American Legion, PANNILL POST NO. 42 — 1924

Martinsville, Virginia

American Legion, 1924

Application for charter for Pannill Post No. 42 was made September 17, 1919, and was issued under date of September 19, 1919. The original signers for charter follows: Kennon C. Whittle, Richard D. Giles, Hugh C. Childress, Charles W. Holt, George A. Carter, Harrison H. Dudley, John A. Stephens, H. Irving Tuggle, Paul R. Stone, R. Morgan Simmons, J. Robert Walker, William Murray Whittle, Randolph G. Whittle, John W. Carter, Jr.

The following officers were elected for year of 1920: Frank W. Higgins, Post commander; Paul R. Stone, adjutant; Kennon C. Whittle, war risk officer.

Meetings were held monthly at Municipal building and were well attended by the members.

The following officers were elected for year 1921: Irving M. Groves, Jr., Post commander; Charles W. Holt, vice-commander; Hugh S. Kearfoot, adjutant; Kennon C. Whittle, war risk officer.

Meetings held at Municipal building.

The following officers were elected for year 1922: H. I. Tuggle, Jr., Post commander; Will T. Walton, vice-commander; I. M. Groves, Jr., adjutant; Kennon C. Whittle, war risk officer; Roy Webster, historian.

Meetings held at Municipal building.

The following officers were elected for year 1923: Gerard W. King, Post commander; W. Richard Broaddus, Jr., vice-commander; Dan W. Cheshire, vicecommander; I. M. Groves, Jr., adjutant; Kennon, C. Whittle, war risk officer; Roy Webster, historian; Claude S. Turner, sergeant-at-arms; T. Spencer Williamson, publicity agent.

During this year, meetings were held in National Guard quarters every two weeks. The membership in 1923 was 77.

Flag pole, seventy-five feet high, was erected on public square by this Post and presented to the town.

The following officers were elected for year 1924: Claude S. Turner, Post commander; Dan. W. Cheshire, vice-commander; 1. M. Groves, Jr., adjutant; Kennon C. Whittle, service officer; T. Spencer Williamson, historian. J. Louis Beckner, publicity agent; Paul R. Stone, chaplain; W. Richard Broaddus, Jr., adjusted compensation officer.

First Out-Post in State of Virginia was organized by this Post at Fieldale in fall of 1923. This Post later applied for regular Post charter, which was granted and is now an active Post in their community.

Memorial Day services have always been fittingly observed by this Post and its members each year since organized.

Each year we have presented to one student in High School and one in Grammar School a medal for attaining the highest grade in the study of American History and Civics.

Early in the spring of 1924 we secured for the first time comfortable and adequate quarters for our meetings, used for social gatherings and reading rooms.

The membership for 1924 is eighty-three, although we lost twenty-six members when Fieldale was organized as a Post, making a net gain of thirty-two over last year.

This Post has always been glad to lend a helping hand to ex-service men who are in need when found their case worthy. In many cases we have secured compensation for men who deserved it, and we have also used our influence to have the government stop compensation when we knew compensation was being given when it was not deserved.

American Legion Auxiliary was organized during latter part 1923, that has aided us very much in many of our undertakings.

This Post has been active during the last year in getting the people of our community to see the need of a community building and have contributed a substantial sum of money for this purpose.