Lewis & Clark

American Legion

Montana

Lewis and Clark Post 2 (Helena)

100 years of history, 100 years of service

 Lewis and Clark Post 2 received its preliminary charter on 5 Aug. 1919 and its full charter on 10 Aug. 1919. Post 2’s post name, like many of the post in Montana, came from the county in which it resides. Post 2 is currently located at 3095 Villard Ave. Helena Mt, but this is the 3^rd location of Post 2 over the past 100 years. Post 2’s first location was 131 Grand St. in Downtown Helena. In 1963 the post was forced to move to Broadwater village due to “urban renewal”. Broadwater village would be the home of Post 2 for 10 years until 1973 when Mr. Peter McHugh donated the land at the corner of Villard and Custer to the post, allowing this to be Post 2’s home ever since.

 The Charter members of Post 2 Lewis and Clark were; Ben W. Barnett, Park Smith, C. E. Pew, Edward A. Sweet, Jack Conway, Worth C. Almon, Donald E. McNamee, Ernest C. Arnold, Washington D. Rankin, Fred G. Armstrong, S. J. Maronick, O. C. Cato, Henry F. Kaller, Arthur Opp, Arthur B. Nelson.

 The first post commander was Mr. Park Smith. Mr. Smith was a WW1 Veteran. After getting out of the Military, Mr. Smith returned to Montana where he became very active in Montana state politics. He was a well-respected attorney in Helena, a state senator and was on his way to becoming Lewis & Clark county attorney at the time of his death. Mr. Smith passed away on Wednesday, 8^th of September 1920 at the age of 29, as a result of a car accident North of Wolf Creek Mt. He was laid to rest in the cemetery on Forestvale Rd. in Helena’s north valley on Saturday, 11 September 1920 with full military honors conducted by members of American Legion Lewis and Clark Post 2.

 The first Department commander for Montana, Mr. C.E. Pew was a Post 2 member as well as the 6^th commander of Post 2. Mr. Pew was a WW1 & WW2 Veteran, and was an attorney in Helena. Mr. Pew passed away on 9 Oct. 1963 at the age of 87 and was laid to rest in the cemetery on Forestvale Rd. in Helena’s north valley.

Mrs. Polly Halmes was the first female commander of Post 2 from 1996-1997. 

 Over the past 100 years, Post 2 has supported or sponsored many youth activities and programs in the Helena community such as; Boys/girls state, youth shooting, Boy Scouts of America, American Legion baseball as well as offering youth scholarships and The American Legion School Award Program. The American Legion school award program for Post 2 is led by Post 2 members Dick Ellwein, Howard Davis and Karen Semple. The program recognizes 5^th graders as well as some 8^th graders in and around the Helena area. The awards are given based on Courage, Honor, Leadership, Schoolship, Service, and Patriotism. 26 awards are given out each year and winners are chosen by their respective schools.

 Post 2 has also been very active in serving Veterans in the community. Some of the ways Post 2 has helped Veterans in the community over the past 100 years follows;

 One of the earliest events held by Post 2 on record, was aimed at helping the morale of about 50 injured or disabled veterans hospitalized at the then named “U.S. Public Service hospital” at Ft. Harrison, Now known as the VA Hospital at Ft. Harrison. It was held on 20 July 1921 @ 1930 hrs. It was an entertainment event that included a “painologue” and songs by Bob Fletcher and Paris Bartley, Monologues and imitations by Ben Barnett, and a four-fight boxing card. Over the next few decades Post 2 would hold several of these types of events, helping boost the morale of injured and disabled veterans.

 Today Post 2 still gives military honors for veterans as they pass, they place American flags at veteran grave sites on Memorial Day. U.S. flags with veterans’ names are displayed. They also place roadside markers for anyone that passes away in car accidents around Lewis and Clark County.

 Post 2 has members that assist veterans daily working as American Legion Nationally Accredited Veteran Service Officers at VA Ft. Harrison. Two such members are Kelly Ackerman and Tim Ingraham. As VSO’s, Kelly and Tim assist veterans and their family members in attaining benefits from the VA and state agencies. They provide briefings to the VA Hospital staff, participate in veterans events at Carrol College, Yellow Ribbon events and homeless stand-downs.

 Along with the main post, Lewis and Clark Post 2 also has a Sons of the American Legion Squadron (SAL 2) and an Auxiliary Unit (AUX 2).

Our vision for the next 100 years;

 Lewis and Clark Post 2 (Helena) plans, in many ways, to stay the course with regards to helping veterans, the youth of our community, and the community as a whole for the next 100 years and beyond. We will continue to dedicate our time to our veteran and youth programs, continue to donate to, and sponsor programs in the community that encompass the American Legion’s pillars of Veterans, National Security, Americanism, and Children and youth. Also, as technology advances, we will strive to stay up to date, so that we can best accomplish these missions.