The fiftieth anniversary of the founding of Pi Lambda Phi was scheduled for March 21, 1945. A global war and more than 3,000 brothers in the armed forces changed the plan. The Executive Council postponed the Golden Anniversary celebration until the fall of 1945, but held an informal gathering at the Hotel Pennsylvania in New York on March 21. Brothers from the classes of 1898 through 1949, from almost every chapter, enjoyed an evening renewing old friendships and making new ones in the spirit of brotherhood. Oscar Gottfried was the chairman of the celebration that included an inspiring welcome by Brother William Melniker, Chairman of the Executive Council. Brother Jerome Alexander, initiated in 1895, offered a prayer in tribute to the brothers who had lost their lives on the field of battle and for the safety of those brothers in the service. Finally, Brother Joseph Kraus, Vice-chairman of the Council, read the Creed of Pi Lambda Phi and the Preamble from the Founders Bulletin. The postponed celebration finally took place on December 27, 1945 at the Essex House in New York.
The post-war era helped to revive a fraternal system that struggled to keep afloat during the Second World War. The influx of servicemen returning to civilian life and college campuses provided a well-needed boost. Pi Lam chapters that were forced to suspend their operations due to the war were revitalized with renewed commitment to the ideals and principles on which they were founded.