Show STARTED LEGION IN FRANCE Franklin DOlier National Commander Command er One of the Twenty Men to Found Organization Franklin DOller DOlier national commander command command- er of the American Legion was born April 28 1877 In n Burlington N. N J. J where he lie attended local school ands and s prepared r e a r e d for o r sY Princeton r- r sity He was gradt graduated graduated grad grad- t 1 from Prince Prince- Princeton Princeton ton In 1808 1898 and immediately entered entered entered en en- bus business I n e s s with his father s William DOlier DOller Co commission merchants In cotton and yarns arns In Philadelphia Upon his fathers father's retirement re re- from business the firm name was changed to Franklin DOlier Co Mr rr DOller DOlier entered the military service of the United States In April 1917 1017 as a captain In the quartermaster ter tel corps After a 30 few weeks' weeks service at the Philadelphia depot and several months at nt Boston he was ordered to France In August 1917 Owing to gr great at scarcity of tonnage at that time and und the necessity for tor salving material on n a large scale Mr DOller DOlier was assigned assigned assigned as as- signed to the newl newly organized salvage ser service vIce and In January 1918 1018 took command command command com com- mand of the first salvage depot that was operated by the American arm army Within six months the work had hind grown so rapidly that the time personnel Increased from 12 to and und this depot was salvaging for tor about men and was larger than any depot operated b by either the British or French armies This depot was at St. St Pierre des Corps near Tours France the headquarters of the service of 01 supply In Jul July 1918 1018 Captain DOller DOlier was I I ordered to L Lyons ons France to organize i the second large depot which at the time of ot the armistice had a n capacity o of ot taking care of salvaging for upward of a million and n a half men H HG was promoted to the rank of major find and then lieutenant colonel and assigned to the general staff and after two years' years service In the army 20 0 months of which was In Inthe the A A. A E. E F. F was discharged from the service In April 1919 1910 Mr DOlier DOller was one of the original 20 O men who initiated the American Legion in France February 15 1919 and ond attended the Paris caucus of the American Legion on March Murch 15 1919 After his discharge from the service Mr DOlier DOlfer joined Theodore Roosevelt who was at that at-that that time early time early In 1919 1019 perfecting the time pr preliminary organization tion of the American Legion In the United States preparatory to the St. St Louis caucus Ma May 8 9 0 and 10 Mr DOller DOlier was chairman of the Pennsylvania I anla delegation at the time St St. Louis caucus and ana a n member of the national national national na na- executive committee from Penns Penn Penn- s sylvania After the St. St Louis Louts caucus he was placed In charge of the state organIzation organization or or- division at ut national headquarters head head- quarters quartets New York city and gave hits his entire time without any remuneration Whatsoever to American Legion work I In preparation for the 3 Minneapolis convention Mr 11 work for or th the Legion has been to operate co-operate with and coordinate coordinate coordinate co co- ordinate the work of the state organizations organIzations organizations organ organ- of the Legion anc anti and to direct the preparations for the Minneapolis convention For his work worl worlIn In France Mr 11 received a Distinguished Service l Medal ledal edal from the United States government and the Legion of of Honor lIonor from the French government |