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On March 15-17, 1919, a group of “doughboys,” led by Lieutenant Colonel Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., gathered together in Paris, France, to frame the beginning of what is now the Nation’s largest veterans organization.
The primary purpose of the organization was to be the smooth transition to civilian life, which service the American Legion is still providing today – four wars and 50 years later.
It is most significant that this year we also celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the World War II “GI Bill of Rights,” from which many other benefits to servicemen and veterans have stemmed, including a Peacetime “GI Bill.” The American Legion not only helped draft the original Bill, but was virtually alone in supporting it until finally passed by Congress in June 1944. Countless thousands have benefited from these laws through education, home loans, and unemployment compensation.
Troy is fortunate to have an active Post of public-spirited men who serve their nation as civilians as they did in uniform.
As veterans of past wars pass on, younger men are needed to carry on the work of service to veterans, youth and the community. We believe every veteran should be a Legionnaire.
Source: Troy Gazette-Register: The SHOPPER
Vol. 5-No. 22
Thursday, March 13, 1969
Troy, Pennsylvania
Brooks-Flick Post 49 American Legion, is earliest veteran unit
Brooks-Flick Post No. 49, The American Legion, was formed in Troy June 18,
1919, as fifteen charter members signed the application for the creation of a
post.
The idea first geminated on June 6th, when a group of veterans met at the
Oscoluwa Club and decided to apply for a charter.
Vincent A. Vineski was named chairman and Cecil Hooker, vice chairman.
The signers of the charter were Leon J. Smith, Caleb C. Greeno, Paul E. Greeno,
Maurice J. McGee, Vincent A. Vineski, Herbert C. Morris, Thomas A. Vineski,
Joseph P. Vineski, Cecil C. Hooker, H. T. B. Gustin, William J. O’Connor, Fred
H. Blood, Allen L. Lyles, Harold L. Jones and Edward C. Stanton.
At a meeting held in the Van Dyne Civic building Jan. 8, 1920, the charter
members decided to name the post Brooks-Flick, in honor of two Trojans who had
given their lives to their country in the conflict during World War I. The
honored soldiers were Lee Brooks and Milan Flick.
The newly created post received its permanent charter, Apr. 1, 1920 from the
American Legion national headquarters, in Indiana.
Cecil Hooker was elected post commander at the Jan. 8th meeting and Harold
Jones as adjutant. Wendell Card was elected vice commander.
Meetings were held in the Van Dyne civic building until January 1921 when a
new meeting place was obtained, it being the meeting place of the Congdon-Bailey
Post, Veterans of Foreign Wars on Canton street, present VFW headquarters.
Four years later the Post acquired its own land and property on Exchange
Street, the former owner being Col. Henry T. Elgin, a former Trojan. Resident
for one year, the Post then sold the property and purchased the E. B. Parsons
home on Canton street, now occupied in part by the W. R. Croman elementary
school.
With the sale of the land to the school authorities in 1954, the Post then
acquired the former site of the Penn-L Company on Redington Avenue. A
disastrous fire leveled the plant in 1954 and the Legionnaires acquired
ownership of the property soon afterwards building their own meeting place.
The largest membership enjoyed by the Post was in 1946 when it had a total
of 244 members. When the VFW Post was formed that year, a number of
Legionnaires transferred their membership to the new organization.
The present membership is at 96 and Lewis Hurlburt is the commander, with
Theodore Vineski as adjutant. There is also a ladies auxiliary of the
Post, which is quite active.
Source: Troy Gazette-Register: The SHOPPER
Vol. 5-No. 22
Thursday, March 13, 1969
Troy, Pennsylvania
Lee Brooks, Trojan, fell in World War I; Post named for him
Lee Brooks, one of the veterans of World War I, for whom the local American
Legion unit was named – Brooks-Flick Post No. 49 – was killed in action late in
1918.
