The LAPLACE-CHAMPLIN Post is named in honor of two residents of Essex, one from World War One and one from World War Two, both of whom died while on active duty: - Robert A. LAPLACE, Private, US Army, 54th Infantry Regiment, 6th "Red Star" Division. Died of illness February 10, 1918 at Fort Oglethorpe (Chickamauga Park), Georgia. Buried at Joshuatown Cemetery, Lyme, Connecticut. - Everett H. CHAMPLIN, Sergeant, US Army Air Force, 472nd Combat Crew Training Squadron. Died March 27, 1944 in the crash of B-17G "Flying Fortress" bomber No. 42-39862 during a training flight from Clovis Army Airfield, New Mexico. Buried at Fountain Hill Cemetery, Deep River, Connecticut.

- FOUNDER OF THE AMERICAN LEGION - Morton Charles TILEY (1895-1978), Private First Class, Section 646, US Army Ambulance Service (Organized as Section 5, Harjes Volutnteer Ambulance Corps, American Red Cross and amalgamated into the US Army as Section 646). Service in France from June, 1917, to April, 1919. Awarded French "Croix de Guerre" with Silver Star (Authorized wear of the "Fouragerre"). Section 646 awarded the French "Medaille Militaire" (Military Medal - Fouragerre and Croix de Guerre with 4 Palms, 1 Gilt Star and 1 Silver Star). Named "Honorary Chasseur" of the 66th Chasseur Division "L'Alsacienne" (Alsatian Mountain Infantry) by order of Commanding General (Major General) Georges H. Brissaud-Desmaillet. Member of the Connecticut Delegation to the St. Louis Caucus, May 8-10, 1919. Member of the first Connecticut State Executive Committee, Hartford, June 10, 1919. Incorporator of the American Legion Connecticut Branch, June 18, 1919. Delegate to the first State Convention, Hartford, October 11, 1919. Charter Member and First Adjutant of Post 18. - FOUNDER OF THE AMERICAN LEGION - Paul Lybrand SAMPSELL (1894-1979), Ensign, US Navy, Headquarters, US Naval Forces, London, England. Service in England from January, 1918 to April, 1919. Member of the Connecticut delegation to the St. Louis Caucus, May 8-10, 1919 (Assigned to the Committee on Name). Member of the first State Executive Committee, Hartford, June 10, 1919, where he was elected Vice-Chairman. Incorporator of the American Legion Connecticut Branch, June 18, 1919. Delegate to the first State Convention, Hartford, October, 11, 1919, where he was elected State Second Vice-Chairman.

Post 18 is a "Centennial Post" and will commemorate 100 years of service to "community, state and nation" on "Bastille Day" (the National Day of the Republic of France), July 14th, 2019. The post was among the original posts chartered in Connecticut. Two members of the post were "Founders of The American Legion", among Connecticut's ten delegates to the St. Louis Caucus in 1919. Post 18 conducts meetings at the Essex Veterans Memorial Hall, a former schoolhouse in Centerbrook Village donated by the town to its veterans for their use in 1946.