HISTORY OF THE
PERSIAN GULF COMMAND VETERANS ORGANIZATION
AND INFORMATION TO PROSPECTIVE MEMBERS
The Persian Gulf Command Veterans Organization was first started In the Officers Club in 1945 at Terheran, Iran by a few officers and was spread through the Command to the Officers and Top Sgts. The first gathering was held at the Officers Club in Teheran.
This was forgotten during the return and discharge from the service. In 1946, at the American Legion Hall in Tempe, Arizona, a group of Arizona veterans started gathering trying to get things going again. They held meetings plus one big get together every year until 1948 when progress seemed to call for full organization whereby election of officers was held. All veterans including Nurse Corps and Red Cross Personnel who served in Iran during W.W.II are eligible for membership.
Tempe, Arizona is still considered the "home" of the P.G.C.V.O. A great deal is owed to the Founders and Charter Members of this organization. Our first "Shah" and "Sheba" (a name given to the host and hostess of the yearly convention), were Willis Cowan and Helen Cowan. Clifford Perkins (wife, Lola Perkins) was the first Secretary-Treasurer. All the National Commanders and Officers in the years to follow have helped to build and maintain this organization.
Yearly National Conventions have been held in ALMOST every state. This has been and still is strictly a fun organization with a pleasant gathering of old friends and commrades for our mutual pleasures. What started with a few members grew to over 1,700 members with over 300 members attending the conventions. Of course, over time, membership has been declining as the veterans who fought for this great country during WWII are slowly passing on.
*NOTE: The PGCVO ceased their conventions and memberships effective at their 60th Annual National Convention in 2007. Therefore, memberships in the disbanded organization are no longer available.
