Re: Here's something to ponder over breakfast....
Here's a link to the actual organization as it is today, Sadly all the original members have long passed, but generations after them have kept the group alive. They were the wild men in their day, and I'm not sure that the current members are anywhere near as over the top as the first generations were. I remembered having this after seeing a post in the "what is it" section, some kind of shield shaped emblem, and someone replied with a photo of one of the railcars that this group took its name from. I have been e-mailing different Legion halls locally today to see if any of them would be interested in having it for their collection.
This one in particular was for a "Wrecking Crew" member, the guys who initiated the new members....
http://www.fortyandeight.org/
More info.....(from the phoenixmasonry.org site)
"La Societe des Quarante Hommes at Huit Chevaux," or translated from the French as "The Society of Forty Men and Eight Horses," is an independent fraternal organization of veterans, popularly known as The Forty and Eight. It was organized in 1920 by American Legionnaires as a fun and honor society.
The FORTY AND EIGHT is composed of veterans of both World Wars, the Korean, Vietnam and Desert Storm conflicts, and draws its origin from World War I when young Americans were sent to France to fight "a war to end all wars." The narrow gauge railroads of France had boxcars (Voitures) that carried little more than half the capacity of American boxcars and these voitures were used to transport the men and horses to and from the fighting fronts. On the side of these little boxcars was stenciled the capacity of each, holding either forty men or eight horses, and these voitures became the trademark of our organization. If one could laugh at the train ride from the coast of France to the trenches crowded in these little boxcars only recently vacated by eight horses, one could surely adapt to the changes in his life when he returned home.
Membership in The Forty and Eight is by invitation only for recognition of service to the American Legion and/or its programs.
HISTORY OF THE FORTY AND EIGHT
In March 1920, Joseph W. Breen, an officer in the American Legion's Breen-McCracken Post 297, and fifteen other American Legionnaires met in Philadelphia to develop the concept of The Forty and Eight. Behind the idea of the "Society of Forty Men and Eight Horses" was the thought that American Legionnaires needed an opportunity to have some fun and blow off some steam. The very familiar box car of French Railways became the launching platform for the organization, and the French theme parlayed into the titles of officers and functions.
Members of The Forty and Eight would be known in the future as "Voyageurs Militaire" (Military Travelers) and candidates for membership would be called "Prisonniers de Guerre" (or "Poor Goofs") who would be initiated by a degree team called the "Wrecking Crew." The numerals 40 and 8 on a "French horizon blue" triangle was devised as the emblem of the new society. Based upon the common experiences of soldiers, sailors and marines, a secret initiation ceremony was developed which incorporated fun making and interesting ceremonial aspects. The first statewide meeting of The Forty and Eight, or "Promenade" was held in June of 1920 immediately following the 2nd Annual Convention of the American Legion's Department of Pennsylvania. A number of prominent American Legionnaires were "wrecked." Joseph W. Breen was unanimously elected "Premier Chef de Chemin de Fer" or "First Chief of the Railroad." The plans for the Society had been so popular, it was decided to travel to Cleveland, Ohio and introduce the thought to American Legionnaires gathering for the national convention. A box car was rented, and a delegation set out via the rails for Cleveland. The stunt provided instant notoriety for the organization. More than 700 American Legionnaires became "Hommes" and the Cleveland Promenade reelected their officers for another term. The Society grew over the years into the "Playground of the American Legion," with 95,000 members by 1948.
However, a schism began between the Forty and Eight and the American Legion over several issues.
First, the Forty and Eight had been refused authority to have a separate parade function at National Legion Conventions for several years. Secondly, the Forty and Eight felt the National Executive Committee of the Legion had been attempting to usurp the independence of the Forty and Eight. Thirdly, certain allegations had been made by the Forty and Eight regarding the power of seven individuals within the Legion, which was interpreted by the National Executive Committee of the Legion as demeaning to that organization. Fourth, The Forty and Eight was "snubbed" by the American Legion after it had donated $50,000 to the Child Welfare Fund, and no mention of gratitude was made. Fifth, The American Legion had refused the Forty and Eight the opportunity to hold its Promenade Nationale in the same city with the National Convention of the American Legion. Lastly, The American Legion demanded changing of the Constitution of the Forty and Eight, an action which did not pass in two previous Promenades Nationale. The bickering, over years, had finally brought the organizations to sever their long term relationship as a parent and subsidiary organizations. The Forty and Eight still exists with 44,834 members as of May 2003 in local units called "Voitures Locales," and still only awards membership to American Legion members who have served the Legion and/or its programs.
Is that a "pelican in piety"?
