An Act to incorporation of Army and Navy Legion of Valor of United States of America
PL 84-224 (H.R.3786), enacted 08/04/1955

486 
PUBLIC LAW 224-AUG. 4, 1955 
[69 STAT. 
Public Law 224 
CHAPTER 546 
AN ACT 
August 4, 1955 
[H.R. 3786] 
To incorporate the Army and Navy Legion of Valor of the United States of 
America. 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
Le^n oTvaiof ^^ United States of America in Congress assembled^ That the following 
the U.S.A. incof persons, to wit: James G. Walsh, Distinguished Service Cross, 50 
porat on. 
Patten Street, Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts; Robert G. Woodside, 
Distinguished Service Cross, 3858 First Avenue, South, Saint Peters-
burg, Florida; Deming Bronson, Congressional Medal of Honor, 
route 2, box 322, Roseburg, Oregon; George E. Parker, Junior, Dis-
tinguished Service Cross, Lutherville, Maryland; Leo L. Zingale, 
Distinguished Service Cross, 3612 East One Hundred and Seventeenth 
Street, Cleveland, Ohio; John Davis, Congressional Medal of Honor, 
800 North Shore Drive, Saint Petersburg, Florida; Glen O. McEwen, 
Distinguished Service Cross, box 737, Spokane 3, Washington; Ben. 
Prager, Distinguished Service Cross, 316 Court House, Pittsburgh, 
Pennsylvania; Earle D. Norton, Distinguished Service Cross, 29 
Broadway, New^ York, New York; Ray Eastman, Navy Cross, 396 
LaSalle Avenue, Buffalo 15, New York; Ben Neff, Distinguished Serv-
ice Cross, 208 Evanston Building, Minneapolis, Minnesota; Warren 
L. Granger, Navy Cross, 703 Sixteenth Street, Alexandria, Virginia; 
William Oliver Smith, Distinguished Service Cross, 917 Holt Drive, 
Baleigh, North Carolina; Robert M. Gaynor, Distinguished Service 
Cross, 621 South Taylor Street, Arlington, Virginia; Leon M. Hanna, 
Distinguished Service Cross, box 217, McHenry, Illinois; Bruno O. 
Forsterer, Congressional Medal of Honor, Walker Street, Oakland, 
California; Elmer R. Hangartner, Distinguished Service Cross, 2103 
Lynn Avenue, Altoona, Wisconsin; Thomas Eadie, Congressional 
Medal of Honor, 120 Gibbs Avenue, Newport, Rhode Island; John 
D. Hawk, Congressional Medal of Honor, 3243 Solie, Bremerton, 
Washington; Leon A. Dombrowski, Distinguished Service Cross, 137 
Highland Drive, Williamsville, New York; William C. Hardie, Dis-
tinguished Service Cross, post-office box 1396, Billings, Montana; E. 
?*' ' 
Lee Henderson, Navy Cross, 10948 Fruitland Drive, North Holly-
wood, California; Othel J. Gee, Distinguished Service Cross, 416 
Miedical Arts Building, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Leslie Hardy, 
Distinguished Service Cross, 1021 East Sierra Vista, Phoenix, Ari-
zona; A. Allen Johnson, Distinguished Service Cross, 953 Dixwell 
Avenue, New Haven, Connecticut; Dennis C. Turner, Distinguished 
Service Cross, 1008 Missouri Avenue, Houston, Texas; Columbus 
Whipple, Distinguished Service Cross, 2704 Brinker Avenue, Ogden, 
Utah; John D. Licklider, Distinguished Service Cross, 229 Woodrow 
Avenue, Martinsburg, West Virgmia; Murry Wolffe, Navy Cross, 240 
Gregory Avenue, Passaic, New Jersey; Willard H. Marshall, Dis-
tinguished Service Cross, 31 West Whitney Street, Sheridan, Wyo-
ming; Peter Paul Martinek, Navy Cross, 1731 South Brand Boulevard, 
Glendale, California; Lucian Adams, Congressional Medal of Honor, 
213 Santa Clara Street, San Antonio, Texas; and Edgar H. Bain, 
post-office box 2, Goldsboro, North Carolina, and their successors, 
are hereby created and declared to be a body corporate of the District 
of Columbia, where its legal domicile shall be, by the name of the 
Army and Navy Legion of Valor of the United States of America, 
Incorporated (hereinafter referred to as the "corporation"), and 
by such name shall be known and have perpetual succession and the 
powers, limitations, and restrictions herein contained. 
