Ukrainian American Veterans

Ukrainian American Veterans (Українсько-американські ветерани; Ukrainsko-amerykanski veterany, or УАВ; UAV). A national association of servicemen of Ukrainian descent who have served in the armed forces of the United States of America. It was founded at the First National Convention in Philadelphia in 1948 by several independent local organizations, the first of which was the Ukrainian American Veterans’ League of Philadelphia (est in the 1920s by veterans of the Spanish-American War and the First World War). The UAV lobbies for veteran programs, preserves the memory of fallen soldiers, and co-operates with Ukrainian community organizations on cultural and educational projects. It is a member of the World Council of Ukrainian Combatant Organizations and until 1980 was a member of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America. Today UAV represents 21 local posts in four states with almost 600 members. It published the monthly Bugler (est 1946) and the quarterly UAV Tribune (est 1989). Its presidents are elected at annual conventions and have included M. Chaika (1980–2), E. Zetick (1982–4), J. Brega (1984–6), A. Kobryn (1986–8), J. Fedoryczuk, and D. Bykovetz, Jr. The UAV National Ladies’ Auxiliary was organized in 1974.

[This article originally appeared in the Encyclopedia of Ukraine, vol. 5 (1993).]