0135 0MERICAN LEGION NEWS SERVICE NATIONAL PUBLIC RELATIONS DIVISION -THE AMERICAN LEGION C. D. DeLoach, Chairman James C. Watkins, Director HEADQUARTERS P. O. Box 1055 1608 K St., N. W. Indianapolis, Indiana 46206 Washington, D. C. 20006 0 (317) 635-8411 (202)393-4811 AMERICAN LEGION NEWS BRIEFS FOR WEEK ENDING 7-3-74 Secretary of State Henry Kissinger has been awarded The American Legion's highest honor, the Distinguished Service Medal, in recognition of his "outstanding service to the Nation," it was announced by National Commander Robert E.L. Eaton. * * * Rear Admiral Jeremiah A. Denton, the first man off the plane bringing the first contingent of released prisoners of war home from Vietnam, will be the featured speaker before The American Legion's National Americanism Commission during the 1974 National Convention in Miami Beach, Fla. * * * Mrs. E. Dollie Wolverton, program planning specialist of the Children's Bureau, Office of Child Development, Department of Health, Education and Welfare, will speak to The American Legion's Children & Youth Commission at 10 a.m., Aug. 16 at the Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami Beach, Fla. * * * Eleven Detroit Tigers major league baseball players, who are graduates of The American Legion baseball program, were saluted at American Legion Day at Tiger Stadium June 30, when the Tigers played the Milwaukee Brewers in a 1:30 p.m. doubleheader. * * * WASHINGTON—(ALNS)—The President has approved S. 411, a bill to extend the time for nonprofit publications to adjust to the impact of soaring increases in postal rates, While S. 411 does not provide all the relief deemed essential by The American Legion, it will give Legion publications an extra six years to adjust to the full rate. The American Legion has strongly supported the extension and is grateful to the Congress for this action. -alns- INDIANAPOLIS—(ALNS)—Gordon Sinclair, a prominent Canadian newscaster, who has paid tribute to the greatness of America in his stirring broadcast editorial narration, "The Americans," has thanked The American Legion for its "resolution of commendation." In a letter to National Commander Robert E.L. Eaton, Sinclair noted: "I've had several citations from different branches of the Legion...six I think...but to have this in such a form that it can be permanently preserved, is indeed a joy." -alns- HJMERICAN LEGION NEWS SERVICE NATIONAL PUBLIC RELATIONS DIVISION —THE AMERICAN LEGION C. D. DeLoach, Chairman James c, WatkinSi Director HEADQUARTERS P. O. Box 1055 G3 1608 KSt., N. W. Indianapolis, Indiana 46206 Washington, D. C. 20006 (317) 635-8411 (202) 393-4811 For release 7-3-74 WASHINGTON—(ALNS)—Secretary of State Henry Kissinger has been awarded The American Legion's highest honor, the Distinguished Service Medal, in recognition of his "outstanding service to the Nation," it was announced by National Commander Robert E.L. Eaton. The award will be presented at the Legion's 56th Annual National Convention in Miami Beach, Fla., the evening of August 20th, at the National Commander's Banquet in the Grand Ballroom of the Hotel Fontainebleau. Voted by resolution of The American Legion's governing body, the National Executive Committee, the award recognizes Kissinger for his distinguished background as a veteran of the United States Armed Forces; as a scholar, eminent historian and an authority on international relations. He is specifically cited for "his untiring efforts toward the disengagement of hostile forces in the trouble spots of the world," and for his success in bringing to reality the conditions which have "successfully set the stage for negotiations which would bring all mankind to that lofty and long sought goal of peace with honor." Secretary Kissinger will receive the high Legion honor from National Commander Eaton as the highlight of the National Commander's Banquet, an annual event for Legion delegates and distinguished guests. -alns- WASHINGTON—(ALNS)—Further information has been received regarding the recently approved Connecticut World War I veterans' bonus. Beginning Oct. 1, a bonus of up to $300 will be paid to Connecticut veterans or a surviving spouse, after certain qualifications are met. To be eligible, a person must have been in the U.S. Armed Forces or Public Health Service for at least 90 days between April 6, 1917 to November 11, 1918. The date is extended to April 1, 1920, if the veteran served with the U.S. Forces in Russia. Those serving from May 8, 1916 to April 5, 1917 during the Mexican Border incident are also eligible. The veteran must hold an honorable discharge certificate or have been separated from the service under other than dishonorably conditions. He must have been domiciled in Connecticut for at least one year at time of entry into the service, or have lived in that state for at least five years after discharge, and living in Connecticut at the time of filing his application. The bonus payment may be made to a surviving