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SECTION 3 Salem, Oregon, August 2, 1949 Special American Legion Convention Section
Friday Night
Parade Huge
And Colorful
Featuring a military keynote,
the long and colorful grand par
ade of the 3 1st annual Oregon
state American Legion conven
tion will wind its way through
Salem's downtown streets be
ginning at 7 o'clock Friday
night.
It is expected the parade will
take over two hours to pass any
one spot.
The grand parade is always
a highlight of any Legion con
vention, and this year's march
is promised to be especially col
orful, in that it includes such a
wide variety of paraders.
Grand Marshall Brig. Gen. H.
G. Mason and his aides will
make up the first section of' the
parade.
Then will come over 1000
snappy military men marching
in various groups. Included will
be 250 men from the 2nd divi
sion at Fort Lewis, and the 50-
piece 2nd infantry band, regard
ed as one of the best military
bands in the nation.
Two battalions of the 162nd
inftntry of the Oregon national
guard, made up of over 700
men, follow. Included in this
section of the parade are two
national guard units from Sa
lem. Many of the National
Guarders will be armed.
Huge government trucks car
rying the very latest in heavy
artillery will roll in the parade
Local Navy and Marine re
serve units will also appear.
It's the Legionnaires conven
tion, so the Legion will be well
represented in the parade. Drum
and bugle corps teams, state
Legion olficers, auxiliary mem
bers. 40 et 8 leaders, etc., will
all pass by in review.
Patriotic groups, including
Gold Star Mothers, War Moth
ers, Veterans of Foreign Wars,
Disabled American Veterans,
will play a big part in making
the parade complete.
Local civic organizations will
also be represented.
The line of march: Starts at
Marion square; south on Com
mercial to State; east on state
to Liberty; north on Liberty to
Chemeketa; east on Chemeketa
to High; south on High to State;
east on state to Winter, disband
ing at Willson park.
Second Infantry Band
Comes From Ft. Lewis
The Second Infantry band of
Ft. Lewis, Wash., a group of
military musicians who can play
anv tvoe of music and do it wen
will be on hand for nearly all
the nrincinal events of the state
American Legion convention this
week. '
The band is particularly noted
for its ability to appear in for
mal routine. Clad in white
bands and white gloves, the machine-like
group will make for
mal appearences at flag-raising
ceremonies on the courthouse
lawn Thursday morning, and at
the drum corps competition at
Sweetland field Thursday nigni.
v 7
Douglas McKay, governor of
Oregon, is a past commander of
Capital Post No. 9. American
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A
Convention Highlights
WEDNESDAY
Public invited.
5:30 p. m. 40 et 8 Parade.
9:00 p. m. Convention dance, armory.
THURSDAY
Ail day Drum corps, bands, funmaking stunts, etc., on
downtown streets.
8:45 a. m. Flag raising ceremonies, Court House lawn.
9:00 a. m. Joint memorial services, Elsinore theatre.
9:45 a. m. Opening joint business session, Elsinore theatre.
12:00 noon Legion luncheon, American Legion club, 2650
S. Commercial, free to all registrants.
1:30 p. m. Business session, House of Representatives.
2:00 p. m. Ritualistic contest, mass initiation, champion
team, Elks temple.
5:30 p. m. Retreat ceremony, Court House square.
p. m. Grand Convention banquet, armory.
7:30 p. m. Band concert, Sweetland field.
:00 p. m. Drum corps contest, Sweetland field,
:M p. sa. Drum corps eontest, Sweetland field.
9:00 p. m. Convention dance, armory, public invited.
10:00 p. m. Grand convention ball.
FRIDAY
All Day Drum corps, bands, funmaking stunts, etc., on
downtown streets.
8:00 a. m. Reveille and flag raising, Court houselawn.
9:30 a. m. Business session, House of Representatives.,
1:30 p. m. Business session, House f Representatives.
1:30 p. m. Junior (Leglokana) parade.
3:00 p. m. V. S. Navy precision flyers, "Blue Angels,"
McNarr field, free to the public.
5:00 p. m Retreat ceremony. Court House lawn.
7 :00 p. m. Grand convention parade.
8:30 p. m. Convention Cavalcade, stage show, State Fair
grounds. 9:00 p. m. Convention dance, armory.
SATURDAY-
8:00 a. m Reveille and flag raising ceremonies, Court
House lawn.
9:30 a. m. Business session. House of Representatives.
6:00 p. m. Entertainment, Legion club, 2650 S. Commer
cial, free to the public.
9:00 p. m. Convention dance, armory.
Beverly Krueger
Miss Oregon
Guest of City
mi Reverlv KrueBer. for
merly of Salem and now of The
Dalles, Who was recently crown
ed "Miss Oregon," will appear
tumrlv nil eatherinas of the
31st annual American Legion
convention in Salem tms wees,
Miss Krueger, a green eyea
Ufimatto. will make her first ap
pearance at the ritualistic con
test of Uie region auxmoiy
the Willamette university gym
nasium at 8 o'clock Wednesday
night.
