AMERICAN LEGION POST 464
WARREN ILLINOIS
THE WARREN LEGION POST RECIEVED ITS CHARTER
JAN 20, 1920 WITH 30 VETERANS. THE POST WAS NAMED AFTER WARREN AREA HEROES PVT JOSEPH T. WICKLER AND PVT. GLENN L. COPELAND WHO LOST THEIR LIVES FIGHTING THE WAR TO END ALL WARS WW1.
CHARTER MEMBERS WERE FLOYD HEATH, KENNETH C. ZEIGLE, HOWARD ANCHUTS, CLARENCE WAINWRIGHT, CARL E. HEATH, BEN L. DUNNING, HAROLD SLOTHOWER, LEROY HUETT, GEORGE S. KLEEBERGER, ALVAN B. FRICHARD, MILTON M. BEECHER, R.L. MOON, JOHN R. LILLE, LEWIS H. ROWE, GEORGE M. WOLFRAM, RAY GALE, WILLARD PRESTON, ROY WHITE, LESTER WHITE, ALVA MEYERS, W.L. MURRAY, RAY T. WEDGE, L. FAY WAINWRIGHT, H.W. ENRIGHT, HOMER LEGRAND, C.F. MEYERS, ERWARD E. DOERSAM, JOHN DOERSAM, HIRAM E. DUNNING.
THE FIRST MEETINGS AT THE TIME WERE HELD IN HOMES OF THE MEMBERS.
THE POST HAS AN AVERAGE OF 98 MEMBERS WITH SOME VETERANS HAVING BEEN IN THE POST FOR 72 YEARS, 65 YEARS AND MANY OTHER LONG TERM VETERANS.
IN 1947 THE POST AQUIRED 10 US RIFLES, CAL .30, M1903, SUITABLE FOR FIRING BLANK AMMUNTION WITH GUN SLING. ALSO AVAILABLE MADE AVAILABLE WERE WEB GUN SLINGS. THE POST PAID $10.00 FOR THIS ORDER. BLANKS TO BE ORDERED THRU THE WAR DEPARTMENT IN WASHINGTON D.C.
DONATIONS FROM THE CITIZENS OF WARREN AND NORA TOTALING $996.50 MADE POSSIBLE TO HAVE A STONE CALLED THE GOLD STAR MONUMENT TO BE MADE NAMING THE VETERANS OF THE AREA WHO LOST THEIR LIVES IN WORLD WAR l AND ll. THE STONE WAS DEDICATED BY THE WICKLER-COPELAND POST AND PLACED IN THE AREA KNOWN AS THE TRIANGLE IN WARREN ON MAY 30, 1948.
THESE MEN WERE ALSO KNOWN AS THE GOLD STAR BOYS WITH
THE FOLLOWING NAMES ENGRAVED ON THE STONE:
2ND LT. ELDON RAY ALLVIN US AIR FORCE AND WAS KILLED IN A PLANE CRASH IN CALIFORNIA IN 1943 WITH HIS ASHES BEING RETURNED TO WARREN IL AND INTERMENT AT THE ELMWOOD CEMETERY. P.F.C. SIMON DOUBLER CROPPER US ARMY KILLED AT UTAH BEACH HEAD (ST MERE EGLISH) FRANCE IN 1944. P.F.C. IRVIN E. DOERSAM US ARMY INFANTRY KILLED IN ACTION AT LE COMPRENDS FRANCE 1944. P.F.C. JOHN EDWARD HICKS US ARMY KILLED IN ACTION AT CEBU, PHILLIPINES ISLANDS 1945.
IN 1956 THE LEGION HAD A STONE ERECTED AT THE WARREN FIRE HOUSE NAMING VETERANS KILLED IN ACTION, MISSING IN ACTION OR WERE PRISONERS OF THE WARS. THE STONE WAS THEN MOVED TO WHERE THE WAR MEMORIAL IS NOW NEXT TO THE COMMUNITY BUILDING ON MAIN STREET IN WARREN.
THESE NAMES ARE; PFC IRVIN E. DOERSAM, COMPANY A, 331ST INFANTRY, 83RD DIVISION, KIA 1944: JOHN PAUL OLMSTEAD: PFC SIMON DOUBLER CROPPER, HEADQUATERS COMPANY, 2ND BATTALION, 22ND INFANTRY, 4TH DIVISION, KIA 1944: ELWYN BROGE(MIA), P.F.C. JOHN EDWARD HICKS US ARMY KILLED IN ACTION AT CEBU, PHILLIPINES ISLANDS 1945: HAROLD NELSON: JOHN SAUER: 2ND LT ELDON RAY ALLVIN 364TH GROUP, 383 FIGHTER SQUADRON, 8TH AIR FORCE, KIA 1945: KENNETH RICHARD WHITE(MIA).
