The American Legion was founded in 1919, shortly after the harrowing conflict of World War I drew to a close; this book describes the founding, and the principles which underscored the Legion from day one. An excellent insight into the thought behind veterans' organizations, this book discusses the merits behind the creation of the American Legion. The foregoing devastation which characterized World War I, in which enormous numbers of Americans were enlisted for service, made the formation of veterans groups an urgent matter. The founders sought to promote the democratic ideals of the USA, record experiences of individual soldiers, and maintain ties of friendship between former soldiers. Much of this book describes the structure of the American Legion, how officers used their experience in the military hierarchy to create a cohesive group. The early meetings are described with the comments of the young troops, who had only recently experienced intense combat on Europe's Western Front. We also hear favorable words in the press of the time, which deemed the veterans' group needed. Finally, a lengthy list of names for every state's chapter is appended - in just a year, the American Legion became a national group, with committees in most states of the union.

Uncommon Valor from Dwight Jon Zimmerman and John D. Gresham presents a fascinating look at six of our bravest soldiers and the highest military decoration awarded in this country. Since the Vietnam War ended in 1973, the Medal of Honor, our nation's highest award for valor, has been presented to only eight men for their actions "above and beyond the call of duty." Six of the eight were young men who had fought in the current war in Iraq, Afghanistan, or both. All of these medals were awarded posthumously, as all had made the choice to give their lives so that their comrades might live. Uncommon Valor answers the searing question of who these six young soldiers were, and dramatically details how they found themselves in life-or-death situations, and why they responded as they did. For the first time, this book also provides a comprehensive history of the Medal of Honor itself—one marred by controversies, scandals, and theft. Using an extraordinary range of sources, including interviews with family members and friends, teammates and superiors in the military, personal letters, blogs posted within hours of events, personal and official videos and newly declassified documents, Uncommon Valor is a compelling and important work that recounts incredible acts of heroism and lays bare the ultimate sacrifice of our bravest soldiers.