Post 46 Custer, South Dakota

Post 46

Custer, South Dakota

Post 46 Custer, South Dakota

About This Post

Post Namesake

General George A. Custer

Notable Members

Francis H. Case, past Representative and Senator; Harold H. Handley, past Circuit Court Judge; M. L. Slade, First Department Commander past State Highway Commissioner, and first Superintendant of Custer State Park; Clarence Cowlaski past State Veterans Service Officer; Kenneth L. Glaser, past Grand Master of South Dakota Masons and past Custer County Veteran Service Officer; Darold D. Couch, past VFW Department Commander; Ken Irwin, past Custer County Commission Chairman and past County Veteran Service Officer; Donna Talley, Executive Director of W.E.A.V.E. and 2014 Custer "Citizen of the Year"; Harold Stickney, past Mayor of Custer City; Jared Carson, past Mayor of Custer City; Corbin Herman, current Mayor of Custer City; Jim Brickey, past Mayor of Hill City; Curtis Halverson, past SD Department American Legion Vice Commander; Edwin Thompson, past SD Department American Legion Vice Commander; and Jana Virtue, current Custer County Veteran Service Officer.

What Makes this Post Unique

"Gold" Post of the Black Hills. Custer State Park's Legion Lake, Legion Lake Campground, and Legion Lake Lodge named after of the Post.  First South Dakota Department Commander Myron L. Shade was twice Post Commander.

Excerpted from "The American Legion in South Dakota First Quarter Century";

"GENERAL GEORGE A. CUSTER POST NO. 46 CUSTER, SOUTH DAKOTA This post in the southwestern part of the state, where much history has been made, is appropriately named. There are about a hundred members and the post has its own home. It has been very active in community affairs and occasionally takes a whole page advertisement in the Custer County Chronicle to call attention to its activities during its life. Some of the community activities listed are: Sponsored Junior baseball for 100 boys for a period over ten years, sponsors Boy Scout Troop of 150 youngsters, sent boys to Boy's State for five years, handled the veterans service work in the community, sponsored high school oratorical contests, presented American Legion school award medals to the students of the local schools, organized Post education committee to work with other groups interested in education, opposed local un-American trends and cooperated with the F. B. I. in combatting subversive activities, cooperated on Gold Discovery Days as a community-wide annual celebration, participated actively in community fund drives, erected roll of honor on the Court House grounds listing all Custer County men in service in World War II, maintained firing squad for use at funerals and memorial services, established a guidance and counselling service for veterans, maintained an active service officer, handled welfare for needy children, furnished aid and lodging for transient ex-servicemen, sponsored public skating rink and pond, took active part in grave registration program and secured government tomb stones for every soldier's grave in the county not already marked, assisted in the discovery of the location of the Gordon Stockade, which had been lost for nearly 50 years, and cooperated with the Chamber of Commerce in rebuilding it, assisted in building and furnishing a ward at Sanatorium for T. B. patients, and sponsored and contributed financially to the erection of a band shell for the use of the Custer School Band. Some of the members who have been unusually active in the post are: Carl Roseberry, Sid Manary, Jack Rossier, Irving Fox (deceased), Byron Hazeltine, Wilbur Greener, Ted Leary. Harry Bostwick served in both wars. Many members of the Custer Post have served in the higher offices of both the Government and the Legion. Francis Case has for many years been a well-known mem-ber of Congress, Harold H. Handley is a former Circuit Court Judge, M. L. Shade is a Past Department Commander and a member of the State Highway Commission, J. A. Wallace is a retired army colonel and active in the ranchman's organization, Wilbur Greener is the business manager of the Custer State Sanitarium and Clarence Cowlaski is a state veterans service officer."

Photos

HISTORY

1940

First Department Commander Myron L. Shade Passes Away

Aug 7, 1949

Funeral Rites Today For Col. M. L. Shade

(Rapid City, S.D. Daily Journal article; Monday, August 10, 1949 issue.)

 Hot Springs, Aug 10-Funeral services for Col. Myron Lewis Shade, first commander of the state American Legion, first superintendent of Custer State park, and member of the first highway commission under the late Gov. Perter Norbeck, will be held at Hot Springs today.

 Rites will be conducted at the Battle Mountain Veterans hospital chapel at 1:30 p.m., with a..

