Oregon Veterans Posts

About Veterans Organizations in Oregon

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

History of Veterans Organizations in Oregon

The American Legion arrived in Oregon in 1919, with the first state convention meeting in Portland and the Department of Oregon receiving its charter the same year. Oregon contributed roughly 44,000 men to the armed services during the First World War, and many of them returned home to organize Legion posts in cities including Portland, Eugene, Salem, Medford, Klamath Falls, and along the coast at Astoria, Newport, and Coos Bay. Oregon's early Legion movement reflected the state's distinctive Pacific Northwest character. Logging towns, fishing communities, ranching valleys east of the Cascades, and the rapidly industrializing Portland metro area each produced posts that mirrored their local economies.

The 41st Infantry Division, which drew heavily from Oregon and Washington National Guard units, fought in France in 1918 and would later return to combat in the Pacific in World War II. Many of the original Oregon Legionnaires were 41st Division veterans, and the division's heritage remained a touchstone for the state's veteran community for decades. The interwar years saw substantial Legion growth in Oregon, with posts in nearly every county seat by 1930. The Second World War brought another massive wave of expansion.

Portland's Kaiser Shipyards built Liberty ships and escort carriers at unprecedented pace and drew tens of thousands of workers and sailors to the area. Camp Adair, north of Corvallis, trained four Army divisions during the war, and the Tongue Point Naval Station at Astoria served as a major Pacific Fleet supply base. Returning Oregon veterans flooded into existing Legion posts and chartered new ones throughout the late 1940s. The Korean War, Vietnam, and the post-9/11 wars each added their own classes of Oregon Legionnaires.

Today the Department of Oregon American Legion is headquartered in Wilsonville, just south of Portland, and oversees a statewide network that ranges from urban posts in Portland and Eugene to remote high-desert posts in eastern Oregon.

Oldest and Most Historic Posts in Oregon

American Legion Post 1 in Portland, the Multnomah Post, traces its charter directly to 1919 and is one of the most prominent posts in the Pacific Northwest. Post 3 in Salem, Post 4 in Medford, and Post 7 in Eugene all originated in the founding wave of state charters. American Legion Post 12 in Astoria, perched at the mouth of the Columbia River, was chartered in 1919 and has long served the maritime and fishing veteran community along the Oregon coast. Post 9 in Klamath Falls, in southern Oregon, has been a regional anchor for veterans of the high desert.

American Legion Post 28 in Bend, at the edge of the Cascades, has grown substantially in recent decades as Bend itself has expanded into one of the fastest-growing cities in the Pacific Northwest. Post 39 in Roseburg, near the Roseburg VA Medical Center, has historically had close ties to VA staff and patients. American Legion Post 134 in Newport on the central Oregon coast, Post 41 in Pendleton in the eastern Oregon ranchlands, and Post 56 in The Dalles along the Columbia Gorge are among the older rural posts that still anchor their communities. Oregon Legion posts have a tradition of preserving local military memorabilia, and many smaller posts maintain modest museums of uniforms, photographs, and artifacts donated by members across multiple wars.

VFW Posts in Oregon: A Closer Look

The Veterans of Foreign Wars Department of Oregon organized in the early 1920s, with founding posts in Portland, Salem, and Eugene. Foreign-service eligibility from World War I gave the VFW its initial Oregon membership base. The state's coastal and timber economies meant that VFW posts tended to cluster in working-class communities where labor unions and veteran organizations had long overlapping memberships. After World War II, VFW growth in Oregon was rapid, and the department came to operate roughly 100 posts at its postwar peak.

Notable Oregon VFW posts include Post 1324 in Eugene, Post 661 in Salem, and Post 4039 in Astoria. The Department of Oregon VFW maintains its headquarters in Wilsonville and runs vigorous Buddy Poppy, Voice of Democracy, and Patriot's Pen programs. Oregon VFW members have been active in advocacy on Vietnam-era Agent Orange exposure, post-9/11 burn pit issues, and the expansion of VA mental health services particularly in rural Oregon counties.

