Our Post History
The American Legion was founded in Paris on March 15, 1919 by veterans of the American Expeditionary Force. The organization grew very quickly after it was formally established at a convention in St. Louis in early May and by the time the Legion had its first official Convention in November, a year to the date that the armistice was signed there were over 600,000 Legionnaires in 12,000 posts across the country. One of these posts was Post 754 at the New York Athletic Club. During The Great War 939 NYAC members served in the armed forces and twenty of them made the supreme sacrifice.
Veteran Club members wanted to establish a Legion post within the NYAC and the Legion allowed great flexibility as to where a post could be established. For example there was a post within The College of the City of New York and another post located within John Wanamaker’s Department Store on Broadway and Eighth Street in Greenwich Village. But an NYAC post was still unusual as no other athletic club in the Nation had its own American Legion post. That said it did make sense as the Winged Foot suggested: “It was inevitable. The Great War, which called nearly a thousand members of the Club into active military or naval service of the United States and the Allies, would have lost much of its significance if, after hostilities were terminated, we were not represented by an NYAC Post in the American Legion.” Posts were created by their prospective members who then selected temporary officers who would serve pending the issuance of a charter to the Post by the Legion’s National Organization. On November 20, 1919 the following temporary officers were chosen:
Lawrence C. Donovan, President
James Hanley, Vice President
Arthur McAleenan, Jr., Vice President
Dr. John F. Connors, Vice President
Daniel F. McMahon, Treasurer
Eight days later the Post’s charter was issued. Now that the new Post was official and had a number, “754”, assigned to it, Post members could select a Post Commander. It was an easy task as there was unanimous support for Major Graeme Hammond., M.D. Dr. Hammond served as President of the NYAC (1916-1919), was a noted psychiatrist, an attorney, a champion fencer, a future official in the Olympic Games and a future member of the NYAC’s Hall of Fame. There simply was no man more qualified to lead the new Post than Dr. Hammond.
There were three fundamental principles adopted by the Legion when it was established one hundred years ago, and they still apply today. First is the fostering of the common relationships or comradeship which veterans possess. This was not just a social benefit, it was also an enhancement of the Legion’s and the Post’s effectiveness in acting on behalf of veterans and their families. As a Winged Foot article about the Post commented at the time, “Individually we may weigh but little; organized, our voice and influence will be as far reaching as our organization.” The second principle is service; that means service to the Nation, to our communities and to brother veterans and their families. The third principle involves the strict avoidance of any involvement in politics by the Legion or any of its posts and is best expressed in Section 2 of the Constitution of the American Legion:
“The American Legion shall be absolutely non-political and shall not be used for the dissemination of partisan principles or for the promotion of the candidacy of any person seeking public office or preferment. No candidate or incumbent of a remunerative elective public office shall hold any office in the American Legion or in any department or post thereof.”
This purity of purpose in helping those in need coupled with a strictly apolitical ethos has made the American Legion and its posts very effective advocates. On a national level the Legion, shortly after it was founded and with the support of its departments and posts, including Post 754, advocated successfully for the establishment of a cohesive government agency to provide services for veterans which ultimately became the Department of Veterans Affairs, a Cabinet level department. The Legion and its posts also sought and obtained Congressional funding for the construction of dozens of Veterans hospitals and specialized hospitals for the treatment of “shell-shocked” veterans, a condition that Dr. Hammond cared deeply about, and encouraged the federal and state governments to give preferential treatment to veterans seeking employment. But in those days the Legion did become divided on a few issues, one of them involving a bonus payment to veterans. The Post’s position on the subject was made clear in 1923 and it was in keeping with its dedication to service: “The Post believes that no man can be rewarded for doing his duty; that time of crisis should be a time of sacrifice for all; and, that the drop in the bucket that each individual would get – were it pooled in small part and judiciously distributed to needy and deserving cases the end would be served to better advantage.“
In its early years the Post’s complete focus was on assisting its fellow veterans in need. This was critical especially since the shift to a peacetime economy created considerable economic disruption and a substantial increase in the national jobless rate. The economy that became known as the “Roaring Twenties” did not really start to roar until late 1922. Furthermore, there was a since-forgotten worldwide influenza pandemic which killed more people (estimates vary from 20 to 40 million lives lost) than were taken by the Great War. In the United States 675,000 people died, 46,000 of them servicemen. The federal government was completely unprepared for the return of nearly two million men from France and the greatest pandemic in recorded history. State and local welfare programs, modest to begin with, were overwhelmed. Private welfare agencies ran out of money. Hospitals were so overcrowded that temporary tent hospitals had to be established. Many veterans were unemployed and some who had disembarked troop ships in New York did not have any funds to get home. The Post assisted many of these stranded men and donated funds to Legion employment programs; also, many Post members personally found jobs for unemployed veterans. The Post liaised with over 150 state, local and private social agencies to select needy or unemployed veterans these agencies were assisting because the Post believed that it could help these men more effectively. The Post secured employment for thousands of veterans during this period. The Post also contributed to Legion programs that provided assistance to the families of veterans that were sick or in need financially and supported the American Legion New York State Department’s camp at Lake Tupper, a large facility where disabled and tubercular veterans could recuperate. To this day helping needy and disabled fellow veterans and their families continues to be a primary mission of the Legion and Post 754.
