American Legion - Post 56 Arthur D Lantz Boone, Iowa

06/17/2026

The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States. Presented by the President in the name of Congress, it honors service members who distinguish themselves through conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of their lives above and beyond the call of duty in action against an enemy.

06/14/2026

The Fourth of July, or Independence Day, commemorates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, marking the birth of the United States as an independent nation. This historic document severed the thirteen American colonies' political ties to Great Britain and laid out the foundational principles of American democracy.

Key Milestones & History
The Vote for Independence: On July 2, 1776, the Second Continental Congress formally voted in favor of Richard Henry Lee's resolution to separate from the British Empire.
Adoption of the Declaration: Two days later, on July 4, delegates officially adopted the Declaration of Independence, a document primarily drafted by Thomas Jefferson.
Early Celebrations: The tradition of celebratory cannon fires, concerts, bonfires, and fireworks began spontaneously in Philadelphia and Boston on July 4, 1777. George Washington also famously celebrated the occasion with his troops by offering them double rations of rum.
A Federal Holiday: Congress first declared July 4th a holiday for federal employees in the District of Columbia in 1870, and it was expanded into a paid federal holiday for all workers nationwide in 1938.

06/11/2026

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06/10/2026

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Most people know the American flag is folded at a veteran’s funeral. What many don’t realize is how much precision goes into it. Every movement is practiced. Every fold matters. When the flag is placed into the hands of the family, only the blue field of stars should be visible — a final symbol of honor, service, and a nation’s gratitude.

06/09/2026

The United States is observing its Semiquincentennial celebration, marking the 250th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. This significant milestone commemorates two and a half centuries of American independence, recognizing the nation's founding principles while reflecting on its historical development.

06/09/2026

https://www.state.gov/freedom-250

The Story of America This history series tells the remarkable story of American Independence. It will highlight the stories of the crucial characters and events that resulted in a small rag-tag army defeating the mightiest empire in the world and establishing the greatest republic ever to exist. Thi...

06/06/2026

The Normandy landings were the landing operations and associated airborne operations on 6 June 1944 of the Allied invasion of Normandy in Operation Overlord during the Second World War. Codenamed Operation Neptune and often referred to as D-Day, it is the largest seaborne invasion in history.

06/04/2026

Popular history holds that Flag Day became a nationally recognized holiday in 1916. However, the story of Flag Day started much earlier and includes one of the most unlikely cast of characters to step onto the national stage.
According to tradition, the city of Hartford, Conn. began this patriotic custom on June 14, 1861, after native son Victor Morris urged his community to celebrate the 84th anniversary of the adoption of the American flag with a special day of remembrance.
Public support for Flag Day picked up steam in 1885, when B.J. Cigrand, a schoolteacher from Fredonia, Wis., mobilized his students to celebrate “Flag Birthday” on June 14. Cigrand later championed for establishing a national flag holiday when he became editor-in-chief of American Standard magazine.
George Balch, a kindergarten teacher from New York City, brought Flag Day to the children of his school in 1889. Interest in this event became so popular that the State Board of Education of New York soon adopted its variation of Flag Day.
Across the state border, Colonel J. Granville Leach, a noted historian for the Pennsylvania Society of the Sons of the Revolution, worked diligently to establish a similar Flag Day event in Philadelphia. On June 14, 1893, school children assembled at Independence Square, where they honored the Stars and Stripes by waving small flags and singing patriotic songs.
Not to be outdone, the American Flag Day Association organized the first general public school celebration of Flag Day in Chicago, Ill. More than 300,00 students participated in this event on June 14, 1894.

It was when Secretary of the Interior Franklin K. Lane delivered a stirring Flag Day speech in 1914 that the nation began to recognize the significance of this event. “I am what you make me; nothing more,” said Lane. “I swing before your eyes as a bright gleam of color, a symbol of yourself.”
All these efforts finally paid off in 1916 when President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation establishing June 14 as Flag Day. In 1937, Pennsylvania became the first state to make Flag Day a legal holiday.
President Harry Truman later signed an Act of Congress in 1949, officially designating June 14 as National Flag Day.
President Donald Trump, who was born on Flag Day (June 14, 1946), expanded the celebration in 2017 by proclaiming Flag Day and Flag Week.
Across the country, numerous cities and towns have made Flag Day an annual patriotic celebration, replete with parades, picnics, essay contests and fireworks. Fairfield, Wash., Appleton, Wis. and Quincy, Mass. each lay claim for the nation’s longest-running Flag Day parade while Three Oaks, Mich. maintains that it has the largest Flag Day parade in the country.
With a surge of patriotism and a steady increase in flag sales, Flag Day should continue to be a highly revered American holiday for a long time to come.
By Mark Soroka

06/04/2026

Veterans can receive both VA disability compensation and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) simultaneously without any reduction in payments, as the programs are administered separately and have different eligibility rules. VA benefits do not offset SSDI benefits.

Expedited Processing for Veterans
If you have a 100% Permanent and Total (P&T) VA disability rating, the Social Security Administration (SSA) will fast-track your SSDI application. Veterans with injuries sustained while on active duty on or after October 1, 2001, can also get expedited handling through the Wounded Warrior program.

How to Apply
These benefits must be applied for separately:
* VA Benefits: Manage and apply for your VA claims on the VA.gov Disability Compensation portal.
* SSDI: You can file a claim online through the Social Security Administration Veterans Page https://www.ssa.gov/people/veterans/ in person at a local Social Security office, or by calling 1-800-772-1213.

06/02/2026

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