69 STAT.] 
PUBLIC LAW 224-AUG. 4, 1955 
487 
COMPLETION OF ORGANIZATION 
SEC. 2. The persons named in the first section of this Act are author-
ized to complete the organization of the corporation by the selection of 
officers and employees, the adoption of a constitution and bylaws, not 
inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, and the doing of such 
other acts as may be necessary for such purpose. 
Five of such persons 
shall constitute a quorum for the purposes enumerated in this section. 
PRINCIPLES AND OBJECTS OF CORPORATION 
SEC. 3. (a) The principles underlying the corporation are patriotic 
allegiance to the United States of America, fidelity to its Constitution 
and laws, the security of civil liberty, and the permanence of free 
institutions. 
(b) The objects of the corporation are to cherish the memories 
of the valiant deeds in arms for which the Congressional Medal of 
Honor, the Distinguished Service Cross, and the Navy Cross are the 
insignia; to promote true fellowship among its members; to advance 
the best interests of members of the Armed Forces of the United 
States of America; to extend all possible relief to needy members of 
the corporation, their widows, and children; and to stimulate patri-
otism in the minds of our youth by encouraging the study of the 
patriotic, military, and naval history of our Nation. 
CORPORATE POWERS 
SEC. 4. The corporation shall have power— 
(1) to have succession by its corporate name; 
(2) to sue and be sued, complain and defend in any court of 
competent jurisdiction; 
(3) to adopt, use, and alter a corporate seal; 
(4) to charge and collect membership dues; 
(5) to adopt, amend, and alter a constitution and bylaws, not 
inconsistent with the laws of the United States or any State in 
which the corporation is to operate, for the management of its 
property and the regulation of its affairs; 
^ 6) to contract and be contracted with; 
(7) to take by lease, gift, purchase, grant, devise, or bequest 
from any private corporation, association, partnership, firm, or 
individual and to hold any property, real, personal, or mixed, 
necessary or convenient for attaining the objects and carrying into 
effect the purposes of the corporation, subject, however, to appli-
cable provisions of law of any State (A) governing the amount 
or kind of propertjjr which may be held by, or (B) otherwise 
limiting or controlling the ownership of property by, a corpora-
tion operating in such State; 
(8) to transfer, convey, lease, sublease, encumber, and otherwise 
alienate real, personal or mixed property; and 
(9) to borrow money for the purposes of the corporation, issue 
bonds therefor, and secure the same by mortgage, deed of trust, 
pledge, or otherwise, subject in every case to all applicable pro-
visions of Federal and State laws. 
PRINCIPAL OFFICE ; SCOPE OF ACTIVITIES ; DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA AGENT 
SEC. 5. (a) The principal office of the corporation shall be located 
in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, or in such other place as may later be 
determined by the board of directors, but the activities of the corpora-
488 
PUBLIC LAW 224-AUG. 4, 1955 
[69 STAT. 
tion shall not be confined to that place and may be conducted through-
out the various States, Territories, and possessions of the United 
States. 
(b) The corporation shall have in the District of Columbia at all 
times a designated agent authorized to accept service of process for 
the corporation; and notice to or service upon such agent, or mailed 
to the business address of such agent, shall be deemed notice to or 
service upon the corporation. 
