Post Commanders
Carson-Wilson-Rigney-Forrester-Shoemaker American Legion Post 1
(this page is still a work in process, so watch my blog entries for updates)
This page is a gateway to information about our past commanders. Since 1919, Post elections have been held each year during the summer, and the Commander holds office for one year (and may be elected more than once).
What exactly is a Post Commander? The charge received by an incoming Post Commander from the Department (State) Commander at the installation ceremony spells out the Post Commander’s duties and role:
“To you, my comrade, is entrusted a very important duty, that of teaching and protecting the cardinal principles of The American Legion throughout your entire post. To you is entrusted supervision of the duties of all other officers of the post. To you may come the needy and the distressed and it is your duty to see that no worthy comrade is turned away without full justice. It is your duty to see that freedom is ever the watchword of those with whom you may come in contact. Loyalty to your post, to its membership, to the state and to the national organization, are obligations which you now assume. You are more than the presiding officer for meetings. You are guided by the constitution and by the decisions of the post as a body, yet the responsibility for the success of the year’s program is largely on your shoulders. You must initiate and carry through programs to completion. You must thoroughly familiarize yourself with the policies and traditions of your post and of The American Legion. By your sincere acceptance and earnest performance of these duties, may the great trust which your comrades have reposed in you be justified. To you I extend the congratulations of the department, and I wish you well as you assume the responsibilities of your office. I present to you a copy of the Post Officer’s Guide and Manual of Ceremonies to serve as your guide during the coming year.”
These pages honor our Post Commanders with their pictures and biographies. Our commanders come from all walks of life, and all share certain characteristics. First, all were honorably discharged veterans of active military service during a period of war. Second, they chose to join The American Legion (there are no honorary memberships in The American Legion) and accept the duties and status of Legionnaire. Third, all were or are active in post activities and dedicated to serve military personnel, veterans and their families. Finally, they all earned the respect of their fellow Legionnaires, who elected them as the leader of Post 1.
Link to the Commanders Gallery (photo only, can click to enlarge)
There is also a list of our past commanders below. If we have loaded a biography page, then the name is highlighted with an underlined hyperlink.
Post 1 Commanders List
1919 Horace H. Hagan, Jr.
1920 John Rogers
1921 W.L. Eagleton
1922 R. A. Beard
1923 Alva J. Niles and Charles Allen.
1924 C. S. Summers
1925 E.L. Allison
1926 Alvin L. Chapman
1927 J.A. Porter
1928 Patrick J. Hurley
1929 Victor F. Barnett
1930 T.P. Gilmer
1931 Guy C. Tetrick
1932 Walter W. Eastman
1933 George L. Watkins
1934 L.W. McFetridge
1935 Frank S. Hugill
1936 Arthur H. Bronson
1937 Joseph W. Lynn
1938 Mike Saxon
1939 Albert Galloway
1940 Snooks Stafford
1941 J. Earl Simpson
1942 Joe Herman
1943 Leslie L. Spain
1944 Jim Hunt
1944 Joe Payne
1945 Otto Koenig
1946 Walter J. Petty and Everett A. Wood
1947 Glenn H. Coddington
1948 Harry L. S. Halley and Clinton J. Bohannon.
1949 Guy Belford
1950 N.H. Davis
1951 Alex E. Wilson, Sr.
1952 Herschel R. Chism Jr.
1953 Walter C. Deppe
1954 Otto Koening
1955 George Hunt
1956 George Norvell
1957 Shelby W. Marr
1958 Thomas D. Fraiser
1959 Bill Kelly
1960 Clarence W. Cox
1961 Ben B. Ballenger
1962 Ben B. Ballenger
1963 Floyd R. Marshall
1964 Jesse Hunter
1965 Jay Gibson
1966 John Chronister
1967 Clemmie D. Gross
1968 Enlo E. Warma
1969 Marion A. Eddingfield
1970 Leon L. Kaufman
1971 James F. Catron
1972 James R. Thrush Sr.
1973 Howard Shannon
1974 Ralph Younger
1975 Ralph Younger
1976 Dan Woods
1977 Carl Welch
1978 Carl Welch
1979 Bill McEwen
1980 James D. Baker
1981 James D. Baker
1982 James D. Baker
1983 Joe Al Kitchell
1984 James D. Baker
1985 James D. Baker
1986 Lloyd Hurt
1987 Lloyd Hurt
1988 Elton Shields
1989 Lloyd Hurt
1990 James D. Baker
1991 Elton Shields
1992 Ralph Younger
1993 Ralph Younger
1994 Ralph Younger
1995 Jack Whitaker
1996 James D. Baker
1997 Ralph Younger
1998 Rick Alfaro
1999 Rick Alfaro
2000 Bill Cay
2001 Bill Cay
2002 Bill Cay
2003 Bill Cay
2004 James D. Baker
2005 Bill Cay
2006 Bill Cay
2007 Zachery Castillo
2008 Zachery Castillo
2009 Lisa Milner
2010 Jerry Laky
2011 John Irby
2012 Rick Alfaro
2013 Rick Alfaro
2014 Jim Baker
2015 Laurie Nidiffer
2016 Christian Baughman
2017 Gary Wall