In the late 1960s, young Columbus men joined fellow Americans from across the land to help fend off Communist control in Southeast Asia.
Today, local Vietnam veterans who are now in their 70s are in a different, longer fight — albeit a safer one — to keep the Columbus American Legion Post alive.
A small battalion of them began pouring their time and money into resurrecting Post 24 in September 2013, when the operation on 25th Street was closed by the Indiana American Legion
for failing to meet requirements such as not having a full slate of officers. Local veterans such as Al McKown, Dempster Ferguson and John Chatham vowed to bring the post back into compliance at a time when other people their age were settling into retirement.
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“We were going to do it one year. It’s been six,” recalled McKown, 72, who has served as post commander since a slate of new officers was elected in 2014.
Like other military organizations, the three American Legion leaders would welcome help from a younger generation of veterans. But younger veterans are still in the workforce and have their families to support.
“It’s tough,” said Chatham, also 72, a post trustee from Columbus who volunteers about 20 hours each week to do legion business.
Regarding the search for younger leaders to take over, “they really don’t have time,” Chatham laments.
And so the Post 24 rescue mission has been led by Vietnam era service members who do have time and display their American pride on the apparel they wear every day, as well as deep inside their souls.
The post was $42,000 in the red when the new leaders offered their help, said Ferguson, 70, of Columbus, the finance officer who volunteers about 60 hours a week at the post.
McKown used to live in Columbus but now commutes from Bloomington. He commits about 40 hours to the post each week, maintaining duties such as bingo caller on Sunday and Tuesday nights.
McKown, Ferguson and Chatham are among about 400 post members. Another 400 are members of the affiliated Sons of the American Legion and American Legion Auxiliary.
Some of them will gather next Sunday for a pitch-in dinner to mark the post’s 100th anniversary.
Six years ago, given its challenges at the time, the idea of Post 24 hitting the hundred-year mark would hardly have seemed plausible.
The effort started when McKown purchased and donated a new deep fryer, a key piece of equipment to help boost the post’s financial coffers through a series of fish fry fundraisers.
Ernie Wanner, a second vice commander and a licensed electrician, spent about a year getting all of the building’s electrical components modernized and up to code.
As more people stepped up to donate money or offer their services, the organization was able to replace the building’s windows and two furnaces, re-carpet the floors, renovate the men’s and women’s restrooms and repave the parking lot.
The legion post also installed big-screen televisions, bought other new appliances, added an ATM machine, installed a new LED sign out front and this past September remodeled and reopened the kitchen.
Contributions to the community were cited as one of the post’s shortcomings in 2013, but that’s also turned around.
The post’s fish fry fundraisers now help others, with at least $2,000 in proceeds going to different beneficiaries each time.
December’s fish fry on behalf of the local DARE program generated a whopping $4,000, a record.
The next fundraiser — giving customers a choice of fried fish or breaded pork tenderloin — is March 27 on behalf of the Sheriff’s Youth Academy. Four weeks later, Turning Point Domestic Violence Services will benefit from an April 24 fish fry.
Eat-in or take-out diners get a couple of pieces of Alaskan Pollock, cole slaw, potato salad and baked beans for $8. Fried fish is also a Friday menu special each week at the post for $7.
The post’s next project will salute a new generation they are working to embrace.
Photos of current military personnel from Columbus will be displayed on six block glass window panels facing 25th Street.
Approaching their milestone, there are a variety of ways you can show or tell Post 24 members you appreciate their service to fellow veterans, our country and our community.
We owe it to them.
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American Legion Post 24
Founded: 1920
Address: 2515 25th St., Columbus
Phone: 812-376-7036
Hours: 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, and noon to 6 p.m.
Sunday. Open to the public for lunch and dinner daily, and on Saturdays for breakfast until 11 a.m.
Special events: Bar bingo, Tuesday; Karaoke, Wednesday; Texas Hold ‘Em, Thursday.
Alcohol policy: Unless there are special exceptions, only members can purchase and drink alcohol on post premises.
100th anniversary pitch-in dinner
1 p.m. Sunday, March 15 at post.
Meat provided; guests bring side dishes with a signup sheet available at the post.
Young service member photo display
Nominate a current military service member to be recognized outside the legion post by contacting commander Al McKown at 812-376-7036 (at the post) or 812-447-1000 (cell). Email photos to [email protected]
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Retired editor Tom Jekel writes a weekly column that appears each Sunday on The Republic’s Opinion page. Contact him by email through [email protected]
