THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2019 // 3
SCRATCHPAD
American Legion exhibit shows legacy, vitality of organization
But when I arrived at the
Museum for the opening
of the exhibition, “Coming
Home: World War I and the
Centennial of the American
Legion” I didn’t realize just
how much fi rst-hand knowl-
edge I would be receiving.
It was Armed Forces Day
and members of Ilwaco’s
American Legion Post 48
were grilling hot dogs and
hamburgers for visitors at the
exhibit’s opening reception.
I talked to 10th District
Commander Dick Wallace,
Legion commander Ron
Robbins and Museum exec-
By JONATHAN WILLIAMS
COAST WEEKEND EDITOR
I
thought I knew a few
things about the Amer-
ican Legion as I did
some brief research and pre-
pared my questions for my
interview with the execu-
tive director of the Columbia
Pacifi c Heritage Museum in
Ilwaco a few weeks ago.
As I drove over the Asto-
ria Bridge to Washington I
thought about the American
Legion building in Astoria
and the veterans I had seen
in parades.
coast
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utive director Betsy Millard.
Both Wallace and Rob-
bins talked about the impor-
tance of remembering vet-
erans and the sacrifi ces they
made.
Their passion to educate
others about the history of
the Legion was palpable.
They spoke of the
Legion’s history and how it
was chartered by Congress
after World War I to help
assist veterans reintegrate
into civilian life.
Ilwaco’s Legion was
named after Don R. Grable,
the only man from the town
COAST WEEKEND EDITOR
JONATHAN WILLIAMS
CALENDAR COORDINATOR
BREE ELLIOTT
CONTRIBUTORS
DAVID CAMPICHE
HEATHER DOUGLAS
KATHERINE LACAZE
BARBARA LLOYD McMICHAEL
JONATHAN WILLIAMS
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to die in World War I. The
Legion had nearly 200 mem-
bers after the end of World
War II.
Millard spoke about how
war was the fi rst time many
young men and women from
Ilwaco left home. The sol-
diers wrote letters home and
the newspapers would pub-
lish them.
The exhibit includes
memorabilia from the
Legion such as poems,
newspaper articles, post-
ers, clothing and stories that
detail local World War I
history.
What I did not know was
the Legion’s primary pur-
pose: to help veterans and
connect them to resources
like Veterans Affairs clinics.
A veteran who goes to
the VA and was helped with
their paperwork by a Legion
offi cer will have their paper-
work go to the top of the pile
because the VA knows the
Legion members are trained
to help.
Wallace and Robins
spoke about helping veter-
ans pay their light, water and
rent bills and driving them to
the VA in Longview.
They also talked about
the community service work
the Legion does, like going
to Black Lake on Memorial
Day and reading the names
of fallen soldiers, retiring old
fl ags on Flag Day, partici-
pate in parades and provid-
ing scholarships, gun safety
classes and presenting com-
munity awards.
Most surprising and grat-
ifying was meeting World
War II veteran James “Buck”
Donnelly, 98, who fought in
the Philippines.
To meet a living veteran
who witnessed and fought in
World War II was moving.
Wallace and Robbins
talked about how much lon-
ger wars today last, the dif-
fi culty in getting new mem-
bers and society’s increasing
awareness to veteran’s living
with PTSD.
Go see this exhibit. You’ll
be all the better for it.
The exhibit runs through
July 6. CPHM is open 10 a.m.
to 4 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday
and is located at 115 Lake St.
S.E., Ilwaco, Wash. Adults:
$5; Seniors (55+) $4; Youth
(13-17): $2.50; 12 & Under
are free. CW