Connecticut Veterans Posts

About Veterans Organizations in Connecticut

A deep look at the history, oldest posts, membership process, and notable veterans connected to Connecticut.

History of Veterans Organizations in Connecticut

Connecticut's veterans organizations are among the oldest and most historically rich in the country. The Constitution State sent troops to every American war beginning with the Revolution, and many of its veteran traditions extend deep into the 19th century. The Grand Army of the Republic, the Civil War veterans organization, was an enormous presence in Connecticut between 1866 and the early 1900s, with posts in nearly every town and a state encampment that drew thousands. United Spanish War Veterans posts followed in the early 20th century.

When the American Legion was federally chartered in 1919, Connecticut chartered posts immediately, with the Department of Connecticut formed that year. Many of the founding members of Connecticut Legion posts had served in the 26th Yankee Division, the National Guard division composed of New England units that fought in France and was among the first American divisions in combat. Connecticut also has deep maritime connections: the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London, the Submarine Force Library and Museum in Groton, and Naval Submarine Base New London (the Navy's primary East Coast submarine base) all anchor a strong naval-veteran community.

The Electric Boat shipyard in Groton has produced submarines for over a century, employing many veterans. World War II expanded the Connecticut veteran community substantially, with hundreds of thousands of returning servicemembers settling in the state, drawn to defense industry jobs at Pratt & Whitney, Sikorsky, Colt, and Electric Boat. Korea and Vietnam waves added members. Notable state-specific events include the dedication of Connecticut Veterans Memorial in Hartford, the long history of Boys State at the University of Connecticut, and the establishment of the State Veterans Home in Rocky Hill.

Oldest and Most Historic Posts in Connecticut

Connecticut has American Legion posts whose charters reach back to the very first days of the Legion in 1919-1920. Hartford Post 8 (Hartford-Walthers Post) and Bridgeport's American Legion posts were among the earliest in the state. New Haven's Post 47 (Sgt. Edwin H.

May Post) was chartered in 1919. Stamford Post 3 served the lower Fairfield County area. Waterbury Post 1 (Cyril G. Stevens Post) is one of the oldest Legion posts in Connecticut and one of the first chartered nationally.

New London Post 21 has long served the submarine community and the Coast Guard Academy area. Norwich Post 4 was chartered in 1919-1920 and remains active. Greenwich Post 29 (Ferguson Cole Post) was chartered in the early 1920s. Manchester Post 102 served the silk and tobacco country east of Hartford.

Many of these older Connecticut posts maintain meeting halls in historic buildings, some dating to the 19th century when they housed earlier veterans organizations. Several halls contain framed original charters, photographs of founding members, and tablets listing fallen members from each subsequent conflict. Some Connecticut Legion homes have been continuously operated as veterans clubs for more than a century, surviving prohibition, two world wars, and decades of demographic change.

VFW Posts in Connecticut: A Closer Look

Connecticut's VFW history began in the years after the Spanish-American War and Philippine Insurrection, when veterans of those conflicts founded what would become the modern Veterans of Foreign Wars. After WWI, several Connecticut VFW posts were chartered, with Hartford, Bridgeport, New Haven, Waterbury, and New London among the first. The Department of Connecticut VFW grew through the interwar years, then expanded substantially after WWII. Today the VFW Department of Connecticut operates roughly 60 to 80 posts.

The eligibility difference from the American Legion is meaningful: VFW members must have served honorably and earned a campaign or expeditionary medal, served in hostile-fire or imminent-danger pay areas, or accumulated 30 days in Korea. State-specific concentration in Connecticut reflects the state's military character: the New London-Groton submarine community is a stronghold, and the VFW posts there often have heavy submarine-veteran membership. Hartford and the Naugatuck Valley industrial cities also have strong VFW posts. Many Connecticut VFW members served in the Pacific or European theaters in WWII, in Korea, or in Vietnam.

The Connecticut VFW has been active in advocating for the state veterans home in Rocky Hill and in supporting Coast Guard veterans.

