The Polish Legion of American Veterans, the largest organization of American veterans of Polish ancestry in the U.S., was formed in 1931. Comprising the new group were Alliance of American Veterans of Polish Extraction organizations from Illinois, Wisconsin, Ohio, and Michigan, and the Polish Legion of the American Army from New York. The name was taken from the 58th New York Infantry Regiment commanded during the Civil War by General Wladimir Krzyzanowski, and known as the “Polish Legion.”
The first chapter, or post, of the Polish Legion of American Veterans organized in Wisconsin was Woodrow Wilson Post #11, founded on Milwaukee's south side on September 28, 1923. The founder and first commander was Walter Lewandowski. Other Wisconsin posts soon followed, including Walter J. Muszynski Post #26, Cudahy; Thaddeus Kosciuszko Post #33, Racine; George Washington Post #34, Kenosha; Quentin Roosevelt Post #48, Milwaukee (now inactive?) John Kobus (now Kobus-Molenda) Post #49, South Milwaukee; Richard Jakubiak Post #67, Milwaukee; St. Francis Post #172, St. Francis; and Sgt. Gerald Bannach Post #173, Stevens Point. The individual posts are united under the Wisconsin or State Department of the PLAV, which in turn is a division of the national PLAV. The State Department was incorporated in 1967. In its 1968 Constitution, the Wisconsin Department listed as its purposes “to uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States of America, to encourage active interest in all manifestations and demonstrations of patriotic nature, to combat the destructive propaganda of communism, and to maintain and preserve the true spirit of fraternity and patriotism arising from the sacrifices in the World Wars and to perpetuate friendships and associations arising therefrom by mutual aid and co-operation in patriotic, charitable, educational and civic activities.”
Membership in the PLAV is open to any American citizen of Polish or part-Polish ancestry, or one married to a person of Polish or part-Polish ancestry, who has served in the U.S. armed forces. A ladies' auxiliary was formed in 1925. The PLAV and the ladies' auxiliary hold state conventions biennially and local meetings monthly.
PLAV activities include patriotic parades and commemorative ceremonies for Veterans and Memorial Days, fund-raising and volunteer support for veterans' hospitals, rallying support for the war in Vietnam, and such social events as bowling tournaments, a queen contest, dinners and banquets, and dances.
