A.P. Chamie; Led American Legion

Alfred P. Chamie, former national commander of the American Legion, has died. He was 83.

Chamie, who also served as Los Angeles County and California commander of the veterans’ organization, died Friday at St. John’s Hospital in Santa Monica after a long illness.

A Harvard-educated lawyer, he served as an officer in the Judge Advocate General’s Department for four years during World War II.

Chamie began his career as an assistant U.S. attorney for the Los Angeles-based Southern District of California. But most of his practice was as vice president of and counsel to the Assn. of Motion Picture and Television Producers.

Chamie was active in veterans affairs, working through the Los Angeles Downtown Post 336 of the American Legion. He was elected top Legionnaire of the state in 1957 and became national commander in 1970.

As head of the veterans, Chamie led an effort to put worldwide pressure on North Vietnam to treat U.S. prisoners of war humanely.

Among other awards, Chamie was chosen in 1966 as man of the year by the Hollywood chapter of the Jewish War Veterans of the United States.

He is survived by a daughter, Denise; a son, Peter; a brother, Edwin, and sister-in-law Rose Burnside.

Graveside services are scheduled for 1 p.m. today at Holy Cross Cemetery in West Los Angeles.

The family has asked that memorial contributions be made to the Motion Picture and Television Fund.