Over five hundred Club veterans joined the Post in its early years and its large membership and association with the NYAC enabled Post 754 to carry out its mission effectively. As the years unfolded the Presidents and Governors of the New York Athletic Club fully supported the Club in its mission and could always be counted on to make Club facilities available for Post fund raising events and activities for wounded and disabled veterans. The success of the Post was recognized in its first few years when the National Organization twice mentioned that Post 754 was one of the best in the United States.
The Post was also a vibrant part of the NYAC’s social scene in that it was a primary goal for the Legion to develop and maintain fellowship among its members and this included regular dinners the profits from which went to aid needy veterans and their families. There were annual dinners in February and around Armistice Day, many of them so large, over 700 people in one instance, that they were held in the Club’s gymnasium. These gala events were hosted by famous performers like Jimmy Durante and Brian Donlevy, a popular Broadway and movie star. Over the years dinners were held to honor former Post Commanders or Presidents of the NYAC or notable government or military figures. In February, 1932 over 500 Legionnaires saluted Charter Post Member Lt. Cdr. John Philip Sousa, “The March King”, for his contributions to the Club, the Post, and the Nation. One year after the present City House opened its doors in 1929, the Post established its headquarters on the twelfth floor and the adjoining terrace immediately became the scene for many popular gatherings. All of these social events continued over the years, always with the generous encouragement of the Club and have permitted the Post to carry out its mission of service. On November 11, 1941 the Post had its annual well-attended Armistice Day Dinner, the last one before World War II began.
Over one thousand NYAC members would serve in the Second World War and twenty-three of them lost their lives. Those who served and those who made the supreme sacrifice are honored on the magnificent bronze plaque in the City House lobby. Next to it are plaques honoring those members who served in the Korean War and in the Vietnam War as well as a plaque honoring those people who lost their lives in the September 11, 2001 attack on the World Trade Center. The twenty members who lost their lives during the Great War are remembered on the beautiful stained-glass window on the ninth floor of the City House. Each year on Memorial Day and on Armistice (now Veteran’s) Day, Post 754 Legionnaires conduct wreath-laying services at these memorials and also on the Memorial Day weekend visit local cemeteries to plant flags on the graves of veterans. The World War I memorial window was fittingly dedicated at twilight, June 12, 1922 by Club President M. F. Loughman. His eloquent words spoken that evening bear repeating as they apply to all men who gave their lives in the defense of our Nation and for the cause of freedom:
“And though we deem it a sacred duty to here dedicate this memorial, we need no such reminder of our brother members who shed their blood in the cause of liberty. The impress of that they will not pass away until the Great Commander has called us to our last accounting.
‘On Fame’s eternal camping ground’
Their silent deeds are spread
And Glory guards with solemn round
the bivouac of the dead.’
In all the lands where heroes lie the earth is verdant today and dressed in her gayest raiment. Nature’s fairest blossoms are now abundant and beautiful, summer skies kiss the flowers that overrun the soldiers’ graves. So let our memories be ever fresh, ever sweet, ever peaceful. These brave heroes of the New York Athletic Club consecrated their lives to the cause of freedom and offered them up freely on the altar of liberty, so that we here consecrate ourselves to the perpetuation of their memories.”
For one hundred years Post 754 has honored the memory of the fallen members of the NYAC, indeed of all veterans.
During and after World War II, the Post conducted many events for wounded and disabled veterans. There were dinners at the Club hosted by Legionnaires and athletic programs put on for the entertainment of soldiers at VA hospitals in the Metropolitan Area. Many dinners at the Club had exceptionally generous and patriotic Broadway performers entertain the Post’s veteran guests. There were athletic events for these veterans at the Club gymnasium even for veterans who were paraplegic. An annual event was a basketball game at the City House gymnasium where “The Bronx Rollers”, paraplegic veterans from the VA hospital in The Bronx, came in their wheel chairs ready to take on the members of Post 754 who, to even things up, rented wheelchairs to compete against their physically challenged buddies. It was great fun except for the Legionnaires who always lost to their visitors despite the fact that they were playing as hard as they could. In the summertime there were organized trips for paraplegic veterans to Travers Island and on many occasions the Huckleberry Indians invited these disabled heroes across the Great Waters of Long Island Sound to Huckleberry Island to share a meal with tribe members. Post Legionnaires and Club members of this era gave new life to the phrase “It is more blessed to give than to receive”. Club dinners continued to host famous people; in March 1948, Major General William J. Donovan, was the Post’s guest of honor. He received the Medal of Honor commanding New York’s Fighting 69th at the Ourcq River in World War I, led the Office of Strategic Services (O.S.S.) in World War Two and is regarded today as the “Father of the CIA”. He was also very active in founding the American Legion. In November 1964, World War I Medal of Honor Recipient, famous combat ace and Chairman of Eastern Airlines, Capt. Eddie Rickenbacker, was the Post’s guest of honor at its 45th anniversary dinner.
