American Legion - China post 1

The American Legion China Post No. 1, one of the oldest American Legion Posts in the World. It is the only Post operating in exile in the American Legion, as well as, the only Post nominally headquartered in a Communist country.

They write in the Historical info about this post ; " We call ourselves The Soldiers of Fortune Post. No, we are not soldiers of fortune in the sense of being mercenaries with no allegiance but to money. We are patriots who follow their convictions wherever they may take us - whose strong love of country may lead us to faraway places to work and fight to keep our own country free or to aid others in their quest for freedom".

This reminds me of some words from Winston Churchill; "A man does what he must - in spite of personal consequences, in spite of obstacles and dangers and pressures - and that is the basis of all human morality."

Appropriate even though Churchill was "Half American and all British" (as he was fond of saying.)

I have always wanted to be a member of this post but cant seem to locate another member to sponsor me. Oh well!, But, if there is anyone out there in cyber space interested in helping me become a member of this great organization please feel free to contact me.

You can check out their website at : http://www.chinapost1.org/index.htm

For all of the info you seek. In addition, I have posted some historical info about China post 1 for your reading pleasure. Taken from their website.

Tomahawk - Scouts Out!

INTRODUCTION:
Following is Part I of a brief Pictorial History of our Post which covers the period 1919-1959. It can in no way give the complete story nor credit to all those who have made this Post so great. We have divided the history into two parts so we could properly research and prepare the whole story as accurately as possible. We hope to publish Part II covering the period 1960-1988 within the next 6-8 months. In addition, we hope to add to the history each year with stories and pictures of others who have helped us become the Post we are today.
Each and every member of our Post - both past and present - is part of its history and an important part of what we are, what we have done, and what we hope to do. We call ourselves The Soldiers of Fortune Post. No, we are not soldiers of fortune in the sense of being mercenaries with no allegiance but to money. We are patriots who follow their convictions wherever they may take us - whose strong love of country may lead us to faraway places to work and fight to keep our own country free or to aid others in their quest for freedom. May we never forget who we are, nor what we stand for!

THE BEGINNING:
The Post was formed in 1919, one year after the "great war" and was chartered by the American Legion on 20 April, 1920. It was the first and only American Legion Post in China at that time and our original name was General Fredrick Townsend Ward Post No. 1, China.

OUR ORIGINAL NAMESAKE:
Very little has been written about General Frederick Townsend Ward, possibly because while he was fighting in China against the Taipings in the 1860's, the United States was embroiled in its own civil war. Also later, Major Charles George "Chinese" Gordon would recieve much of the credit for defeating the Taipings.
Although Ward was born in Massachusetts, he ran away to sea at seventeen and by the time he reached China had already soldiered with Garibaldi in Italy and Austria, with the French in Crimea and was involved in William Walker's 1850 attempt to found a "Yankee State" in Nicaragua. In China, he found the Taipings were using religion to mask their looting and rebellion against the Manchus. It was said of the Taipings, "Wherever they go, they plunder and destroy. Civilization and even animal life seem to disappear before them, and their march may be tracked by bodies of murdered peasants and the ruined habitations which they leave behind." Frederick Townsend Ward contracted with the Manchus to capture the designated Taiping city strongholds and led his "Ever Victorious Army" to numerous victories against staggering odds.