What is Forty and eightLa Societe des Quarante Hommes et Huit Chevaux AboutLa Societe des Quarante Hommes at Huit Chevaux is an independent, by invitation, honor organization of male and female U. S. veterans, more commonly known as the Forty & Eight. The Forty & Eight is committed to charitable and patriotic aims. Our purpose is to uphold and defend the United States Constitution, to promote the well being of veterans and their widows and orphans, and to actively participate in selected charitable endeavors, which include programs that promote child welfare and nurse's training. The titles and symbols of the Forty & Eight reflect its First World War origins. Americans were transported to the battle front on French trains within boxcars stenciled with a “40/8”, denoting its capacity to hold either forty men or eight horses. This uncomfortable mode of transportation was familiar to all who fought in the trenches; a common small misery among American soldiers who thereafter found “40/8” a lighthearted symbol of the deeper service, sacrifice and unspoken horrors of war that bind all who have borne the battle. The Forty & Eight was founded in 1920 by American veterans returning from France. Originally an arm of The American Legion, the Forty & Eight became an independent and separately incorporated veteran's organization in 1960. Membership is by invitation of honorably discharged veterans and honorably serving members of the United States Armed Forces.
History of 40et8History Highlights of the Forty & Eight
1920 In March of 1920, Joseph W. Breen, a member of the newly formed American Legion and an officer of Breen-McCracken Legion Post 297, met in Philadelphia with fifteen other prominent Legionnaires where they originated the idea of The Forty & Eight. They envisioned a new and different level of elite membership and camaraderie for leaders of the American Legion. The box car of the French Railways, so familiar to American ground troops of the First World War, was chosen as the symbolic heart of the new organization. The French/Railroad theme was applied to officer titles and organizational functions. The organization was named La Societe des Quarente Hommes et Huit Chevaux (the Society of Forty Men and Eight Horses). Its members were called Voyageurs Militaire (military travelers) and candidates for membership were called Prisonniers de Guerre (Prisoners of War). The “40/8” cargo capacity sign emblazoned on each French boxcar that had carried American doughboys to the front, and also the "French horizon blue" color, became symbols of the new society. An initiation ceremony was developed based on the common wartime experiences of American soldiers, sailors and marines, incorporating fun making with patriotic bonding. The first statewide Forty & Eight Promenade (meeting) was held in June, 1920, following the 2nd Annual Convention of the American Legion’s Department of Pennsylvania. Several prominent Legionnaires were wrecked (initiated) and Joseph W. Breen was unanimously elected Chef de Chemin de Fer (President of the Railroad). The new Forty & Eight organization agreed to send a delegation to the Legion’s national convention in Cleveland, Ohio, with as much fanfare as possible in order to introduce the Forty & Eight to the nation and to other Legionnaires. A railroad box car was rented and in it the Forty & Eight delegation rode the rails to the Cleveland Legion convention. This publicity stunt gained substantial news coverage for the energetic new elite organization. In Cleveland more than 700 Legionnaires became members of the Forty & Eight.
During the Forty & Eight’s Promenade Nationale (national convention) in Kansas City, a national constitution was adopted and a national headquarters was established in Seattle, Washington.
A major focus of discussion was the growth of American Legion membership, which had previously been declining annually since the Legion’s inception. Much of the Legion’s new growth was attributed to extraordinary recruiting efforts by Forty & Eight’s Voyageurs who had brought in more than 17,000 new members for the American Legion. Voyageur William Mundt of Voiture 24, Bloomington, Illinois, was recognized for having signed up 509 new Legion members.
During the depression years, the Forty & Eight and The American Legion grew steadily. Forty & Eight Voyageurs enrolled 27,000 new members in the Legion during 1928-1929, and were instrumental in helping The American Legion to pass the one million members mark.
From 1932 through 1936, the Forty & Eight sought to influence Congress regarding veteran's benefits. These were the “Bonus March” Depression years when WWI veterans and the federal government were at times in open conflict. The Forty & Eight sponsored national radio programs, featuring well know political figures, to bring equitable treatment of war veterans to the national forefront. Realizing that power came with numbers, the Forty & Eight brought in 111,159 new American Legion members. The efforts of the Forty & Eight ultimately helped convince Congress to pass, over a presidential veto, the compensation act for America’s war veterans.
1936
1938
1941 The Forty & Eight made a special effort to insure every serviceman on transport ships overseas had a deck of cards. Over 60,000 decks were initially distributed, 610,498 decks in the second year, and a million decks in 1943-1944. Ultimately, over 4 million decks of card were distributed. The Forty & Eight also began issuing Nursing Scholarships. By September of 1942, over 100 nurses had been received education grants. Increasing Legion membership was deemed vital to organizing veterans to help the war effort. The Forty & Eight exceeded its goals by gaining 211,301 new Legion members, thereby helping to bringing the Legion to an all time high in membership.
