American Legion, Edgar M. Boyd Post 37, Williston ND

08/18/2026

Come on out to the VFW Post 12169 sponsored picnic and meet some of your local veterans out here working for the betterment of our veterans and our community.

🇺🇸🍔 Calling all area veterans!

VFW Post 12169 invites all military veterans and their families to our Veterans Summer Picnic on Sunday, August 23, from 3:00–5:00 PM at Spring Lake Park – Shelter #1.

We'll be serving burgers, hot dogs, chips, and soft drinks, and BYOB is welcome.

Whether you belong to VFW Post 12169, Legion, Edgar M. Boyd Post 37, Williston ND , DAV Williston ND, Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 487, another veterans organization, or no organization at all—you are welcome.

This picnic is about bringing veterans together. Come reconnect with old friends, meet fellow veterans in our community, enjoy some food, and share in the camaraderie that comes from service.

No membership required. If you served, this picnic is for you. 🇺🇸

08/12/2026

Join us tonight

08/11/2026

7 Oct 2026 09-1500 hrs
Womens Veteran Retreat
Preregistration by 14 Sept required

08/07/2026

💜National Purple Heart Day💜

In 1782, during the Revolutionary War, military awards were almost exclusively reserved for high-ranking officers. General George Washington wanted to break this class-based tradition.

On August 7, 1782, at his headquarters in Newburgh, New York, he issued an order establishing the Badge of Military Merit:

"The General ever desirous to cherish a virtuous ambition in his soldiers...directs that whenever any singularly meritorious action shall be performed, the author of it shall be permitted to wear on his left breast... a heart in purple cloth, or silk, edged with narrow lace or binding."

After the Revolutionary War ended, the Continental Army disbanded, and the Badge of Military Merit was largely forgotten. No new awards were issued, and the award lay dormant through the War of 1812, the Civil War, and World War I.

It wasn't until the 200th anniversary of George Washington’s birth in 1932 that General Douglas MacArthur (then Army Chief of Staff) revived the award. It was officially redesigned into the purple enamel and gold-plated heart with Washington’s profile that we recognize today and renamed the Purple Heart.

When revived in 1932, the medal was awarded BOTH for exceptional merit and for combat injuries. However, during World War II, the Purple Heart was officially redefined exclusively for service members wounded or killed in action by enemy forces.

Facts:
💜Since 1932 - 1.8 million Purple Hearts have been awarded
💜Army Nurse Cordelia "Betty" Cook received the Purple Heart in 1944 for her brave service after being wounded during a bombing raid in Italy. She was the first woman to be awarded this high honor.
💜The Youngest Recipient - Calvin Graham. He lied about his age to enlist in the U.S. Navy during WWII and was wounded during the Battle of Guadalcanal. He was 12 years old.

08/05/2026

June 2026 - The American Legion volunteered in the Beer Gardens for Veteran's Night at the Upper Missouri Valley Fair!
We had buckets out there that collected tips if people wanted to throw some cash in there - but we decided to donate that money right back out to the things and organizations we care about!

We rounded up a little and will be donating a total of:
$1,000 to the Williams County Family Crisis Shelter, INC
and
$1,000 to the. ConnectUs Children's Advocacy Center

Thank you to everyone who threw in a $1 or $2. We hope you feel as lucky as us to be able to support these worthwhile causes in our community.
See you next year!

08/02/2026

Thank you to everyone who joined us this summer at at Williston Water World! We met some new friends, some old friends, and soaked up as much sun as we could!

07/28/2026

We hope to see everyone TONIGHT!

07/28/2026

Special thank you goes out to the MVPA Historic Convoys for making us a stop on your epic journey!
Sharing a piece of history with us tonight was amazing to see as all ages came out and learned, shared stories, and stood in awe of history in action.