	1996	The first $20,000 postsecondary scholarship in the Samsung -American Legion High School Scholars program are granted to 10 students.
June 11	1997	The American Legion National Emergency Fund exceeds the $1 million mark in grants to flood victims in Ohio, Kentrucky, Indiana, Minnesota, and North Dakota.
September 3	1997	The first National Law Enforcement Office of the Year award is presented during the 79th National Convention in Orlando, Fla.
March 28	2000	The American Legion, the American Legion Auxiliary and the Fons of The American Legion donate $2.7 million to the World War II Memorial Fund. Donations exceed 3.4 million by year end.
September 5	2000	The American Legion presents the first “Spirit of Service” Award to active duty service members for their off-duty volunteer activities.
August 28-30	2001	The American Legion passes resolution to rekindle Blue Star Service Banner program.
September 12	2001	The American Legion reactivates the Family Support Network following terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, D.C.
October 10-11	2001	The American Legion creates the American Legacy Scholarship Fund for children of military members killed on active duty on or after September 11, 2001
September 11	2002	The American Legion takes lead in conducting “A Day To Remember” events to mark the anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the nation.
November 8	2002	The American Legion launches national “I Am Not A Number” campaign to identify and document the delays veterans face in obtaining earned medical care benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs.
October 17	2003	American Legion efforts on Capitol Hill break the deadlock on the Disabled Veterans Tax when Congress creates a 10-year phase-in for service-connected disabled retirees to receive military retired pay and VA disability compensation without subtraction from either. Legion efforts also result I passage of the Military Family Tax Relief Act.
September 3	2004	American Legion lobbying leads to more progress in elimination of the Disabled Veterans Tax with passage of PL 108-375 that eliminates the 10-year phase-in for 100 percent service-connected retirees, allowing them to immediately begin receiving both retired pay and VA disability payments.
September 19	2004	The American Legion launches a national program, the Blue Star Salute, where posts across the country hold public events to recognize troops, their families and local businesses on Armed Forces Day.
May 7	2005	The American Legion lobbied successfully to remove from VA funding legislation administration-proposed increases in VA prescription co-payments and institution of user fee for Priority Group 8 veterans using VA health facilities. Efforts focus on legislation to provide mandatory, vice discretionary, funding of VA health care.

The American flag is a source of American history, legend, unity and respect. Through the years the number of stars in the canton has increased with the addition of new states, and the meaning of the flag has expanded to unimaginable heights. From its unofficial beginning as the Continental Colors or Grand Union flag to the long serving 50-star American Flag, Americans have been on a quest to protect, preserve and serve the flag. Today the flag flies everywhere from classrooms to federal buildings to homes and even cars. It’s internationally recognized in every country and city around the world.

