Commissioners Honor American Legion’s 100th Anniversary

Legionnaires pictured in bottom row wearing covers from left to right are: Paul Askew of Smithfield Post 132, Colonel Rudy Baker (retired US Army) of Benson Post 109, Sgt. Major Devell “Bull” Durham Jr. (retired USMC) as the NC District Vice Commander – 11th District, Commander Tom Britt of Four Oaks Post 346, and Lewis W. Rice III of Clayton Post 71. County Commissioners in top row from left to right are: Tony Braswell, Vice Chairman Chad Stewart, Chairman Ted Godwin, Jeffrey Carver, Butch Lawter, Larry Wood, and Patrick Harris. NC District Vice Commander Devell Durham presented each board member with a 100th Anniversary Coin for their labor in Johnston County. The coin was created in a limited edition by the North Carolina American Legion.

Johnston County Commissioners recognized the American Legion’s 100th Anniversary last week. Commissioners adopted a resolution at their April 1st meeting at the Johnston County Courthouse in Smithfield.

The American Legion was chartered by Congress in 1919 as a Patriotic Veterans Organization, focusing on services to Veterans, service members and their communities.  The Legion evolved from a group of war-weary Veterans of World War I into one of the most influential nonprofit groups in the United States. Today, membership stands at more than 2 million in more than 13,000 posts worldwide

The organization stands behind the issues most important to the nation’s Veterans.

Currently there are more than 1,294 registered members in Johnston County and 9 active American Legion posts and more than 14,000 Veterans within the county limits.

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