IN 1993 DON BECK FROM WARREN NOTICED A BIG BELL THAT WAS STORED AT THE OLD GASWORKS. HE ARRANGED TO RECIEVE THE BELL AND GOT TOGETHER WITH JOHN BUSSMAN WHO WAS A LEGION MEMBER FOR USE IN A WAR MEMORIAL FOR WARREN. MR BECK STATED HE THOUGHT THE BELL CAME FROM AN GIRLS ACADEMY THAT WAS BUILT AROUND 1874. THE ACADEMY BURNED IN 1904 DESTROYING THE BUILDING. HIS THOUGHTS WERE THAT THE BELL WOULD LOOK GOOD WITH AN ARCH OVER. MR BUSSMAN SPOKE TO COMMANDER JOHN SMITH AND THE IDEA FOR A WAR MEMORIAL FOR WARREN STARTED TO COME TOGETHER AS A PLAN. IN JANUARY 2004 LEGION MEMBERS LED BY COMMANDER JOHN SMITH WENT IN FRONT OF THE VILLAGE BOARD TO PROPOSE A SITE FOR A VETERANS WAR MEMORIAL. THEY WANTED TO USE THE LAND NEXT TO THE COMMUNITY BUILDING. THE BOARD VOTED IN FAVOR OF THE MEMORIAL. AFTER MUCH PLANNING AND DONATIONS FROM THE COMMUNITY THE PLAN FOR THE MEMORIAL WAS FORGING AHEAD. THE SITE NOW HAS THE STONE THAT WAS ERECTED IN 1948, AND 1956. THERE ARE SIX BLACK GRANITE TABLETS HOLDING NAMES FROM VETERANS INCLUDING THE CIVIL WAR, WWl, WWll, THE KOREAN WAR, VIETNAM, THE GULF WAR, AND CURRENT ENGAGMENTS IN THE MIDDLE EAST INCLUDING AFGANISTAN AND IRAQ. THERE ARE SIX FLAGS WITH EACH REPRESENTING THE BRANCHES OF ARMED FORCES FOR WHICH VETERANS SERVED IN. IN THE REAR OF THE SITE IS THE FLAG REPRESENTING THE UNITED STATES.
THANKS TO DONATIONS FROM FAMILY MEMBERS AND THE LEGION THERE ARE ALSO FIVE
BENCHES FOR VISITORS TO REST ON TO VIEW THE SITE.
THE PARK WAS DEDICATED SEPTEMBER 2007.
THIS IS THE ARCH THAT HOLDS THE BELL WITH THE EMBLEM OF EACH BRANCH OF THE ARMED FORCES ENGRAVED ON IT.
THE LEGION OWNED AN 1931 CHEVROLET ANTIQUE FIRETRUCK WHICH THEY WOULD RIDE IN FOR THE ANNUAL PUMPKIN FEST HELD IN THE LAST WEEKEND OF SEPTEMBER IN WARREN WITH LEGIONAIRE ANDY MCGINNIS DRIVING. MR. MCGINNIS DROVE THE TRUCK IN MANY WARREN PARADES. MARCHING FOR THE PUMPKIN FEST PARADE ARE SOME MEMBERS OF THE POST: CLYDE BAUSSMAN AT THE TIME BEING THE OLDEST VETERAN MEMBER, MARC WOLF AND GLEN DITSWORTH.
PRESENT DAY FLOAT REPRESENTING THE POST 464
IN 1953 THE POST WAS ABLE TO AQUIRE LAND TO BUILD THEIR OWN BUILDING AT 811 ANSON STREET IN WARREN.
THE POST WAS ABLE TO AQUIRE AN OLD 1776 FLAG FOR DISPLAY.
THE BUILDING DOES CONTAIN A KITCHEN FOR USE WHEN RENTED OR FOR LEGION FUNCTIONS.
THE BUILDING IS NOT ONLY FOR MEETINGS BUT DOES HOST FRIDAY NIGHT BINGO GAMES AND HAS DONE SO FOR AT LEAST 50 YEARS WITH HOSTING FOR 47 YEARS AT VARIOUS PLACES BEFORE THE BUILDING WAS BUILT.
THE BUILDING DOES ALSO HOST THE BLACKHAWK PARK BREAKFAST WITH SANTA IN DECEMBER AND HAS FOR MANY YEARS.
THE BOY SCOUTS BLUE AND GOLD DINNER AND THE PINEWOOD DERBYS IN FEBURARY ARE ALSO AT THE BUILDING AND HAS FOR 10 YEARS. THE POST DOES SUPPORT THE CUB SCOUTS AND BOY SCOUT AND HAS FOR MANY YEARS WITH A VETERAN STILL BEING ON THE CHARTER. THE BUILDING CAN ALSO BE RENTED FOR FAMILY EVENTS AND FUNERALS. THE POST ALSO HAD SONS OF AMERICAN LEGION FOR A FEW YEARS.
