(1)    Any post, county or district council or department of the American Legion organized in this state pursuant to the acts of congress passed September 16, 1919, and the acts amendatory thereto, and any unit, county or district council, or department of the auxiliary of the American Legion organized in this state, shall have full corporate power to transact business in this state and to take over the assets and liabilities of the existing posts, units, county or district councils, or departments upon filing with the department of financial institutions a statement of its intent so to do and a full and complete list of its duly elected officers, and shall by so doing become a body corporate. No filing fee shall be charged by the department of financial institutions for so doing.

   (2)   All acts done by any post, unit, county or district council, or department, so incorporated, or its constituted authorities, shall be considered acts of said post, unit, county or district council, or department, as a body corporate, and no personal liability shall be attached to any member therefor.

   (3)   Sections 180.0203 and 181.0203 shall not apply to corporations organized under this section. In the execution of any conveyance or encumbrance by such corporations, the post, county or district, or department commander, and the post, county or district council, or department adjutant, or like or similar officers, shall have the powers and duties granted to presidents and secretaries respectively under s. 706.03 (2) and (3). The provisions of this section shall apply to all corporations incorporated hereunder whether incorporated before or after May 14, 1937.