Daily AncestorVeterans of Foreign Wars
The Veterans of Foreign Wars (V.F.W.) is the organization of U.S. veterans who served in wars and campaigns abroad, founded in 1899 by Spanish-American War veterans.
It grew from several societies of men back from Cuba and the Philippines; the earliest, the American Veterans of Foreign Service, was founded in Columbus, Ohio, on September 29, 1899. Its members are veterans of wars, campaigns and expeditions on foreign land, waters or airspace, so a V.F.W. member served abroad.
Congress chartered it in 1936. It has long helped veterans, widows and orphans with government pension and compensation claims and hospital care.
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Daily Ancestor. "Veterans of Foreign Wars." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/military/veterans-of-foreign-wars. Last checked 2026-10-12.