American Legion, ROANOKE POST No. 3 — 1924
Roanoke, Virginia
American Legion – 1924
Roanoke Post No. 3, American Legion, was organized during the summer of 1919. James J. Izzard being the first commander, R. B. Adams, adjutant, Ralph K. Baker, finance officer. Mr. Izzard and Mr. Adams being former members of the old First Virginia Coast Artillery Corps, later meets of the 117th T. M. and M. P. Corps, 42nd Division. These men deserve great credit for the work started during that year and for their continued loyalty and support down to the present.
Roanoke Post No. 3 had the honor of entertaining the first State Convention held by the Virginia Department. It was held at Hotel Roanoke on the 6th and 7th of October, 1919. C. Francis Cocke was elected chairman.
YEAR 1920
The officers elected for the year 1920 were Sidney Chockley, commander, and Ralph K. Faker, adjutant and finance officer.
YEAR 1921
Those elected to serve for the year 1921 were Dr. Hugh H. Trout, commander, and Lewis O. Brown, adjutant and finance officer.
YEAR 1922
Officers for the year 1922 were Jos. T. Engleby, Jr., commander, and Lewis O. Brown, adjutant and finance officer.
YEAR 1923
Officers for the year 1923 were R. B. Adams, Jr., commander, and Lewis O. Brown, adjutant and finance officer.
YEAR 1924
The officers elected to serve for the year 1924 were Ernest G. Baldwin, commander, and H. H. Foster, adjutant and finance officer.
Roanoke Post No. 3 has taken quite an active part in civic affairs in the past two or three years, such as furnishing “All Legionaire” teams in Salvation Army, Y. M. C. A., and various other drives and campaigns that were considered worthy of support by the Post.
The Post has raised and spent between $350.00 and $400.00 in each of the past two years for the relief of deserving veterans who were down and out. For one man a complete outfit of hospital supplies was purchased, and three months’ treatment at Catawba Sanatorium was paid for.
The Employment Bureau has done exceptionally good work in procuring employment for ex-service men.
A committee appointed to assist all applicants in filling out their applications for insurance under the Adjusted Compensation Act has filled out over seven hundred applications within a period of two weeks. From the rate that veterans are applying it is reasonable to expect that between 1,500 and 2,000 ex-service men will ask for help of the committee in charge. The committee is headed by M. S. Thomas, who deserves special mention in connection with this year’s activities of the Post. He has personally brought in one hundred and fifteen members this year.
The city has given the Post exclusive use of two large club rooms in the New City Market Building, and the use of the large auditorium one night in each week. The Post holds business and social meetings on the second Monday night in each month.
Roanoke Post No. 3 has published for the last two years a monthly magazine called the “Roanoke Legionaire,” the success of which has been due to the good work of R. E. Adams, editor; L. M. Jennings and Clifton Coleman, business managers.
The present [fall,1924] membership of Roanoke Post is 385.