MEMBERSHIP; VOTING RIGHTS 
SEC. 6. (a) All persons of good moral character who are, have 
been, or may become members of the Armed Forces of the United 
States or any foreign country of whatever rank, who have received 
or who may hereafter receive a Congressional Medal of Honor, a 
Distinguished Service Cross, or a Navy Cross awarded for acts of 
extraordinary heroism in connection with military or naval opera-
tions against an armed enemy, or for heroism of a specially distin-
guished character, shall be eligible for active membership in the 
corporation. 
(b) The corporation shall have the power, moreover, to extend 
eligibility for membership, either active or associate, to parents and 
lineal descendants of the persons described in subsection (a) of this 
section under such conditions and upon such terms as the corporation 
may specify in its constitution and bylaws. 
(c) Each member of the corporation, other than associate members, 
shall have the right to one vote on each matter submitted to a vote 
at all meetings of the members of the corporation. 
(d) Notwithstanding the limitations set out in subsections (a) 
and (b) of this section, any member in ^ood standing of the corporate 
body referred to in section 16 of this Act shall be admitted on 
request to comparable membership in the corporation created by 
this Act. 
BOARD o r DIRECTORS : COMPOSITION ; RESPONSIBILITIES 
SEC. 7. (a) Upon the enactment of this Act the membership of the 
initial board of directors of the corporation shall consist of the 
present officers of the Army and Navy Legion of Valor, referred to 
in section 16 of this Act, or such of them as may then be living and 
are qualified officers of that corporation, to wit: AVilliam Oliver 
Smith, of Kaleigh, North Carolina; Peter Paul Martinek, of Glen-
dale, California; Lucian Adams, of San Antonio, Texas; Edgar 
H. Bain, of Goldsboro, North Carolina; and Ben Prager, of Pitts-
burgh, Pennsylvania, who are respectively, the commander, the senior 
vice commander, the junior vice commander, the chaplain, and the 
adjutant and quartermaster. 
(b) Thereafter, the board of directors of the corporation shall 
consist of such number (not less than ten), shall be selected in such 
manner (including the filling of vacancies), and shall serve for such 
terms as may be prescribed in the constitution and bylaws of the 
corporation. 
(c) The board of directors shall be the governing board of the 
corporation and shall, during the intervals between corporation 
meetings, be responsible for the general policies and program of the 
corporation. 
The board shall be responsible for all finances of the 
corporation. 
69 S T A T . ] 
PUBLIC LAW 224-AUG. 4, 1955 
489 
OFFICER; ELECTION OF OFFICERS 
SEC. 8. (a) The officers of the corporation shall be a commander, 
a senior vice commander, a junior vice commander, a chaplain, an 
adjutant and quartermaster, a judge advocate, an inspector, a surgeon, 
a historian, and such aides-de-camp as may be provided in the con-
stitution and bylaws. 
(b) The officers of the corporation shall be elected in such manner 
and for such terms and with such duties as may be prescribed in the 
constitution and bylaws of the corporation. 
USE OF INCOME ; LOANS TO OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, OR EMPLOYEES 
SEC. 9. (a) No part of the income or assets of the corporation shall 
inure to any member, officer, or director, or be distributable to any such 
person otherwise than upon dissolution or final liquidation of the cor-
poration as provided in section 15 of this Act. Nothing in this sub-
section, however, shall be construed to prevent the payment of compen-
sation to officers of the corporation in amounts approved by the execu-
tive committee of the corporation. 
(b) The corporation shall not make loans to its officers, directors, 
or employees. Any director who votes for or assents to the making of 
a loan to an officer, director, or employee of the corporation, and any 
officer who participates in the making of such loan, shall be jointly 
and severally liable to the corporation for the amount of such loan 
until the repayment thereof. 
NONPOLITICAL NATURE OF CORPORATION 
SEC. 10. The corporation, and its officers and directors as such, shall 
not contribute to or otherwise support or assist any political party 
or candidate for public office. 
LIABILITT FOR ACTS OF OFFICERS AND AGENTS 
SEC. 11. The corporation shall be liable for the acts of its officers 
and agents when acting within the scope of their authority. 
