Post 523 in Milledgeville was named after two of Milledgeville’s Servicemen who had recently passed. They were 2 Lt Cleveland A. WARREN & Pvt. Adam HAWKINS.

2 Lt. WARREN was a mulatto born on 25 FEB 1917 in Milledgeville's Hardwick District. Cleveland served in the 3rd Division,  7th Infantry Regiment, Company K. was wounded in action (WIA) in the battle of Anzion-Rome in WWII. He passed shortly after their successful mission near Nettuno, Italy on 25 FEB 1944.  He is buried inSicily-Rome American Cemetery in Nettuno.  He was a posthumous Purple Heart Recipient.

Pvt. Adam HAWKINS was born on 15 DEC 1919 in Milledgeville to Walstin and Viola Y. Davis. He enlisted in WWII 14 APR 1942 and entrained at Fort Benning, Georgia’s Warrant Officers Branch. At 6’10, 147 lbs, he served in the 555th Parachute Division until discharge in 5 JUL 1944. He died from a parachute accident in JUL of 1944. He passed 28 AUG 1944 and is buried with other African Americans Veterans of Milledgeville in Bone Cemetery. Bone is less than 500 yds from the American Legion Post 523 named after him.

1 Lt. J. Wardlaw Mitchell - WWI African American Pharmacist, Des Moines, IA 
Pvt Gus Austin, KIA, buried in Arlington Nat'l Cem.;
Sgt. Wm. Thomas Collier, Post 523 Founder;
Mess Sgt Henry Veal, II - Brest, France owned first downtown African amerrican owned business w/ Coca-Cola Sign; 

The Warren-Hawkins Milledgeville’s Post 523 is one of the most prestige african american posts in the nation. It was founded in 1947 in Milledgeville, Georgia by WWI Sgt William T Collier. It is located at 430 West Martin L. King Drive.  In 1952, we were awarded the SILVER CUP at the Georgia American Legion Convention in recognition of its increase in membership in District B.

Milledgeville boosts 358 WWI African American Veterans; Georgia War Veterans Home and (2) WWI African American Monuments erected in 1920 and 2011.  It is very likely that many of them were some of the founding members of our post.