THE LEGION ALSO HAS AN AUXILLARY UNIT WHICH HAS MEMBERSHIP OF 72 MEMBERS AND MEETSWITH THE LEGION.
EACH YEAR THE LEGION PARTICIPATES IN THE WARREN SCHOOL ANNUAL VETERANS PROGRAM BY POSTING THE COLORS AND A 21 GUN SALUTE.
THE POST ALSO DISPLAYS AT THE MEMORIAL THE FLAG FOR EACH OF THE 50 STATES OF AMERICA DURING MANY HOLIDAYS SUCH AS MEMORIAL DAY, FOURTH OF JULY, LABOR DAY,
PUMPKIN FEST AND VETERANS DAY.
THE LEGION PARTCIPATES IN COLOR AND HONOR GUARD FOR FALLEN VETERANS.
THE POST ALSO PARTICIPATES IN HIGH SCHOOL AWARDS AND SOME HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATING STUDENTS SCHOLARSHIPS AND SENDING STUDENTS TO BOYS STATE. ONE STUDENT J.T. BARKER WENT TO BOYS STATE AND ALSO BECAME AN EAGLE SCOUT. HE IS
NOW ENLISTED IN THE US ARMY RESERVE AS A MILITARY
POLICEMAN.
THE POST ALSO DONATES TO THE LOCAL TINY TIM PROGRAM.
IN JUNE OF 2016 THE POST HAD 8 WWII VETERANS: JOHN BUSSMAN, CLYDE GROOM, ELDON HARRIS, MELVIN PETCHE, RAYMOND WILLIAMS, BEN LEE, AND CHARLES EBERLE. THE POST HOSTED A DINNER FOR THESE VETERANS TO THANK THEM FOR THEIR SERVICE.
PRESENT DAY COMMANDER MARC WOLF SERVED AS JO DAVIESS COUNTY COMMANDER IN 2011 AND PRESENT DAY CHAPLAIN STEVE LOOMIS ALSO SERVED AS ADJUTANT FOR THE COUNTY.
THE 2017-2018 OFFICERS ARE MARC WOLF : COMMANDER,
RONALD BLAIR : VICE COMMANDER,
FINANCE : MARK GABLE,
ADJUTANT : KEITH HESS,
CHAPLAIN : STEVEN LOOMIS,
SGT AT ARMS: FRED HICKS,
BINGO CHAIRMAN : STEVEN LOOMIS
WITH RONALD BLAIR, MARK GABLE AND MARK WOLF SERVING ON LEGION BINGO COMMITTEE.
AMERICAN LEGION WICKLER COPELAND POST 464 PAST COMMANDERS WARREN IL
1919-1920 FLOYD HEATH,
1921-1922 DR. PRESTON,
1923-1924 ROY WHITE,
1923-1927 A.E.WHITEHEAD,
1928-1929 HAROLD ENRIGHT,
1930-1931 JOHN DONNER,
1932 FRANK HICKS,
1933 QUINCY RITZMAN,
1934-1935 LEWIS H. ROWE,
1937 MILTON BEECHER,
1938-1941 REV . F. C. VOET,
1942 DR. M. H. GOUSE,
1943-1944 MILTON BEECHER,
1945 REV. H.E. BELDIN,
1945-1947 GEORGE REED,
1948 GERALD S. DOUBLER,
1949 EVERETT J. PETERS,
1950 EARL F. REED,
1951-1952 ERIC S. DEMAR,
1953-1954 FRANKLIN G. LEVERTON,
1955-1956 CLYDE G. BAUSMAN,
1957-1958 RICHARD NEWMAN,
1950-1960 CHARLES E. SCHWARTZ,
1963-1965 GEORGE M. STICH,
1966 ROBERT BARKER,
1957-1968 GEORGE M. STICH,
1970 MARTIN ZIPSE,
1971-1972 GLEN BALBACK,
1973-1974 EUGENE FLOEN,
1975-1976 JOHN BUSSMAN,
1977-1978 GLENN DITSWORTH,
1979-1980 FRED W. PASH,
1981-1982 DONALD SAUNDERS,
1983-1984 ELMER ROBEY,
1985 RICHARD NEWMAN,
1986-1987 GARY SEDGWICK,
1988-1989 RONALD DOUBLER,
1990-1991 BEN LEE,
1992-1993 ANDY MCGINNIS,
1995-1996 WAYNE LONG,
1997-1999 PETER RESSLER,
2000-2001 STEVEN LOOMIS,
2001-2007 JOHN SMITH,
2008-2010 ED TESMER,
2010-2013 STEVE LOOMIS
2013 HANK STEUART,
2013-2016 RONALD BLAIR,
2017-2018 MARC WOLF.
