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HISTORY OF THE 369TH VETERANS´ASSOCIATION INC.

The 369th Veterans' Association, Inc., A Non-Profit Organization, was founded on October 6, 1953 by a small group of veterans who had served with the 369th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Group and affiliated units during World War II.

The aims and purposes of the Association are to support all patriotic endeavors of the United States; to stimulate the public interest in the general welfare of all the communities in which our members reside and to help prepare mentally, morally, and physically the youth of these communities so that they will become the capable leaders of the future.

In  1954, membership was extended to all honorably discharged men and women, irrespective of race, creed or color, who had served with the United States Armed Forces, or its allies, during the Spanish-American War, World Wars I and II, the Korean Conflict and the Viet Nam War.

The dues, are only $5.00 per year, with no initiation or other joining fees. There are approximately 2000 members in the 369th Veterans' Association. While the bulk of the members reside in the New York and New Jersey area, there are members who reside in Arizona, California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Virginia, Washington, D.C. and the Virgin Islands.

For the convenience of the members, the Association is divided into 10 Districts. Each District elects its own officers and maintain its own headquarters. Plans are being made to establish new Districts of the Association.

Some of the accomplishments of the Association since its founding has been to:

1. Institute an Education Fund.
2. Establish a Welfare Fund.
3. Organize the 369th Veterans' Association Band.
4. Set up a Blood Bank Program for the members and their families.
5. Originate the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Parade. 
6. Formulate Group Insurance Plan.
7. Donate funds for children's camps.
8. Sponsor Little League Baseball Teams.
9. Set up a tutorial program for school children.

Among the projects designed for the future are to:
1. Initiate a non-partisan program designed solely to induce the residents of the communities served by our Association to register and vote.
2. Intensify its program in the field of Community Relations.
3. Organize and sponsor a Boy Scout Troop and a Girl Scout Troop.
4. Sponsor a Youth Drum and Bugle Corps, with a Drill Team.

[[images - 3 black & white photographs of men speaking at the microphone]]]]
 
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