Number of Stars	Information	Dates in Use
0 Stars	Continental Colors Also known as the Grand Union flag, the Union flag, the Continental flag, the Somerville flag and the Great Union Designed with a British Union Jack in the canton and 13 alternating red and white stripes Considered to the be the first American flag, but it was never official The Maritime Committee of Continental Congress considered it the official flag of the American naval forces More Information on the Continental Colors Purchase a Continental Colors flag	1775-1777
13 Stars	Betsy Ross Flag First official flag of the United States Designed with 13 stars and 13 stripes to represent the 13 colonies (Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maryland, South Carolina, New Hampshire, Virginia, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island) Since Congress did not specify dimensions, proportions, shapes or star patterns, flags varied dramatically Legend says that Betsy Ross designed and sewed the first American flag, but most historians disagree The person who sewed the first flag is unknown, but the designer is thought to be Francis Hopkinson The Second Continental Congress passed the Flag Resolution of 1777 on June 14, 1777 making the Betsy Ross flag official This date is now celebrated annually as Flag Day The only president to serve under this flag was George Washington More Information on the Betsy Ross flag Purchase a Betsy Ross flag	1777-1795
15 Stars	Star Spangled Banner Flag Designed with 15 stars and 15 stripes to represent the 13 original states plus Kentucky and Vermont Made by Mary Pickersgill and her daughter In 1812 the flag was flown over Fort McHenry, which inspired Francis Scott Key to write the Star Spangled Banner poem, which was put to music to become America’s national anthem The Star Spangled Banner is on display at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison and James Monroe all served under this flag More Information on the Star Spangled Banner Purchase a Star Spangled Banner flag	1795-1818
20 Stars	20-Star American Flag Also known as the Great Star Flag and the Flag of 1818 Congress passed the Flag Act of 1818, adding five new stars to the flag and reducing the number of stripes from 15 to 13 The five additional stars represented Tennessee, Ohio, Louisiana, Indiana, Mississippi This flag was designed by Navy Captain Samuel Reid James Monroe was the only president to serve under this flag	1818-1819
21 Stars	21-Star American Flag One star was added with the admission of Illinois to the Union James Monroe was the only president to service under this flag	1819-1820
23 Stars	23-Star American Flag Two stars were added to the flag for the admission of Alabama and Maine When Alabama was admitted in 1819, the free and slave states were balanced, but with the addition of Maine, the Union held a majority of free states James Monroe was the only president to serve under this flag	1820-1822
24 Stars	24-Star American Flag One star was added to the flag for the admission of Missouri The name “Old Glory” spawned from a 24-star flag flown by shipmaster Captain William Driver The flag, which was given to him by his mother and friends, became famous by the time of the Civil War Driver, who lived in Tennessee, was afraid the flag would be seized by Confederate forces, so he hid the flag between layers of his comforter In 1860 ten more stars were added to the flag for the admission of new states Today Old Glory is one of America’s greatest treasures James Monroe, John Quincy Adams and Andrew Jackson served under the 24-star flag	1822-1836
25 Stars	25-Star American Flag One star was added to the flag for the admission of Arkansas Andrew Jackson and Martin Van Buren served under this flag	1836-1837
26 Stars	26-Star American Flag One star was added to the flag for the admission of Michigan Sailing under a 26-star American flag, U.S. Navy Lieutenant Charles Wilkes led the first American expedition to explore Antarctica Martin Van Buren, William Henry Harrison, John Tyler and James Polk served under this flag	1837-1845
27 Stars	27-Star American Flag One star was added to the flag for the admission of Florida James Polk was the only president to serve under this flag	1845-1846
28 Stars	28-Star American Flag The 28th star was added to the flag when the United States annexed Texas; an action that would spawn the Mexican-American War This was the first war in which American troops carried the flag into battle The United States defeated Mexico and gained land that would become New Mexico, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, California and most of western Colorado James Polk was the only president to serve under this flag	1846-1847
29 Stars	29-Star American Flag One star was added to the flag for the admission of Iowa James Polk was the only president to serve under this flag	1847-1848
30 Stars	30-Star American Flag One star was added to the flag for the admission of Wisconsin James Polk, Zachary Taylor and Millard Fillmore served under this flag	1848-1851
31 Stars	31-Star American Flag One star was added to the flag for the admission of California Millard Fillmore, Franklin Pierce and James Buchanan served under this flag	1851-1858
32 Stars	32-Star American Flag One star was added to the flag for the admission of Minnesota James Buchanan was the only president to serve under this flag	1858-1859
33 Stars	33-Star American Flag One star was added to the flag for the admission of Oregon The Civil War began on April 12, 1861, under this flag James Buchanan and Abraham Lincoln served under this flag	1859-1861
34 Stars	34-Star American Flag One star was added to the flag for the admission of Kansas South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas, Tennessee, North Carolina, and Virginia seceded from the Union in 1861 President Lincoln did not remove stars from the flag because he believed the Southern states were still part of the government In protest some Northeners cut 11 stars out of their personal flags Abraham Lincoln was the only president to serve under this flag	1861-1863
35 Stars	35-Star American Flag One star was added to the flag for the admission of West Virginia Virginia split into two separate states because parts supported the Confederacy and other parts supported the Union (the section that would become West Virginia supported the Union) This was the first time that a new state formed out of rebellion of the original state The Civil War ended on April 9, 1865, under this flag Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson served under this flag	1863-1865
36 Stars	36-Star American Flag One star was added to the flag for the admission of Nevada 3 months before the flag became official, a 36-star flag was used to cushion President Lincoln’s head the evening of his assassination at Ford’s Theatre “The Lincoln Flag” is currently on display at the Columns Museum of the Pike County Historical Society in Milford, PA Andrew Johnson was the only president to serve under this flag	1865-1867
37 Stars	37-Star American Flag One star was added to the flag for the admission of Nebraska Andrew Johnson, Ulysses S. Grant and Rutherford B. Hayes served under this flag	1867-1877
38 Stars	38-Star American Flag One star was added to the flag for the admission of Colorado Rutherford B. Hayes, James A. Garfield, Chester A. Arthur, Grover Cleveland and Benjamin Harrison all served under this flag	1877-1890
43 Stars	43-Star American Flag Five stars were added to the flag for the admission of North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Washington and Idaho Benjamin Harrison was the only president to serve under this flag	1890-1891
44 Stars	44-Star American Flag One star was added to the flag for the admission of Wyoming Benjamin Harrison and Grover Cleveland served under this flag	1891-1896
45 Stars	45-Star American Flag One star was added to the flag for the admission of Utah Grover Cleveland, William McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt served under this flag Purchase a 45-star American Stick Flag	1896-1908
46 Stars	46-Star American Flag One star was added to the flag for the admission of Oklahoma William H. Taft was the only president to serve under this flag	1908-1912
48 Stars	48-Star American Flag Two stars were added to the flag for the admission of New Mexico and Arizona President Taft passed an Executive Order in 1912 establishing proportions for the flag and arranging the stars in six horizontal rows of eight, with each star pointing upward This flag was in service for 47 years, lasting through two World Wars and making it the longest serving flag until July 4, 2007, when it will be succeeded by the 0-star American flag William H. Taft, Woodrow Wilson, Warren Harding, Calvin Coolidge, Herbert Hoover, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry S. Truman, and Dwight D. Eisenhower served under this flag Purchase a 48-star American Stick Flag	1912-1959
49 Stars	49-Star American Flag One Star was added for the admission of Alaska President Eisenhower passed an Executive Order in 1959 to have the stars arranged in 7 rows with 7 stars in each row, staggered horizontally and vertically Dwight D. Eisenhower was the only president to serve under this flag	1959-1960
50 Stars	50-Star American Flag One star was added to the flag for the admission of Hawaii 17-year-old Bob Heft predicted that Hawaii would gain statehood after Alaska, and designed a 50-star flag for his high school history class After Hawaii had been added, President Eisenhower selected Heft’s design to become the national emblem As of July 4, 2007, the 50-star flag will be America’s longest serving flag Dwight D. Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard M. Nixon, Gerald R. Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald W. Reagan, George Bush, William J. Clinton, and George W. Bush served under this flag More Information on the 50-star American Flag Purchase a 50-star American Flag	1960-Present

