Jerry Landkamer: Navy Veteran Elected American Legion National Vice Commander

A Navy Career at Sea and in the Air

A Vietnam veteran, Landkamer earned his American Legion eligibility through his service in the U.S. Navy. He was stationed at Naval Air Station Miramar in San Diego with Fighter Squadron 1 (VF-1) — the first squadron commissioned to fly the F-14 Tomcat — and later served aboard the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVAN-65), the world’s first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. In simple terms, he served at the leading edge of the Navy’s transition into a new generation of carrier aviation.

Five Decades of Legion Service

Landkamer has been a Legionnaire since 1975 and is a member of American Legion Post 16 in Norfolk, Nebraska, where he serves on the honor guard. He has held offices at every level of the organization — post, county, district, and area — and served as Department of Nebraska commander from 2006 to 2007.

At the national level, he served as an Alternate National Executive Committeeman from 2008 to 2012 and as National Executive Committeeman from 2012 to 2016, and he has sat on numerous national commissions and committees, including Americanism, Law and Order, and Homeland Security.

A Vice Commander’s Role

Landkamer is one of five national vice commanders elected at the 2025 convention. In simple terms, the national vice commanders assist the national commander, represent the membership across the country, and help carry the organization’s programs and priorities to Legionnaires at the local level.

It is a role suited to a Legionnaire of Landkamer’s long experience. Having held office at the post, county, district, area, department, and national levels over five decades, he brings an institutional memory of how the organization works from the ground up — the kind of grassroots familiarity the vice commanders rely on as they travel among the Legion’s posts.

What The American Legion Is

Founded in 1919, The American Legion is the nation’s largest veterans organization, with roughly 1.6 million members. Landkamer was elected during the Legion’s 106th National Convention in Tampa, joining the slate of national officers serving the 2025–2026 term under National Commander Dan K. Wiley.

A Life of Service and Craft

Beyond the Legion, Landkamer is active in his community as a member of the Sons of The American Legion, the Knights of Columbus, and as a lector and Eucharistic minister at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Norfolk. He is employed at Lou’s Thrifty Way Grocery Store in Norfolk, and in his spare time he builds cabinetry, furniture, and other woodwork.

Conclusion

From the deck of the Navy’s first nuclear carrier to half a century of service in The American Legion, Landkamer’s path reflects the long arc of commitment that defines many of the organization’s most dedicated members.

Key Takeaways

Jerry Landkamer was elected a national vice commander of The American Legion on August 28, 2025, in Tampa.
A Vietnam-era Navy veteran, he served with Fighter Squadron 1 (VF-1), the first F-14 squadron, and aboard the USS Enterprise.
He has been a Legionnaire since 1975 and was Department of Nebraska commander in 2006–2007.
He served on the Legion’s National Executive Committee from 2012 to 2016.
The American Legion, founded in 1919, is the nation’s largest veterans organization with about 1.6 million members.

Sources

The American Legion — National Vice Commander Jerry Landkamer: https://www.legion.org/about/leadership/national-vice-commanders/national-vice-commander-1
The American Legion — Be the One, and ‘Better Together’ (officers elected): https://www.legion.org/information-center/news/convention/2025/august/be-the-one-and-better-together
Wikipedia — The American Legion: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_American_Legion