AMVETS, DAV, and Other Veterans Organizations in Oregon

AMVETS arrived in Oregon in the late 1940s, and while the state's AMVETS footprint is smaller than that of the Legion or VFW, several active posts operate in Portland, Salem, Eugene, and central Oregon. The Disabled American Veterans organization maintains a robust Oregon department headquartered in Portland, with chapters across the state running transportation networks that bring disabled veterans to the Portland VA Medical Center, the Roseburg VA Medical Center, and outpatient clinics in Eugene, Salem, Bend, and elsewhere. Oregon's geographic spread, from the rainforests of the Coast Range to the high deserts of Malheur County, makes the DAV transportation program particularly important. Service officers in Oregon have specialized expertise in claims related to logging-industry exposure, Agent Orange, and post-9/11 deployment-related conditions, and the department has been at the forefront of advocating for expanded telehealth services for rural Oregon veterans.

Oregon Veterans Posts by the Numbers

Oregon is home to approximately 290,000 to 310,000 veterans, a meaningful share of the state's roughly 4.2 million residents. While Oregon does not host major active-duty installations on the scale of California or Washington, it has Camp Rilea on the north coast, the Oregon National Guard's primary training facility, and Klamath Falls hosts the 173rd Fighter Wing Air National Guard. Coast Guard Sector Columbia River and various Coast Guard stations along the Oregon coast contribute to the active-duty presence. The American Legion Department of Oregon maintains approximately 130 to 150 chartered posts and reports active membership in the range of 18,000 to 22,000.

The VFW Department of Oregon operates approximately 75 posts. AMVETS maintains a smaller footprint of about 15 posts. Oregon's veteran population skews somewhat older than the national average, reflecting the state's Vietnam-era and World War II veteran demographics.

How to Join a Veterans Post in Oregon

Joining the American Legion in Oregon follows national eligibility rules. A veteran with at least one day of honorable federal active duty since December 7, 1941, or current honorable service, qualifies. National Guard and Reserve members federally activated also qualify. Oregon Army and Air National Guard members have substantial deployment history from Iraq, Afghanistan, the Sinai, and Kosovo, and many have transitioned to Legion membership.

Annual dues at Oregon posts typically run from $30 to $55. Paid-up-for-life options are available, and members can transfer between posts or maintain dual memberships. The Sons of The American Legion is active in Oregon, with squadrons across the state. The American Legion Auxiliary in Oregon sponsors Girls State at Willamette University in Salem and runs an active poppy program.

Several Oregon posts have notable Legion Riders chapters that perform funeral honor missions and ride in regional parades. Oregon veterans interested in joining can find a post through legionfinder.com or by contacting the Department of Oregon office.

Notable Oregon Veterans in History

Oregon has produced and hosted a notable roster of military figures. Senator Mark Hatfield, a Navy lieutenant who served in the Pacific including at Iwo Jima and Okinawa, became one of the most influential advocates for veterans in the U.S. Senate during his long career. Senator Wayne Morse was a National Guard veteran.

Brigadier General Rufus Bratton, a key intelligence officer in the lead-up to Pearl Harbor, had Oregon ties. The 41st Infantry Division 'Sunsetters,' which drew so heavily from Oregon, produced numerous Medal of Honor recipients in both World Wars. Modern figures include Colonel Greg Boyington, the famed Black Sheep Squadron commander and Medal of Honor recipient of World War II, who though associated with multiple states had connections to the Pacific Northwest. Oregon's Legion posts include many named for Medal of Honor recipients from local communities, and Post 134 in Newport, for example, has long honored coast-region heroes.

The state's veterans community has been active in Tomb of the Unknown Soldier honor missions, and Oregon Legion Riders have ridden ceremonial details to Arlington National Cemetery on multiple occasions.

Frequently Asked Questions: Oregon Veterans Posts

Sources & Further Reading

• https://orlegion.org/
• https://www.legion.org/
• https://www.vfw.org/
• https://www.amvets.org/
• https://www.dav.org/
• https://www.va.gov/vetdata/
• https://www.oregon.gov/odva/
• https://www.portland.va.gov/
• https://www.roseburg.va.gov/