Legion discs
............................... By Bob Lessard, Historian Post 64
......At January's monthly meeting of the Simeon L. Nickerson Post 64 American Legion members
voted to donate a set of discs, which contain over 10,000 pages of scanned documents of Post
history to the archives of the Middleborough library.
......Post Commander Donald Triner concerning the discs said, “We should really thank all the
past members and Post historians, who saved all the paperwork throughout the years. It seems
they saved every piece of paper which came to the Post. For instance, look at the 30 WW2
propaganda posters, which we displayed on Veterans Day. We are in the process of protecting
those historic posters for the future.”
......“The discs contain, not only Post history but that of the town,” he remarked. “That’s why
we donated a set to the Public Library. We want to insure that the papers are doubly protected
for future public reference.”
......Commander Triner also noted that the Post has placed copies of the discs in the Post’s
bank box for further protection. He also said that the documents stored in chronological order
in binders at the Post will be an additional resource for reference.
.
......Middleboro’s Library Director Jason Bloom recently visited the headquarters of Simeon L.
Nickerson Post 64 on Thatcher’s Row, where he had the opportunity to review some of the
documents. The earliest one is of a news clipping from 1916 announcing the drafting of several
men into the military.
......Among the documents he perused was material from WW1, which included index cards, news
clippings and letters home from some of the Middleborough boys and men serving in the military
during the war years from 1917-1919.
......In addition, he observed several shelves of collated three ringed binders, which
contained the bulk of the documents of the Post’s history. “This is amazing,” Bloom commented.
......During his visit to the Legion, he was presented with a set of scanned discs containing
the bulk of the paperwork. He later remarked, “The Middleborough Public Library is honored to
receive thousands of historical documents from the American Legion Post #64 right here in
Middleborough.”
......He added, “These documents allow us to travel back in time and relive some key moments
and important places in Middleborough’s history, and are a touchstone of cultural as well as
historical significance.”
......Mr. Bloom further stated, “At the moment, the donated discs are residing in the safety of
the library, but may be accessed by request at the Main Desk.”
......“The Middleborough Public Library is currently evaluating state granting agencies as well
as other organizations who might be able to assist us in the endeavor of digitizing the
documents, allowing security access for the public to enjoy many years to come,” he said.
......Post 64 Sergeant At Arms Bruce Wright, who also serves as coordinator for Middleborough’s
Veteran Honor Guard, echoed the sentiment of many of the members when he commented about the
discs. “After being a member for 18 years, I am proud of the former members for keeping the
history from Day One of the Post and for future generations to read. It shows how veterans care
about their past, present and future.”
......Among the historical sections is data on WW1; correspondence from 1919-1957; information
on the WW1 heroics of Sergeant Simeon L. Nickerson and his two fellow infantrymen, Corporal
Michael J. O’Connor and Private Thomas A. Ryan, who volunteered for a suicidal mission, and
were Killed In Action, while saving their unit. They were awarded the second highest military
decoration for their self-sacrificing efforts, the Distinguished Service Cross.
......Post 64 members have been adamant over the years that the three men deserve the Medal of
Honor for their actions.
......Also included in the files are thumbnail biographies of Middleborough’s Vietnam War
casualties. In addition, two men from town, Patrick J. Regan and Wayne M. Caron, Medal of Honor
recipients, are described in the files and discs.
......Readers of the Gazette also have another venue to learn about the history of Post 64 and
its affiliation with the town. Currently, a website containing information on the subject is
online. It is accessible by searching for…. American Legion Centennial Celebration …. Then by
going to the left hand corner and hitting “Posts” gives access to Massachusetts for Post 64.
......Paul Provencher,Middleborough’s Veterans Service Officer and a former Commander of Post
64, reflected on the saved documents and the creation of the scanned discs. “I think it is only
fitting that we should have one of the most extensive saved histories of any American Legion
posts,” he said.
......“With the move few years ago from our building on South Main Street to Thrasher’s Row,
for the first time in more than 90 years later these saved documents came out of storage into
view.” He added, “Post Historian Bob Lessard had a chance to look over those historic documents
during the move. What a find!”
......“He and Eric Goodnow scanned to the discs thousands upon thousands of the documents that
were found. They can now be shared with the town and beyond,” Provencher stated.
...............(Published in Middleboro Gazette, January 28, 2015, Page One Photo)
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