"Salute to the Heroes" ball making the rounds - true?

I’m seeing this pop up on forums:

http://www.clevelandleader.com/node/8627

None of the major networks are carrying this, which might be simply because the 10 official balls were all planned/announced well in advance, so this isn’t news. But I still think Fox would be having a hayday with this if it were true. So the only sources are questionable, and the “followup” including the press release doesn’t convince me of anything either.

I did find this:

So the ball is real, and Bush II attended it at least once. However, I can’t find any evidence of it happening this year, which means I can’t find proof that Biden attended it.

I’m posting this in GQ because I just want a factual answer – did this ball take place, and if so, was Obama there? I’m all googled out on this.

Yes, it took place. No, Obama was not there. Biden was.

This blog contains an official response from the American Legion:

http://www.blackfive.net/main/2009/01/the-one-blows-o.html

The official inaugural balls are listed on the official program —> http://www.pic2009.org/page/-/images/56th%20Inaugural%20Official%20Guide%20Book.pdf. The “Salute to the Heroes” is not listed. The listing of official and unofficial inauguration balls where tickets are available does not list a “Salute to the Heroes” ball.

There is one reference made by a blogger after the fact here —> http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/obamablogger/gGxHPx

The American Legion web site makes no reference to an inaugural ball, even though the newspaper article claims they are a sponsor.

The “Veterans Inaugural Committee” is suspect since the District of Columbia Government does not have them listed as a registered organization. In fact, the database show their registration was revoked but offer no date of revocation (1976? 1977?). I find no direct reference with several Google searches to any active “Veterans Inaugural Committee.”

It seems like the Commander-in-Chief Ball, started by Bush in 2005, is the new official military ball.

One addition: an interesting thing is that inaugural balls only started up again in 1949, when there was one. Eisenhower had two in 1953, just because they didn’t have enough space.

http://www.eisenhower.archives.gov/All_About_Ike/Presidential/1953Inaugural/1953_Inauguration.html

So I wonder whether “American Legion hosted the ball” really means “a ball was held at the National Guard Armory building”.