15 members signed this application.

Note the scratched out original "Name of Post"

Hundreds of thousands of African-Americans were in segregated units in World War I, mostly assigned to non-combat duties. The early American Legion left the question of integration, the formation of segregated "Negro" posts, or exclusion of black soldiers from membership altogether up to the states and the posts themselves, often resulting in gross disparities of opportunity.

The formal founding convention was held in Minneapolis, Minnesota from November 10 to 12, 1919. It was attended..

On November 19, 1919 forty former servicemen met at the WRC hall in Marion. Allen McElwain was in charge of the meeting. A constitution and by-laws were drawn up and $12.00 a year was charged for expenses.

Minutes of many years meetings, starting with this one, have been found.  Several pages are in the "Some about Post 298" Gallery

From 1919 to 1921 A. R. McElwain was elected as Commander

  Legend has it that the old adage, "Looks like he's at death's door," was coined in a base hospital surgical ward in Orleans, France, during World War I. Many have forgotten, but a world-wide pandemic in 1918-19, labeled Spanish flu, killed nearly as many soldiers as the war. It also killed millions of civilians.

      Accounts from that time stated that the surgical ward was long and narrow..

On November 24th a Charter was granted with 14 members. In the minutes of the meetings a decision to not name the post was made, so the Post became “The American Legion Post #298” in the Department of Iowa. However, close examination of this document shows the controversy was not complete as in the upper portion it says Wm Penn Post you can see that had been scratched and MARION was written in. What a..

120 wives attended a meeting on December 7th, with interest to starting an Auxiliary Unit to the Post. They purchased the first American Flag for the Post.

August 10th, 1920 the Charter was signed by the National Commander. In September the Post held their first annual street carnival in Marion

1921 – Hanford MacNider of Mason City, Iowa, a highly decorated combat officer of the American Expeditionary Forces and veteran of the Pancho Villa expedition, is elected national commander of The American Legion at it's third National Convention held in Kansas City, Missouri. He lead a cross-country victory tour for Supreme Allied Commander Marshal Ferdinand Foch of France. MacNider would go on to serve as assistant secretary of war under President Calvin Coolidge, as U.S...

Calling themselves the “Second American Expeditionary Force,” 20,000 men and women of The American Legion and Auxiliary journeyed to France in September 1927 for the Legion’s 9th National Convention.

The conventioneers frolicked at Coney Island, New York, before sailing across the Atlantic on board the steamship Leviathan. Gen. John J. Pershing accompanied National Commander Howard P. Savage on the voyage. In Paris, both men – along with many other distinguished Legion guests – attended a dinner..

OUR TRIP TO PARIS IN 1927

John H. Pazour and V. H. Balster.

    On September 5, 1927, we left Marion at 7:50 A.M. and arrived at Chicago at 2: P.M.  After arranging for sleeper tickets, we walked up Michigan Blvd and then took in a show where Balster saw an old friend, Ray Burns, who was playing in the..

In 1930 the athletic park was purchased and plans were completed for a swimming pool. The Auxiliary helped by purchasing stock each year for expenses, they later gave all the stock to the Post as a gift. The pool was dedicated Aug. 30th. with a cost of about $30,000. Many hours were spent each year getting the pool ready, cleaning and closing it at the end of the season. The pool was 17,000 sq. ft...

John Pazour was elected as Mayor of Marion in 1933 and served as Mayor until 1941

A.R.McElwain elected as Second District Commander