Auxiliary Early History

The Veterans of Foreign Wars National Auxiliary was founded in 1914 to help veterans and their families and to serve their communities. In 1922 Burns Post 388 decided to form an auxiliary. A meeting was called on October 11, 1922 and enough women signed to get a charter. The Veterans of Foreign Wars Burns Post 388 Auxiliary located in Wausau, Wisconsin, was instituted by Post Commander S. Knox Kreutzer on October 27,1922. Both Ruth Burns and Elizabeth Jones were instrumental in the forming Burns Post 388 Auxiliary and Mrs. Pat Burns, mother of James and John Burns, was the first president. As we had no Department, we worked directly with National until 1925, when the Department of Wisconsin was formed with help of the Burns Post Auxiliary. We started with 22 members and had grown to be one of the largest Auxiliaries in the state of Wisconsin. Our organization has achieved its own unique identity while working side by side with the veterans who belong to the VFW. We are here to assist our veterans and be active in the communities where we live and work.