POST HISTORY
During the month of September 1970, a few veterans were having their Friday evening get-together at the Old Dominion NCO Club located in Patrick Henry Village, Heidelberg, Germany. They thought that it would be a great idea for creating an American Legion Post. Comrade Alfred H. Watts, who was a member of John Wayne Post in Heilbronn, Germany was appointed to help with the new project. Thus, Heidelberg Post No. 3, Department of France received a Charter on October 23, 1970 with the following Charter Members:
Later on the members voted to give the Post a new name of Rhein-Neckar Post GR03, Department of France (date not on charter) - seeing as the city of Heidelberg was nested between the Rhein and the Neckar rivers, the Heidelberg Castle being one of the biggest attractions in the Rhein-Neckar Valley, and also noted was the song of “Ich Hab Mein Herz im Heidelberg Verloren”, translated to “I Lost my Heart in Heidelberg”, the city of Romance. We won’t try to give you the history of Heidelberg as it is too long and complicated. With the drawdown of U.S. Forces from Europe, Rhein-Neckar Post GR03 has a current membership off 148 members. While it is not what it use to be, it is one of the strongest Posts in the Department of France.
PAST POST COMMANDERS
1970 TO PRESENT
EDWARD C. DUBOIS - 1970-71
EDWARD C. DUBUOIS - 1971-72
JAMES MATTHEWS - 1972-73
FRANK B. YOUNG - 1973-74
RAYMOND A. DENO - 1974-75
LEROY VAN CLETH - 1975-76
NOLA L. MALONEY - 1976-77
NOLA L. MALONEY - 1977-78
CLEMENS J. PRYZBOJEWSKI - 1978-79
JAMES L. MONTGOMERY - 1979-80
JAMES L. MONNTGOMERY - 1980-81
JAMES L. MONTGOMERY - 1981-82
JAMES L. MONTGOMERY - 1982-83
JAMES L. MONTGOMERY - 1983-84
FRANK H. WING - 1984-85
FRANK H. WING - 1985-86
FRANK H. WING - 1986-87
FRANK H. WING - 1987-88
JAMES L. MONTGOMERY - 1988-89
JAMES L. MONTGOMERY - 1989-90
KEITH L. BUSHEY - 1990-91
KEITH L. BUSHEY - 1991-92
KEITH L. BUSHEY - 1992-93
KEITH L. BUSHEY - 1993-94
KEITH L. BUSHEY - 1994-95
? 1995-96
KEITH L. BUSHEY - 1996-97
KEITH L. BUSHEY - 1997-98
KEITH L. BUSHEY - 1998-99
KEITH L. BUSHEY - 1999-00
? 2000-01
DONALD C. MARSH - 2001-02
GEORGE T. HALL - 2002-03
GEORGE T. HALL - 2003-04
GEORGE T. HALL - 2004-05
GEORGE T. HALL - 2005-06
GEORGE T. HALL - 2006-07
EDWARD C. SHERMAN - 2007-08
EDWARD C. SHERMAN - 2008-09
EDWARD C. SHERMAN - 2009-10
HISTORY OF "THE AMERICAN LEGION"
On January 20, 1920 forty-five former servicemen met in the high school auditorium summoned by Past Commander P. V. Thelander. Existing at the time in Batavia an informal Post consisting of former World War One veterans. The decision to organize an American Legion Post resulted from the conclusion of these veterans that the American Legion was the representative veterans' organization in this country. That conclusion has been proven true as today the American Legion is the largest wartime veterans' organization with nearly 15,000 local Posts throughout America and over 3 million members who care about America, veterans, their families and our nation's youth.
At the first meeting P. V. Thelander was elected temporary chairman and Fred pearson temporary secretary. Decision was made by the attending veterans to file an application for a Batavia American Legion Post.
At the February 3, 1920 meeting, held in the council chambers of City Hall, a Certificate of Application for a Charter was presented. It was also decided at this meeting to organize a Post as soon as one hundred service men of Batavia had indicated their desire to join the Post. The next meeting was held on February 17, 1920 and those present decided to organize permanently.
A committee was formed to name the Post and that as a mark of respect to the Batavia men who died in the service of their country, the Post was named "American Legion Batavia Post 504". John Kelly, Carl Mier, John P. Benson, John Duffy and Andrew Anderson, Batavia's war dead, were memorialized and honored when this Post was chartered.
Permanent organization was affected at a meeting held at the Moose Hall on April 19, 1920 at which time permanent officers were elected. The first officers of Batavia Post 504 were: Victor Thelander, Commander; George H. Tinckness, Adjutant; and Albert Painsipp, Finance Officer. On August 21. 1920 a charter was issued establishing American Legion Batavia Post 504.
