Winter Haven American Legion Post Receives National Post Charter

The National Post Charter, dated February 10, 1921, hangs in the Main Room of Post 8. This document shows the name of the Post as Frierson-Nichols. The name was selected to honor the first two individuals who died in World War I. Rhea Preston Frierson was born on October 18, 1895, and joined the Army in 1917. He was promoted to Sergeant in August 1918, and became ill with influenza on a ship on his way to France and died in a hospital in Brest, France, on his Birthday October 18, 1918. Veryl L. Nichols entered the Army on March 18, 1918, and was assigned to the 205 Aero Squadron and died in a training accident at Carlstrom Field in Arcadia, Florida, on August 12, 1918.