spouse, provided she was unmarried at the time of payment, and had been living with the veteran in Connecticut at the time of his death. Applications must be filed within two years after October 1, 1974, the effective date of the act. The Connecticut State Treasurer will be in charge of administering the entire program, including the issuance of appropriate regulations, application forms, which will be available about mid-August, and the making of payments. -alns- 0137 QMERICAN LEGION NEWS SERVICE NATIONAL PUBLIC RELATIONS DIVISION—THE AMERICAN LEGION C. D. DeLoach, Chairman James C. Watkins, Director HEADQUARTERS P. O. Box 1055 1608 K St., N. W. Indianapolis, Indiana 46206 Washington, D. C. 20006 (317) 635-8411 (202) 393-4811 For release 6-28-74 INDIANAPOLIS—(ALNS)—"We are honored to have had the opportunity to serve our country under difficult circumstances...God Bless America." The man who spoke those words as the first man off the plane bringing the first contingent of released prisoners of war home from Vietnam, Rear Admiral Jeremiah A. Denton Jr., (then Captain Denton), will be the featured speaker before The American Legion's National Americanism Commission during the 1974 National Convention in Miami Beach, Fla. Admiral Denton is scheduled to address the commission at 2 p.m. Friday, Aug. 16, in the Marseilles Room, Fontainebleau South. A native of Mobile, Ala., and a 1946 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, he was a prisoner of the North Vietnamese for eight years. He was released in February of 1973 and was subsequently promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral. He is now serving as Commandant of the Armed Forces Staff College at Norfolk, Va. The Legion's Americanism Commission, which is responsible for the organization's program of youth activities, Baseball, Boys State-Boys Nation, Boy Scout Sponsorship, Oratorical Contest, and others, in addition to counter-subversive and education and scholarship work, also will hear and discuss reports on all components of the Americanism program. The commission also will select the winner of the Hearst Americanism Trophy, given annually by the Hearst newspapers to the state which conducted the best all-round Americanism program for the past year. On Saturday, Aug. 17, the commission will meet jointly with the Children & Youth Commission to hear a panel discussion by the Legion's Youth Champions on the American Political System today. -alns- CHICAGO—(ALNS)—Paul L. Weber, permanent temporary chairman of The American Legion College Class of 1954, has announced his organization's plans for the Annual National Convention's Reunion Breakfast meeting in Miami Beach. Attendance at the breakfast is limited to graduates of the 1954 American Legion College Class, other years prior to 1954 and faculty. The Reunion is scheduled for Monday, Aug. 19, with the famous Whitfield-Todd Wake-up appetizer" at 7:00 a.m., and breakfast at 7:30 a.m., Eden Roc Hotel, Mona Lisa Room. Those eligible are asked to send $6.50 to Paul L. Weber, The American Legion Life Insurance Plan, 111 West Jackson Blvd., Chicago, IL 60604. The organization also has a "Last Four Man's Club." Contributions of $1.00 or more may be sent to the permanent temporary vice-chairman and treasurer, James S. Whitfield, Executive Director, The American Legion, P.O. Box 1055, Indianapolis, IN 46206. -alns- 0138 QMERICAN LEGION NEWS SERVICE NATIONAL PUBLIC RELATIONS DIVISION—THE AMERICAN LEGION C. D. DeLoach, Chairman james C. Watkins, Director HEADQUARTERS HI P. O. Box 1055 1608 K St., N. W. Indianapolis, Indiana 46206 Washington, D. C. 20006 0 (317) 635-8411 (202) 393-4811 For release 7-3-74 INDIANAPOLIS—(ALNS)—Mrs. E. Dollie Wolverton, program planning specialist of the Children's Bureau, Office of Child Development, Department of Health, Education and Welfare, will speak to The American Legion's Children & Youth Commission at 10 a.m., Aug. 16 at the Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami Beach, Fla. Mrs. Wolverton will speak on the subject of Education for Parenthood in her message to the Legion's Commission meeting in conjunction with the 56th Annual National Convention of The American Legion, Aug. 16-22, in the Florida resort city. Since The American Legion's Children & Youth (formerly Child Welfare) program became a formal part of the organization's programming in 1925, the Legion and its affiliated organizations have contributed nearly $300,000,000 to programs and projects, local through national, ranging from recreational programs through juvenile delinquency and drug related problems to research in children's diseases. The Friday afternoon program of the Commission will be devoted to a tour of the Variety Children's Hospital in Miami, where they will receive an explanation of the services provided by the hospital. Staff members will review the progress of current programs and present for Commission consideration plans for the 1974-75 program.