The Legion held its National Convention in New York City in 1927, 1937 and 1947 and 1952 in New York City and Post 754 actively participated in each of these gatherings. Over fifty Post 754 members marched down Fifth Avenue with a quarter million other Legionnaires in grand parades that began at 10am and ended well into the evening. In September 1927 the Legion also had a smaller convention in Paris and Post 754 sent representatives to it. The Post received a streamer for its post flag from the Legion in honor of its attendance.
As World War II War was in its final stages, the American Legion became active to be certain that the chaotic situations that returning veterans faced following the Great War did not reoccur. The Legion prepared and then had introduced into Congress, The Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944 or as it is now known, “the GI Bill of Rights” which President Franklin D. Roosevelt immediately signed it into law on June 22, 1944. This legislation created an environment in which the Nation was prepared for its returning veterans with educational and financial assistance programs that would not only help them reenter civilian life, but would also greatly stimulate the Nation’s economy and increase the size of its middle class. Similar laws have been enacted for the benefit of Korean War, Vietnam Era and Gulf War, Iraq and Afghanistan veterans and now the Forever GI Bill, passed unanimously by the House and Senate in 2017, has eliminated the time limit for using these benefits and made them transferrable to family members. Post 754 was very active in supporting all of this legislation and the fact that these laws passed unanimously with the full support of both parties in Congress is a testament to how highly our elected officials honor the Nation’s veterans as well as to the apolitical nature of the Legion in its advocacy for veteran causes.
After World War II the Nation quickly demobilized and thus it was caught completely unprepared for the beginning of the Korean War in June, 1950. At the time there were 450 members of Post 754, and many of them were called back into service to meet the crisis. Membership in the Post always increased with each new war, but a change is now underway. The veteran population has shifted as Vietnam Era veterans pass away. At present there are more veterans of the Gulf War and Iraq and Afghanistan than there are Vietnam Era veterans. Also the percentage of veterans in the United States population has declined from 18 percent in 1980 to 7.3 percent today. In spite of these declines today’s Post 754 remains as vibrant as ever. It has 220 members, is very active within the Club and continues its mission of supporting veterans and fostering fellowship among its members. It has regularly hosted events during Fleet Week, honored many famous guests such as General Raymond Odierno, former Army Chief of Staff, and many Recipients of the Medal of Honor. It has a very active outreach program to veterans at local colleges and universities to mentor them and to assist them in gain employment when they graduate. As in the past, the Post continues to support needy veterans. While the New York State Department of the Legion has a fine program to help veterans secure the benefits they are entitled to from federal, state and local governments, Post 754 also contributes to many worthy organizations that assist wounded veterans and help veterans reenter society as well as organizations that have a broader mission of educating the public about the sacrifices veterans have made for the country. Some of the organizations which the Post supports are: The Travis Manion Foundation, Four Block Foundation, Hope for the Warriors Foundation, Nine Line Foundation, Marine Raider Foundation, SEAL Future Foundation, Operation Mend, The Medal of Honor Foundation and The Intrepid Air, Sea & Space Museum.
Shortly after Post 754 was founded Post member W.E. Atkinson wrote in the December, 1922 Winged Foot:
“The spirit of the Post is noteworthy, in that it includes in its membership practically every group or faction in the club. Evidently they all check their opinions at the door for, when a meeting begins there is only one note apparent and that is harmony and cooperation.”
Post 754 has always welcomed Club members who were not veterans but who enjoyed the camaraderie and good feelings expressed years ago by Mr. Atkinson. One such example was Robert Ripley, Club member, artist, champion handball player, world traveler and famed creator of ‘Ripley’s Believe it or Not’. Bob Ripley was a great social guest and friend of the Post who generously created an announcement for the Post’s May 22, 1925 dinner at Travers Island and also created the Winged Foot’s famous July 1944, D-Day cover which depicts an American GI leaping over the English Channel into Normandy wearing combat boots that sport the Club’s distinctive wings. Happily, social guests like the late Bob Ripley are now official Social Members of the Post since Post 754 became an NYAC Intra Club some years ago. Now our Social Members can partake in all of the Post’s social and educational activities.
Fifty-nine commanders have led Post 754 beginning in 1919 with Dr. Graeme Hammond who served with the Army Medical Corps in the Great War to the present Post Commander Thor O’Connell who served with the United States Marine Corps in Iraq and Afghanistan. Every Commander has left Post 754 stronger than when he was chosen to lead it. In one hundred years Post 754 has never once wavered from its core missions, namely maintaining and developing comradeship with fellow veterans and providing service to fellow veterans and their families. So has it been and so it will continue throughout Post 754’s next century.