AMVETS, DAV, and Other Veterans Organizations in Connecticut

AMVETS Department of Connecticut operates posts across the state, with active presences in Hartford, New Haven, Bridgeport, Waterbury, and the eastern Connecticut region. AMVETS chartered after WWII for the GI generation, and Connecticut's posts grew with the state's strong defense industry workforce. The Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Department of Connecticut runs chapters in nearly every metropolitan area and supports transportation services to the VA Connecticut Healthcare System hospitals at West Haven and Newington and outpatient clinics in Waterbury, Stamford, Norwich, Winsted, and elsewhere. The Marine Corps League has detachments throughout Connecticut, with particular strength in the eastern part of the state.

The Vietnam Veterans of America, the Military Order of the Purple Heart, the Korean War Veterans Association, and submarine-specific organizations like the U.S. Submarine Veterans Inc. all maintain Connecticut chapters. Submarine veterans often hold dual membership in their submarine-class associations and the Legion or VFW.

Connecticut Veterans Posts by the Numbers

Connecticut has approximately 110 to 130 active American Legion posts, organized under the Department of Connecticut. The VFW Department of Connecticut maintains an estimated 60 to 80 active posts. AMVETS operates roughly 15 to 20 posts statewide. The total veteran population in Connecticut is estimated at 175,000 to 195,000.

District structure for the American Legion divides Connecticut into a small number of districts. The Department of Connecticut conducts an annual convention, runs Boys State at Eastern Connecticut State University (with the program historically rotating among UConn campuses), and supports oratorical contests, Junior Shooting Sports, and statewide youth programs. Connecticut's small geographic size means most veterans live within a short drive of multiple posts.

How to Join a Veterans Post in Connecticut

Joining a veterans organization in Connecticut is straightforward. American Legion eligibility requires honorable U.S. Armed Forces service during a recognized war era; the LEGION Act of 2019 effectively covers December 7, 1941 to the present. Connecticut Legion dues commonly run $40 to $65 annually, varying by post and facility costs.

VFW membership requires honorable service plus qualifying foreign service such as a campaign medal, expeditionary medal, hostile-fire pay, or 30 days in Korea. Connecticut VFW dues typically run $40 to $60 per year. AMVETS is open to any honorably discharged veteran or active-duty servicemember. Sponsor requirements at Connecticut posts are typically informal: new members need a DD-214 or equivalent.

The Connecticut Department of Veterans Affairs and town and city veterans service officers (Connecticut has a strong municipal veterans service system) can help with verification. Auxiliary, Sons of the American Legion, and Legion Riders programs are widely available. Many Connecticut posts process renewals online through legion.org, vfw.org, and amvets.org. Submarine veterans in southeast Connecticut often join multiple organizations, including the Legion, VFW, and submarine-class associations.

Notable Connecticut Veterans in History

Connecticut has produced many notable veterans associated with its veterans organizations. Senator Prescott Bush, an Army WWI artillery officer and father and grandfather of two presidents, was a member of Connecticut Legion posts. General John Sedgwick of Cornwall Hollow, though he died in the Civil War long before the Legion existed, is a Connecticut military icon whose memory shaped early veterans culture in the state. Senator Joseph Lieberman, while not a wartime veteran himself, was a longtime supporter of veterans organizations.

Senator Christopher Dodd's father, Senator Thomas Dodd, was a veteran active in postwar civic life. Submarine officer and Medal of Honor recipient Eugene Fluckey, who commanded USS Barb in WWII and is associated with the New London submarine community, retained ties to Connecticut posts. WWII fighter pilot and Medal of Honor recipient Hampden Sydney's New England connections through the 26th Division reflect the state's deep WWI and WWII veterans heritage. Astronaut and naval aviator Eugene Cernan, while born in Chicago, had New England connections.

More recently, the late General Richard Goddard and many submarine commanding officers retired in Groton and Mystic and remained active in local Legion and VFW posts. These veterans, alongside more than 175,000 ordinary Connecticut residents who served, sustain the state's veterans community.

Frequently Asked Questions: Connecticut Veterans Posts

Sources & Further Reading

• https://www.legion.org/departments/connecticut
• https://www.vfw.org/
• https://www.amvets.org/
• https://portal.ct.gov/dva
• https://www.dav.org/