About
Joseph W. Diehn Post 468 History
After initially meeting in homes and above a storefront in downtown Sylvania, the American Legion traded 10 acres of land (now known as Memorial Park) for the old Post Office building downtown (now Sylvania FCU). The Joseph W. Diehn Post #468 was officially chartered on November 29, 1920 with the addition of their new home. Many members still remember the packed fish fry’s and other events in the basement! In 1976, the Post moved to its current location on Centennial Rd. with the hopes of bolstering their catering revenue.
The post namesake, Joseph W. Diehn grew up down the road from our current location on Sylvania-Metamora Rd. in Berkey, OH. He was deployed with the U.S. Infantry to fight on the European front of WWI. Joseph Diehn sustained an injury in France that turned fatal in 1919. He was the areas first WWI casualty. Mr. Diehn is currently buried in the Whiteford Union Cemetary on Sterns Rd. in Lambertville, MI and our color guard makes a yearly visit to pay their respects on Memorial Day. The Joseph W. Diehn post is proud to host more than 500 members consisting of Veterans (Post#468), the Auxiliary Unit #468, Sons of the American Legion Squadron #468 and the American Legion Riders.
Mission
The American Legion was chartered and incorporated by Congress in 1919 as a patriotic veterans organization devoted to mutual helpfulness. It is the nation’s largest wartime veterans service organization, committed to mentoring youth and sponsorship of wholesome programs in our communities, advocating patriotism and honor, promoting strong national security, and continued devotion to our fellow servicemembers and veterans.
Hundreds of local American Legion programs and activities strengthen the nation one community at a time. American Legion Baseball is one of the nation’s most successful amateur athletic programs, educating young people about the importance of sportsmanship, citizenship and fitness. The Operation Comfort Warriors program supports recovering wounded warriors and their families, providing them with “comfort items” and the kind of support that makes a hospital feel a little bit more like home. The Legion also raises millions of dollars in donations at the local, state and national levels to help veterans and their families during times of need and to provide college scholarship opportunities.
The American Legion is a nonpartisan, not-for-profit organization with great political influence perpetuated by its grass-roots involvement in the legislation process from local districts to Capitol Hill. Legionnaires’ sense of obligation to community, state and nation drives an honest advocacy for veterans in Washington. The Legion stands behind the issues most important to the nation’s veterans community, backed by resolutions passed by volunteer leadership.
The American Legion’s success depends entirely on active membership, participation and volunteerism. The organization belongs to the people it serves and the communities in which it thrives.
The Four Pillars
In 1919, The American Legion was founded on four pillars: Veterans Affairs & Rehabilitation, National Security, Americanism, and Children & Youth. Each of these pillars encompasses a variety of programs that benefit our nation’s veterans, its service members, their families, the youth of America and ordinary citizens. These programs make a difference in hundreds of thousands of lives each year.
Our organization’s positions and programs are guided by resolutions passed by American Legion National Convention delegates, and by committee and commission members who represent 2.5 million wartime veterans and their families. These programs, and the men and women who take the time to perform them allow The American Legion to make a difference on the local, state, and national levels.
It’s who we are and what we do.
Preamble to the Constitution of the American Legion
FOR GOD AND COUNTRY WE ASSOCIATE OURSELVES TOGETHER FOR THE FOLLOWING PURPOSES:
To uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States of America;
To maintain law and order;
To foster and perpetuate a one hundred percent Americanism;
To preserve the memories and incidents of our associations in the Great Wars;
To inculcate a sense of individual obligation to the community, state and nation;
To combat the autocracy of both the classes and the masses;
To make right the master of might;
To promote peace and goodwill on earth;
To safeguard and transmit to posterity the principles of justice, freedom and democracy;
To consecrate and sanctify our comradeship by our devotion to mutual helpfulness