He was a member of the American Expeditionary force that had gone to France
to combat the Germans after the United States entered the war in 1917.
Vincent A. Vineski of Troy was a soldier companion of Brooks, being
Sergeant, Co. G, 314th Infantry. He wrote a letter to the parents of Lee
Brooks after the fatality had occurred, and it appeared in the Troy
Gazette-Register, Oct. 31, 1918. It follows:
Dear Mr. and Mrs. Brooks:
I presume by this time you have received word from the War Department of
Lee’s death, but as these telegrams simply announce “killed in action”, I feel
it my duty to give you a little of the particulars.
Writing this letter is a mighty painful task for me as Lee and I were
sincere friends as far as we had gone in this game and as you know for years
before. Several time I have started to write and simply could not.
I can’t realize yet that he is not in the company with me. Lee died as
a hero would and just as you would want him to go if it were ordained by the
Almighty that he should fall in this war.
You can feel mighty proud of him, and you have this consolation that he died
in the American way by a bullet. He was shot through the heart by a sniper
as near as we can figure out though the machine gun bullets were flying fast.
Therefore his death was instantaneous. He had an army burial with
chaplain at the grave and his personal effects were taken care of and I presume
will be forwarded and reach you some time.
Harold Peters was killed the same morning, but not with Lee.
Lieutenant Cushing also received a bad wound near the heart, but at last reports
was getting along good. Both Lee and Harold were killed the morning of
Sept. 26th. I will never forget the day.
It was the beginning of a drive of several days – several days of real hell
on earth and if a man were to be killed in the drive it was better that he
should go the first morning than on the last day.
The only regret is that he would not know of our victorious advance as we
certainly drove the Huns. They even shelled the hospital with our wounded,
killing several in their madness.
I talked with Lee not over a half hour before he died as we were advancing
and he was smiling and in the best of spirits as though he enjoyed the whole
thing, so you can see he was not shirking or cowardly.
In this game you have to figure your life is not your own and have to be
ready to go any minute, but really you get so used to danger you do not mind it.
In closing this letter I want to give you and Mr. Brooks all the consolation
and sympathy I can in your hour of anguish, though I realize that no feeling of
a friend no matter how close or dear he is, can equal that of a father or
mother, especially a mother.
With all the sympathy I can give you and with the feeling that the spirit of
Lee is hovering around as I write this I am,
Yours, most sincerely,
Sergt. Vincent A. Vineski
Co. G, 314th Infantry,
American E.F. France
Oct. 13, 1918
Source: Troy Gazette-Register: The SHOPPER
Vol. 5-No. 22
Thursday, March 13, 1969
Troy, Pennsylvania
50-Year Legionnaires honored
Seventeen Legionnaires, all members of the Brooks-Flick Post No. 49, Troy,
American Legion are eligible recipients of the “50-Year Award.”
It is expected that they all will appear at the special anniversary dinner
being held by the Post on Monday, Mar. 17 at the Legion Hall, Redington avenue,
Troy.
State Commander John E. Gilbert is making a special visit to the Post on
that night and it is expected that he will make the awards.
The Brooks-Flick Post is rated as one of the Posts in Pennsylvania with the
highest number of “50-year members” of the 50-year old American Legion.
Eligible Legionnaires for the awards are:
Louis Aumick, Lloyd Bailey, Harry B. Corey, Walter Wates, Caleb Greeno,
Charles F. May, Maurice McGee.
Also, Frederick Pomeroy, Jr., Charles E. Stanton, Leon J. Smith, Vincent A.
Vineski, Perley Wrisley, Maurice Whitlock, Walter Hewitt, Dr. Clifford Scouten.
Mrs. Cecil C. Hooker will receive the award for the late C. C. Hooker.
Source: Troy Gazette-Register: The SHOPPER
Vol. 5-No. 22
Thursday, March 13, 1969
Troy, Pennsylvania
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| Photos from Towanda Review 19 MAR 1970 |
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