tab ▁website ▁ ▁Category : Desktop ▁widget s ▁Category : Fre ew are <0x0A> </s> ▁This ▁article ▁refers ▁to ▁a ▁def unct ▁organization . ▁For ▁the ▁current ▁organization ▁sharing ▁the ▁same ▁name ▁see ▁American ▁V eter ans ▁Committee . ▁ ▁The ▁American ▁V eter ans ▁Committee ▁was ▁founded ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 3 ▁as ▁a ▁liberal ▁veter ans ▁organization ▁and ▁an ▁alternative ▁to ▁groups ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁American ▁Leg ion ▁and ▁the ▁V eter ans ▁of ▁Foreign ▁Wars , ▁which ▁supported ▁a ▁conserv ative ▁political ▁and ▁social ▁ag enda . ▁ ▁The ▁organization ' s ▁roots ▁were ▁plant ed ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 2 ▁when ▁S gt . ▁Gilbert ▁Harrison ▁began ▁to ▁correspond ▁with ▁fellow ▁serv ic emen ▁concerning ▁an ▁organization ▁that ▁expanded ▁beyond ▁the ▁needs ▁of ▁military ▁men . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 3 , ▁the ▁University ▁Relig ious ▁Conference ▁at ▁U CLA ▁became ▁a ▁meeting ▁place ▁for ▁the ▁military ▁men ▁who ▁shared ▁this ▁desire ▁for ▁a ▁veter ans ▁organization ▁that ▁also ▁advoc ated ▁peace ▁and ▁justice . ▁ ▁One ▁year ▁later ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 4 , ▁Charles ▁Bol te ▁joined ▁the ▁U CLA ▁group ▁and ▁the ▁American ▁V eter ans ▁Committee ▁was ▁born . ▁The ▁found ing ▁group ▁included ▁Fut ur ist ▁Donald ▁Pre ll . ▁The ▁new ▁organization ▁immediately ▁began ▁to ▁publish ▁the ▁A VC ▁Bul letin ▁to ▁document ▁the ▁organization ' s ▁advoc acy ▁issues . ▁ ▁With ▁a ▁mot to ▁of ▁" C it iz ens ▁First , ▁V eter ans ▁Second