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First Department Commander Myron L. Shade Passes Away

2010

New Post Home

New Post Home

Jun 29, 2014
Post Goes Back to School Yes, Custer Post #46 has a new home. It is in Room 105 of the old Custer High School (now the Custer School District Administration Building). How this came about is something all Post members should be aware of for the continued well-being of our Post. Background The Post at one time owned its home. But over the years membership declined to the point that the Post was unable to..
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Flag Education

Dec 2, 2014
Commencing 6:00 pm at the Custer Community Church the Custer Cub Scout Pack 25 received flag education. Approximately ten Cub Scouts participated. Two participated in Flag Lowering, Raising, Half-staffing, and Folding ceremonies using the church's flagpole & flag. Inside the church all participated in learning about displaying proper respect to the flag. All Cubs received their own stick flag and the American Legion "Our Country's Flag" comic book. Adults received American Legion "Let's be Right..
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Flag Education
Wreaths Across America

Wreaths Across America

Dec 13, 2014
Sponsored by VFW Post 3442, the program was conducted on this windy day at Cold Springs Pioneer Cemetery and Custer City Cemetery. Officially participating from Custer Post #46 were Legionnaires Douglas Faaborg, Dean R. Mills, and Mark A. Mills. Americanism Officer Mark A. Mills laid the US Navy wreath and delivered official greetings from the South Dakota Department. Additional Legionnaires participated officially representing other organizations. And the Cold Springs Historical Society provided much appreciated cookies..
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96th Legion Birthday Celebrated

Mar 10, 2015
CUTTING THE CAKE — Floyd Mills and Harold Stickney, the two World War II veterans present who are members of Custer American Legion Post 46, got last week’s Legion birthday supper program started with a ceremonial cutting of cake. The event, which celebated the 96th anniversary of American Legion, was held at the Masonic Lodge. [CCC Photo/JASON FERGUSON]
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96th Legion Birthday Celebrated
Legion's Last Lunch

Legion's Last Lunch

Sep 7, 2015
On Labor Day Custer Post #46 bid farewell to the original Legion Lake Lodge building. Located in Custer State Park the lodge, lake, and campground are named after our American Legion Post which used to lease the land and meet where the lake now exists. The lodge building was the last physical tie to those times. It will be dismantled following closing this fall to make way for a new lodge building. So with the..
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Veterans Day

Nov 11, 2015
Every November 11th Custer City honors its veterans. Custer Post #46 coordinates these activities either conducting, sponsoring, or participating in all. Here is a “roundup” of those Veterans Day Events: American Legion Flag Raising – At 8:00 a.m. in Way Park Custer Post #46 raised fresh U.S. and POW/MIA flags at its Veterans flagpole. By this our Veterans are remembered with crisp flags on their special day. These flags fly until being replaced for Memorial..
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Veterans Day
Pearl Harbor Day Dinner

Pearl Harbor Day Dinner

Dec 7, 2015
Six Custer County World War II veterans were recognized at a Monday, Dec. 7 program at the Custer Senior Center. Standing, from left, are Grant Muse, Harold Stickney, and Roy Roadifer. Front, from left, are Robert Phillip, Floyd Mills, and Harry Burk. All are from Custer except Burk and Phillip who are from Hermosa. The event was sponsored by Custer Legion Post #46, Custer Senior Center, and Custer VFW Post #3442. The Pear Harbor Day..
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Korean Peace Medal Award Ceremony

Jan 12, 2016
L – R, Harold Koester, Kenneth Fortune, LLoyd Nickles, Kenneth Glaser, Richard Knutson, Walter Thomas, Arnold Anderson, Robert Schilling. Photo: Herb Ryan/Custer Free Press Custer County joined together with South Dakota and the Republic of Korea in honoring their Korean War Veterans with the award of the Korean Peace Medal. The local award ceremony was conducted on Tuesday, 12 January, 2016 at the Custer Senior Citizens Center. The event started at 1 pm and concluded..
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Korean Peace Medal Award Ceremony
Vietnam War Memorial Dedication

Vietnam War Memorial Dedication

May 5, 2016
By Charley Najacht American Legion Riders Chapter 71 from Hot Springs rode in on their motorcycles with the colors flying last Thursday morning to the 1881 Courthouse Museum in Custer. They then helped present and post the colors,along with American Legion and VFW members in Custer, for the Vietnam War 50th Anniversary Memorial exhibit dedication ceremonies. In her dedication remarks, Catherine Rosane,Harney Peak Chapter,National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), said, “Vietnam..
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Honoring Those Who Served

May 21, 2016
Eight more Custer County veterans or their next of kin received their Korean Ambassador for Peace Medal at a cermony at Custer Senior Center last Saturday. From left, back are presenters Nylotis Van Orman, Alice Hagenlock, Ester Waltman, Shirley Stewart and Mary Gonsor; front, medal recipients Calvin Van Orman, Lyle Cline, Harold Waltman, Robert Stewart and Eva Dudley, who accepted the posthumous award for deceased husband, Phillip Dudley. Also receiving medals, but unable to attend..
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Honoring Those Who Served
Memorial Day

