OKANOGAN — The Okanogan American Legion Post 56 will be celebrating its centennial this year. The legion was established in 1919, the same year the national organization started.
The American Legion was founded in March 1919 in Paris, France, by U.S. World War I military personnel stationed there.
The Okanogan Post filed its application Oct. 2, 1919; it was approved Oct. 13. The first commander of the post was John M. Hubbard, with 15 original charter members. By 1925, the post had 74 members.
Members have to have served in the military in a war time period. Gulf War open eligibility, which began in August of 1990, is still open.
Post 56 currently has 42 members, but only about 15 active members who show up for the monthly business meeting the third Monday of each month.
The youngest member, a Marine who served in Afghanistan, is 25. Alex Wheeler is the sole remaining member who served in World War II. Three or four active members served in Vietnam, several served in Korea, and three members are veterans of the Gulf War...
...[Post Commander Eric] Fritts said the Okanogan post hosts the Veterans Administration mobile medical bus about five times a year when it comes to town from the VA in Spokane. Local veterans can get exams, prescription renewals and check-ups at the post, rather than traveling to Spokane...
...Unlike many American Legion posts which raise money through sales of food and drinks, Post 56 is able to raise money only through rental of the facility, which the American Legion owns.
Read on at the Omak Chronicle