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Show COMPILING WORLD WAR DATA Achievements of Men and Women During Dur-ing Great Conflict to Be Re- corded In General History. j Compilation of the achievements of , the men and women of the World war, j and the establishment of a national ! historical archives for the preservation ; of documents and Important data con- ! cernlng the canqtfilgns of Uie war, U the principal work which has fallen to the ollice of the national historian of the American Legion. One of the most recent advances of this Important cog in the Legion machine ma-chine at headquarters in Indianapolis, is the completion of the biographical data of the men whose World war careers and prominence in Legion history his-tory will be of interest to Legion men In future years. Kben E. Putnam, of Weilesley Farms, Mass., national historian of the organization, or-ganization, whose entire time is demanded de-manded In the obtaining of data and records for the continuance of the archives section of the Legion, has delegated much of this work for biographical reference to Harvey G. Thomas, assistant national historian formerly of Monticello, Ind. Under Mr. Thomas' direction, accumulation ac-cumulation of this data concerning nearly 3,000 Legion members throughout through-out tha 11,000 posts of the organization Harvey C. Thomas. In the world Is progressing rapidly. Comprehensive questionnaires have been sent out and there is already a mass of this matter in his office, awaiting await-ing classification. In preparation of this general history of the Legion, the history of each post is necessary. Through the state organization, organ-ization, requests are made to the individual posts for names of organizers, organ-izers, dates, the officers since the chartering char-tering of the unit, the progress in members mem-bers annually, all of which points out definitely the leaders in that post. This Information is in turn garnered by the department historian, executive committee com-mittee meetings, and conferences. This combined with the post history will give the entire department history. The history of posts and departments will be added to the biographical data ob- kr Mi- Tlinmoe making Com plete records for a Legion history, publication pub-lication of which is now contemplated. Thomas entered the service early in May, 1917. He received a commission of lieutenancy in Infantry shortly afterwards after-wards and was assigned to the Fifty-eighth Fifty-eighth infantry, which later became a unit of the Fourth division. He went overseas with this organization and was with the regiment during the Aisne-Marne Aisne-Marne campaign. Wounded at Fismes. he was returned to the United States, landing on Armistice day, and was retired re-tired from the service in July, 1920. with the rank of captain. |