From page 2 of The Nashua Telegraph, 5 May 1976. "Byron C. Pitarys, a US Army, Airborne, Vietnam War Veteran, was elected commander of James E. Coffey Post, American Legion, last night. He will succeed Leo Maynard who presided over the session. Pitarys, 31, a Postal Service employee, holds various citation, including the Silver Star, Air Medal and Bronze Star Medal. He is the first Vietnam veteran to head the post. The new officers will be installed in combined ceremonies with the auxiliary Thursday, May 6th at 8 PM." In the only contested contest, Ernest Ledoux defeated Stanley Lastowka for Finance Officer by a vote of 21 to 16. Others elected on Tuesday were: Commander: Byron C. Pitarys Senior Vice Commander: Donald Bissonnette Jr. Vice Commander: Donald Derosiers Finance Officer: Ernest Ledoux, PC Treasurer: Andrew LaFlamme Sergeant-At-Arms: Paul B. Nelson Adjutant: Leo J. Maynard, PC Historian: Richard McCann Service Officer: A. Charles Lindsay Trust Officer: Mary H. Sullivan Asst. Trust officer: Richard McDonald, PC Trustee for 3 years: Leo J. Maynard, PC, Barry Glass, PC, Stanley J. Lastowka, PC Executive Committee: Robert Farrell, William Baker, Royal Miller Post Membership 1976-1977: 1184 "Other highlights were the confirmation of Benedict Hargreaves and Robert Farrell as life members, and the election of delegates and alternates to the state convention to be held in Berlin, June 18-20. Delegates include Maynard, Pitarys and John Bisset, past commander, and elected from the floor, James Clemons, A. Charles Lindsay, Emile Bozek, Frederick Clemons, McDonald, Raymond Burns, Miller, Ernest LeBlanc, Desrosiers, Hargreaves and Nelson. Alternates are Ledoux, Albert Coffey and Bissonnette. Commander Maynard announced that membership totaled 1,096 or 100 behind last year's count. It was announced that the Coffey Mass will be held in St. Christopher's Church on May 16. Various reports were presented." https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=4p4rAAAAIBAJ&sjid=RPwFAAAAIBAJ&pg=...