Memorial Day

May 30, 2016
Custer American Legion Post # 46 Commander Don Hone and Post Finance Officer Mark Mills salute the American and P.O.W. flags at Way Park in Custer at 8:00am Memorial Day.Photo: Herb Ryan/Custer Free Press [Photo and caption used by permission] The Post conducted a flag lowering ceremony at 8:00 a.m. and then participated with the Joint Color Guard in ceremonies at Cold Springs Pioneer Cemetery, Pringle Cemetery, and Custer City Cemetery. Finally, the Post raised..
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2016 Boys State Delegates Depart

May 30, 2016
Jace Woodward, left, and Noah Zacher, right, are shown preparing to depart for the 74th Session of American Legion Boys State at Northern State University in Aberdeen, SD. Approximately 320 boys from across South Dakota were enrolled for this premier Americanism Program of The American Legion. The program teaches democracy, the political process and demonstrates our form of government to these future leaders of South Dakota and America. Jace and Noah recently completed their Junior..
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2016 Boys State Delegates Depart
American Legion Baseball Returns to Custer

American Legion Baseball Returns to Custer

May 31, 2016
In the photo Custer American Legion Post #46 Commander Donald Hone, left, presents the official American Legion Baseball uniform patch to Team Manager/Head Coach Mick Patzlaff, right. The 31 May 2016 presentation of the uniform patch ceremonially marked the return of American Legion Baseball to Custer. The Custer Post 46 team conducted its first practice that morning at the Custer East Athletic Field Facility next to Custer Jr/Sr High School. Its first scheduled game is..
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Local Vietnam Veterans Honored on Flag Day

Jun 14, 2016
By Charley Najacht Sixty people attended the Flag Day event honoring Vietnam veterans Tuesday, June 14, at Custer High School. At least 40 of them were Vietnam veterans who each received a pin and certificate of recognition of their service. The event was organized by the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR) Black Hills and Harney Peak chapters, the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars. After singing a stirring rendition of the..
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Local Vietnam Veterans Honored on Flag Day
Freedom's Sentinel Quilt

Freedom's Sentinel Quilt

Jun 17, 2016
Michelene Nelson of Spearfish, South Dakota receives the Freedom's Sentinel Quilt from Mark Mills (Photo by Fred Nelson). The queen-sized quilt was created by Phyllis Terrall and donated to Custer Post #46 for fundraising. It was raffled by the Post at a 2016 Memorial Day drawing. Michelene, President of Spearfish American Legion Auxiliary Unit #164, after years of purchasing raffle tickets was quite excited at winning her quilt!
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Legion Lake Lodge Opening

Jun 17, 2016
By Charley Najacht After completely disappearing last October and being rebuilt since last November, a brand new Legion Lake Lodge had its ribbon-cutting last Friday morning in Custer State Park. Area American Legion members raised the American flag in front of the lodge for the first time as Miss S.D. Outstanding 2016 Teen Hunter Widvey sang the National Anthem. While the floor plan has about the same number of 5,700 sq. ft., it has been..
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Legion Lake Lodge Opening
American Legion Team Makes Debut

American Legion Team Makes Debut

Jun 20, 2016
INAUGURAL GAME — The new Custer American Legion team played its first game of the season June 20 in Spearfish, playing a double header. The team lost both of the games it played, but did mark the return of American Legion baseball to Custer after a long absence. From left, back, are manager Mick Patzlaff, Bobby Bertolotto, Noah Zacher, Alex Kortemeyer, Reed Ashmore, Isaac Landa; front, Brennan Hanes, Blake Kainz, Jacob Mack and AJ Kortemeyer...
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2016 Veterans Day

Nov 11, 2016
VETERANS DAY SALUTE — The Custer Veterans Honor Guard stands at attention during a Veterans Day ceremony held at Custer Cemetery last Friday, Nov. 11. The Honor Guard is composed of both Custer American Legion Post No. 46 and VFW Post No. 3442 members. Following a reading by VFW member DD Couch, the Honor Guard concluded the ceremony with a 21-gun salute, which was followed by the playing of Taps. [CCC Photo/JASON FERGUSON] {This year's..
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2016 Veterans Day
Friday Morning ICU Breakfast

Friday Morning ICU Breakfast

Nov 18, 2016
FRIDAY ICU — A Custer Jr./Sr. High School student fills up on chocolate milk while Custer American Legion Post No. 46 Americanism officer Mark Mills wipes down a table during Friday ICU last week at the school. The ICU is a time for students to go to the school Friday morning when school isn’t in session and catch up on work while getting help from the 10 school staff members who volunteer for the sessions...
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