Most of the history of the early time was noted throughout the recordings of Community Services and Memorial observations. It was on May 30, 1923 that the first Memorial Day services were held. Also, in the same year they obtained ground for a Soldier’s Plot and installed a Monument at Oneota Cemetery through the ST. Louis County Board. The Monument had an eagle on it and one night years later it was removed..

In May of 1924 the Post Secured Memorial Park from the City Council and purchased a flag pole and markers for the park. In the years of 1926-1927 the post sponsored the motion picture “The Big Parade” which netted the post $889.32. This was the year that twenty-one trees were planted in Memorial Park in honor of the twenty-one West Duluth boys who made the supreme sacrifice. In..

In 1928, the American Legion began sponsoring American Legion Junior Baseball. The Post also provided and installed road signs reading “Protect our West Duluth Children”. This was well before the present School Police program began. This same year financial donations were given for Christmas funds for soldiers at Nopeming and for orphaned children at the “Y”. Over 100 new members signed up in West Duluth..

In 1937-1938, the Post inaugurated the program to obtain the present Public Sports Stadium (Ball Park) which was completed in 1941. In that same year the West Duluth Post and the Shaughnessy Post of Morgan Park donated $1,000.00 towards the purchase of flood lights. The Post also assisted the movement to obtain flood lights and improve seating capacity at the Public Schools Stadium.

Also in this time period the Post..

In 1937, the Auxiliary was busy as well. The Unit won the district award for “Americanism”. The Unit presented this award to Mrs. Ralph Pond, Americanism Chairman. That year Mrs. Winters was Auxiliary President.

        At the outbreak of World War II, the Post assisted the local draft board by furnishing man power in the draft registration at the various schools. In the War year 1943, the West Duluth Post and the West End Post jointly entertained the Eighth District to a streamlined Convention, at which time Herman Banks of this Post was Eighth District Commander.

During the 1946 Convention the Post sponsored a Carnival Show here..

       In 1959, a Memorial aircraft, a F94-C Starfire was transferred by the USAF to the West Duluth American Legion as a gift to George J. Nephew who was Post Commander from 1959-1960. The aircraft was placed in Memorial Park in May of 1960.

       The F94-C Starfire Aircraft which was given by the USAF was placed in Memorial Park in May of 1960.

       It was on November 30, 1975 that the new American Legion Post #71 was opened at 5814 Grand Ave. Duluth, Minnesota. The ribbon was cut by the Duluth Mayor Bob Beaudin. The Post Commander was Ted Hubert and the Auxiliary President was Meredith Berg.

        After the grand opening the new Post #71 at Grand Ave talks were already starting on expanding the Legion. In October of 1980 the expansion was started. At that time the Commander was Milt Pehl, Roy Berg was Adjutant, Rollie Rouer was Building Chair. Among those who helped were Marv Carvil and John Johnson and others. By 1981 the first floor foundation and walls were up and basement floor was also..

        In August of 1990 the Post had a van that took veterans to the Superior Veterans Clinic and to the Minneapolis VA Hospital.

On July 4th of 1992 Commander Clarence Soder presented the City of Duluth with a flag pole that was erected at Bay Front Park.

On May 20th 1995, Armed Forces Day, a bronze plaque was unveiled honoring Mike Colalillo, Duluth’s only living recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor and..

      Wayne Hoffman was born on November 10, 1919 in Proctor, MN to Mr. and Mrs. Carl and Emma Hoffman. Carl Hoffman passed away in 1963 and Emma Hoffman in 1960. He had one sibling a sister named Audrey who passed away in 1998...