1945 The organization began a new program to provide free telephone calls home for returning wounded servicemen. This successful program was seeded by Grande du Kentucky contributing $50,000 and Grande du Indiana providing $39,000. With the end of rationing and travel restrictions, Forty and Eight members were able to meet more frequently. Over two hundred veteran organizations sprouted up across the country. Veterancy was booming. The Forty and Eight brought more than half a million new members to The American Legion. The Forty & Eight continued to bring influential Legionnaires together from various posts, thus strengthening unity within the Legion. Forty & Eight membership exceeded 70,000. The Forty & Eight’s annual contribution to the Legion’s Child Welfare Fund continued throughout the war. Due to an increase in numbers of World War II veteran's children, the Forty & Eight increased its annual Child Welfare contribution to $30,000 in 1945 and to $50,000 in 1946.
1947 Forty & Eight membership rose to 95,000.
1948
1955 The Forty & Eight formally established its Nurses Training program.
1959 (1960) The Forty & Eight severed ties with the Legion and became an independent organization. There had been ripples of discontent for several years. The organizations were fundamentally different. The Legion was large, easy to join and non-fraternal. The Forty & Eight was elite, by-invitation and racially restrictive. The Forty & Eight had monetary resources many in the Legion deemed theirs. Conversely, the Forty & Eight objected to funding Legion programs with large amounts of money, without adequate recognition in return. The Legion pressed the Forty & Eight to change its constitution to be racially inclusive. These differences brought the two organizations to logger heads. Eventually, the American Legion refused to allow the Forty and Eight to hold its Promenade Nationale in the same city with the Legion’s National Convention. The Forty & Eight thus became independent, but with many vestiges of its parent organization remaining intact, including the Forty & Eight continuing to only accept Legion members.
1963 Female relatives of Forty & Eight members organized the auxiliary, La Societe de Femme. Cabanes (units) were formed in 15 states with over 1,000 initial members. The purpose of the affiliate organization was to, "further the programs of the Forty and Eight".
1964 Other programs listed for the year were; Flag Education, Memorial Day Programs, Boys State, Girls State, Scouting and the Christmas Tree of Lights program.
1965 At the Promenade Nationale in Baltimore, Maryland, it was announced that 51 Voitures had aided 770,086 children with a total Child Welfare expenditure value of $2,690,296.
1969 The Charles W. Ardery Child Welfare Trust Fund granted over $400,000. The trust’s growth was attributed in part to a 50 cent assessment for Child Welfare in members’ annual dues.
1972 The Ardery Trust Fund presented a $10,000 grant to the University of Kentucky for research into Cystic Fibrosis. A $4,363 grant was made to the University of Illinois for research into the causes of Childhood Diabetes. Total Ardery trust expenditures for the year were over $37,000.
1973 (1974) A nationwide gas shortage made it difficult for many to travel to the proposed 55th Promenade National in Anaheim, California. The Promenade site was changed to St. Louis, Missouri. A Child Welfare grant of $10,000 was made to the University of Wisconsin for Juvenile Diabetes research. The Nurses Training program reported 2,475 nurses received financial help, with $291,000 spent on nursing grants.
1975 The Forty & Eight established the George Boland Nurses Training Trust Fund, with a $100,000 start up grant, in honor of Nebraska’s George B. Boland, who had served as Chef de Chemin de Fer in 1952 and as Avocat National (national attorney) for many years.
1977 The Forty & Eight established the Outstanding Law Officer of the Year award program. John C. Wodetzki, Chief of Police of Lincoln, Illinois, was selected as the first recipient of the award.
1978 - 1979 Voyageurs contributed a total of 6,481 pints of blood. The Carville Star program had 100 percent participation and contributions exceeded $93,000.
1980 The Forty & Eight began its partnership in the Veterans Administration Voluntary Service program. By 1985, Voyageurs were participating in 230 medical facilities serving veterans.
1982
1991
1992 The Forty & Eight’s Flags for First Graders program is found to be popular among Voyageurs who conduct flag education programs in elementary schools. The program is responsible for educating thousands of American youth in the flag history, respect and protocol.
1993
1994 The Forty & Eight established a national Youth Sports program, to encompass and expand beyond the narrower scope of the existing Junior Olympics program.
The September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on New York and the Pentagon occurred one day before the Forty & Eight Promenade Nationale was scheduled to begin in Hagerstown, Maryland, not far from Camp David. Terrorists crashed a civilian airliner just north of town. Voyageurs already at Hagerstown were briefly isolated by security forces. Many Voyageurs and spouses were stranded at airports, some were mid-air during the attacks, and several found it impossible to reach Hagerstown. The organization voted total support for America in its war on terror. The Forty & Eight immediately began around-the-clock delivery of relief goods to New York and Washington, D.C. 215 tons of relief goods valuing $881,000 were reported delivered in the aftermath of the attacks. 11 trips by truck we made over 24 days to “ground zero” in NYC.
2006 Women veterans become eligible to join the Forty & Eight. Like their male counterparts, women too must be members of the American Legion and be invited to join the Forty & Eight. The debate on this issue was between honoring the all-male battle past that created the founders of this organization and honoring today's male-and-female battle veterans who are America's modern military. It was decided that the best way to honor the past, is by honoring the male and female battle veterans who are American's future.
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