La Société des Quarante Hommes et Huit Chevaux (The Society of Forty Men and Eight Horses) in El Paso is the oldest known Veterans Organization, chartered on August 20, 1923.

La Société des Quarante Hommes et Huit Chevaux (The Society of Forty Men and Eight Horses) or commonly known as the Forty and Eight was founded in March, 1920, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, when World War I veteran Joseph Breen and 15 other members of The American Legion came together and organized it as an honor society for the Legion. They envisioned a new and different level of elite membership and camaraderie for leaders of the Legion.

The organization derives its name from the French Army box cars used to transport American soldiers to the western front during World War I. Each car had "40/8" stenciled on the side, which meant that it could carry 40 men or 8 horses. The cars were known as "forty and eights" and viewed by the men as a miserable way to travel. The new organization was thus called the Forty and Eight in an attempt to make light of the common misery they had all shared.

IThe Forty & Eight was founded in 1920 by American veterans returning from France.  Originally an arm of The American Legion, the Forty & Eight became an independent and separately incorporated veteran's organization in 1960.  Membership is by invitation of honorably discharged veterans and honorably serving members of the United States Armed Forces.