The American Legion —– Still Serving America

The American Legion is the largest wartime veterans’ group in the nation, with approximately 2.8 million members. In recent years, a new generation of wartime veterans has become eligible to join. The American Legion, the millions of service men and women who served on duty during the Persian Gulf War, Somalia, and Haiti. Their wartime service gives them eligible, just as those who served during Grenada, Panama, and Lebanon. Today’s active-duty service men and women are currently eligible for Legion membership, because the Persian Gulf period has not yet been declared over by the U.S. government.

Not only is the Legion the largest, but it is also the most active veteran’s organization. Veterans care and benefits have always been at the top of The American Legion agenda. The Legion constantly battles for adequate funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs, especially to restore veterans’ medical care to a level promised them by a government they swore to serve and defend. The Legion has introduced comprehensive proposals to improve the VA Health Care System and to reform its unfair and complicated eligibility rules.

The Legion has long been the leader of the efforts to gain adequate care and compensation for Vietnam veterans and their families affected by exposure to Agent Orange and for those who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder. Based upon that experience, the Legion was among the first to call attention to the phenomenon of strange illness reported by those who served in the Persian Gulf, and thus demanded that those sick veterans be compensated for service-oriented illnesses.

Because of drastic downsizing of the armed forces, The American Legion has voiced strong and consistent concern for our nation’s national defense. Today’s men and women in uniform are some of America’s finest citizens: yet they are over deployed and underpaid. The American Legion is reconnecting with those in uniform to help them at the local level while pushing hard at the top levels of government for essential increases in pay and funding.

More than a veterans organization, The American Legion stands second to none in patriotism and has led the movement to return to the people their right to protect the American Flag from acts of physical desecration.

With the formation of the Citizens Flag Alliance, a coalition of like-minded organizations founded in 1944 by The American Legion, the voice of the people is heard in Congress. Forty-nine state legislatures have petitioned Congress to send them a flag-protection amendment for ratification. Legislation to achieve protection will be considered in the 107th Congress.

The American Legion is dedicated to improving America through involved and committed volunteerism. The Legion donates more blood than any other organization in the country. In 1999-2000, Legionnaires gave more than $28 million to Children and Youth programs, such as its long-standing sponsorship of American Legion Baseball, Boys State and Boys Nation, and Boy Scouts. More than $9 million was donated to charitable organizations such as the United Way and Red Cross. And last year, Legionnaires gave more than 3.9 million hours in volunteer service to their communities and VA hospitals.

Those who stood to defend their nation in time of war… who continue to stand for a strong national defense in a changing world…and who steadfastly work to preserve the fabric of the nation…that is today’s American Legion, STILL SERVING AMERICA.