PROHIBITION AGAINST ISSUANCE OF STOCK OR PAYMENT OF DIVIDENDS 
SEC. 12. The corporation shall have no power to issue any shares of 
stock or to declare or pay any dividends. 
BOOKS AND RECORDS ; INSPECTION 
SEC. 13. The corporation shall keep correct and complete books and 
records of account and shall keep minutes of the proceedings of its 
members, board of directors, and committees having any authority 
under the board of directors; and it shall also keep at its principal 
office a record of the names and addresses of its members entitled to 
vote. All books and records of the corporation may be inspected by 
any member entitled to vote, or his agent or attorney, for any proper 
purpose, at any reasonable time. 
AUDIT OF FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS 
SEC. 14. (a) The financial transactions shall be audited annually, at 
the end of the fiscal year established by the corporation, by an inde-
pendent certified public accountant in accordance with the principles 
and procedures applicable to commercial corporate transactions. The 
490 
PUBLIC LAW 226-AUG. 4, 1956 
[69 STAT. 
audit shall be conducted at the place or places where the accounts of 
the corporation are normally kept. 
All books, accounts, financial 
records, reports, files, and all other papers, things, or property 
belonging to or in use by the corporation and necessary to facilitate 
the audit shall be made available to the person or persons conducting 
the audit; and full facilities for verifying transactions with the bal-
ances or securities held by depositors, fiscal agents, and custodians shall 
be afforded to such person or persons. 
(b) A report of such audit shall be made by the corporation to the 
Congress not later than six months following the close of such fiscal 
year for which the audit is made. The report shall set forth the scope 
of the audit and shall include verification by the person or persons 
conducting the audit of statements of (1) assets and liabilities, (2) 
capital and surplus or deficit, (3) surplus or deficit analysis, (4) 
income and expense, and (5) sources and application of funds. 
Such 
report shall not be printed as a public document. 
USE o r ASSETS ON DISSOLUTION OR LIQUIDATION 
SEC. 15. Upon final dissolution or liquidation of the corporation, 
and after discharge or satisfaction of all outstanding obligations and 
liabilities, the remaining assets of the corporation may be distributed 
in accordance with the determination of the board of directors of the 
corporation and in compliance with the constitution and bylaws of 
the corporation and all Federal and State laws applicable thereto. 
TRANSFER OF ASSETS 
SEC. 16. The corporation may acquire the assets of the Army and 
Navy Legion of Valor of the United States of America, Incorporated, 
a body corporate organized under the laws of the State of New York, 
upon discharging or satisfactorily providing for the payment and dis-
charge of all of the liabilities of such State corporation and upon 
complying with all the laws of the State of New York applicable 
thereto. 
RESERVATION OF RIGHT TO AMEND OR REPEAL CHARTER 
SEC. 17. The right to alter, amend, or repeal this Act is expressly 
reserved. 
Approved August 4, 1955. 
.. 
, 5 . 
Public Law 225 
. . . 
. 
• . / 
,>^.. 
CHAPTER 547 
August 4, 19SS 
^ ^ 
A C T 
tS» 2176] 
rp^j repeal the requirement that public utilities engaged in the manufacture 
and sale of electricity in the District of Columbia must submit annual 
reports to Congress. 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
lidht *^d *^ow^r ^^^^^^ States 
of America 
in Congress asseinoled, That the last 
companies, 
* paragraph under the center heading "ELECTRICAL DEPARTMENT" of the 
Act entitled "An Act making appropriations to provide for the 
expenses of the government of the District of Columbia for the fiscal 
year ending June thirtieth, nineteen hundred and eight, and for other 
34 Stat. 1134. 
purposes", approved March 2, 1907 (D. C. Code, sec. 43-1109), is 
amended by striking out ": Provided, That any company," and all 
that follows down through "December thirty-first, nineteen hundred 
and six". 
Approved August 4, 1955. 
. 
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