She'll also be in me iu ei o
r.oorio Wednesday afternoon,
iu rifum and buele corDS con
test on Sweetland field Thursday
night, the Blue Angels aerotjauc
show at McNary neia rnuuy
(Concluded an Page 3, Cot 1)
Post 136 Started With Call
Published in Newspapers
Salem Post 136 of the American Legion, which now ranks
among the largest 15 posts in Oregon with a membership of
nearly 700, had its humble beginning in 1946.
A small' group of young veterans inserted an ad in the Snlem
newspapers asking Interested World War 11 veterans to gather
for an' informal meeting at ai : ;
designated time and place.
Purpose of this meeting was
to discuss possibilities of form
ing a local veterans' group, and
tn make a survey of national
and state vet organizations with
the possibility of affiliating
with one of them.
It was decided that the group
should be confined to veterans
of World War II. Joe renon,
district Judge, was named tem
porary chairman of the organ
izational committee.
Rex Kimmell, then deputy
state's attorney and now a Judge
in Marlon county circuit court,
was called in to explain the
American Legion organization
and purposes.
Kimmell convinced the group
that they should become affiliat
ed with the Legion.
The committee headed by
Felton then made a study as to
whether or not a second Legion
post in Salem was feasible. They
submitted a favorable written
report, and an application was
made for a charter.
A temporary charter was
eranted February 8, 1948, by
State Commander Neil Moffatt
of Astoria.
Donald D. Goode served as
the first post commander and
took office with a membership
of 121. The permanent charter
was obtained in July, 1946.
The post grew rapidly under
the commandership of ly un
lespie, Chester Fritz and Homer
Smith, Jr. Its present com
mander is Kenneth Potts.
Radio and Press to
Meet With Notables
A press and radio reception
honoring 'distinguished guests of
the 1949 convention of the Am
erican Legion, department of
Oregon, will be held from 5:30
to 6:30 p.m. Wednesday in the
Cherrian room of the Senator
hotel. The event immediately
follows the 40 et 8 parade.
Official press room for the
convention is in the office nor
mally occupied by KSLM in
the Senator hotel lobby.
Two Former National
Commanders Coming
At least two former national
commanders of the American
Legion will be guests at the
Oregon state Legion convention
in Salem this week.
They are Stephen F. Chad
wick, Seattle attorney, and
Frank N. Belgrano, president of
the First National Bank of Portland.
Belgrano will give the key
note address at the initial
joint session of the 31st annual
convention in the Elsinore
theatre Thursday morning.
The state Legion convention
is held in Salem in every year
ending with "9;" which-means
the Legionnaires will be back
in 1959.
Records Tumble
When Legion
Meets in Salem
We've done it before and we
can do it again!"
That might be the theme song
of the host commission for the
31st annual American Legion de
partment of Oregon convention
which bursts loose in Salem this
week.
Two previous conventions
have been held in Salem 1929
and 1939. And each of those
two conventions proved to be
bigger and better than any con
vention ever held before in th
state of Oregon.
So with Salem hosting the
1949 meet, Legionnaires
throughout the state are hoping
that the town can come through
again. And it the enthusiasm
voiced by convention commis
sion members is any indication,
nobody will be disappointed
with the '49 meeting.
Lots Doing All the Time
This year's parade will be
particularly big and colorful;
the drum and bugle corps com
petition on Sweetland field
Thursday night will be augment
ed by a number of special at
tractions; special dedication
events, such as the enshrine
ment of the Oregon boxcar from
the French "gratitude train"
and the dedication of the Navy
air unit at McNary field will add
interest and permanency to the
convention; a huge vaudeville
show at the Fair grounds Sat
urday night is an added high
light. In short the hosts of the
1949 convention are doing their
utmost to make every event a
special event, and to add new
events to the convention program.
The entire city is unfolding
welcome arms to Legion con
vention delegates. Banners
have been hung over every
downtown street, and dozens of
merchants are placing signs over
their doors ana windows in wel
coming tribute to the thousands
of World War I ana World War
II veterans who are flocking to
Salem for the meet.
Courtesy Cars
Salem residents are also of
fering a helping hand by vol
unteering to convert their fam
ily autos into "courtesy cars"
for convention week. Many Sa
lemites have placed "courtesy
car" stickers on tlielr wind
shields, an indication that they'll
pick up any delegate who re
quires a ride in the direction
the "courtesy car" happens to
be going.
Salem folks are also showing
their hospitality by renting
rooms to Legionnaires who
might be unable to stay in Sa
lem for the convention period.
The keys to the city are yours,
Legionnaires. Have fun.
Elfstrom to Welcome
Legion to Salem
Mayor Robert L. Elfstrom
vvill give the official "welcome"
to the 31st annual stale Legion
convention during a joint ses
sion in the Elsinore theater on
Thursday morning.
Appearing as main speaker at
(hat session will be Frank Bel
grano. of Portland, past national
commander. Governor Douglai
McKay will also speak.
Legion, Salem,