This year many of our department Comrades were returned to their native soil reinternment. With F. D. Logan acting as Chaplain, military services were held January 8 for William A. Hunt, who enlisted in Minnesota and whose home was here. Casket bearers consisted of former Soldiers and Sailors.
Memorial Day services this year were held, the American Legion, Company I, G.A.R. and W.R.C. taking part. The Legion marched to the cemetery, and F. D. Logan was the Marshall of the Day. This post gave the ritual at the cemetery.
The largest crowd in local history attended the military funeral, Sunday, June 5, for Harvey T. Rimel, formally of Company I, 168thInfantry, whose body was return from France. Funeral services were held on the courthouse lawn, with 50 uniformed members of this Post attending. The Legion ritual was given by Commander Hollingshead and Chaplain Barnett. As the services ended at the courthouse lawn, the Glenwood Band led the funeral procession to the cemetery. The local I.O.O.F. Lodge was also in attendance and assisted with the services.
On Sunday, June 5th, the Harvey T. Rimel Post assisted at military services for Robert Wilkinson at Henderson, IA.
According to the records of this year, this post assisted with two military services on Sunday, July 17th. The first of these was for a Glenwood man, Paul H. Radford of Company “I”, 168thInfantry. Services were held from the band stand in the courthouse park, with a very large crowd attending. Full military honors, legion escort and firing squad were awarded. The band led the march of the procession to the cemetery where Commander Hollingshead and Chaplain Barnett gave the Legion ritual. The other service held on this day was at Malvern Iowa for Russel Berks of Company “I”, 168thInfantry, whose body was returned from France. The funeral discourse was given by Major Guy S. Brewer, for whom Berks served as an Orderly. Membership of this post attended in a body and assisted with the ceremony at Malvern.
This year brought forth the birth of three other important events, namely: the beginning of the County Organization, organization of the 40 & 8, and the organization of the Legion Auxiliary. We will only mention here, the County Organization. On Monday evening, October 3rd, over 50 members of the four posts in Mills County met at the Glenwood Armory to form the County Organization. G. V. Caughlin was selected as County Committeeman, Dr. T. B. Lacey is County Commander, Grover Goos of Silver City as vice commander, and Roy Mansfield of Malvern as Adjutant and Finance Officer. Speakers of the evening were Filtz of Elliott, DeWitt and Williams of Council Bluffs. It was announced that the District Meeting would be held in Council Bluffs on November 14th, and several attended that meeting.
The Sunday before Armistice Day, a special sermon was given by the Baptist minister, Rev. L. R. Babbitt, to all Legion and servicemen, in commemoration of Armistice Day. On Armistice Day, a large crowd attended the program at the Armory, filling the Armory to capacity. Those on the program were Commander Hollingshead who served as the M.C. and R. E. Humphrey was the speaker, with the musical portion given by Mabelle Fickle and Mrs. S. D. Ironmonger.
Several dances and good crowds in each, were held at the post during the year, with apparently the hottest band in the land, (or was it the cheapest, boys?), Sammy’s “Rag-A-Jazz Band” of Lincoln, Nebraska providing the rhythm. The dance drawing the largest crowd of the season was the Christmas Dance on December 26thwith the same band present and decorations consisting of a tree, ribbons, and trimming.
1921 Post Officers
Commander - Dr. L.L. Hollingshead
Vice Commander - C.B.Carter
Adjutant - W.C. Rathke
Chaplain - D.N. Barnett
Finance Officer - F.D. Logan
Executive Committee:
Thos B. Lacy
Carl H. Cook
Harry J. Widows
By B.L. Kent, Post Historian 1953-1954
