The original name for American Legion Post 19 was the Peter E. Leddy Post, it was started by members of Company, 4th Regiment New Jersey National Guard which was located at the intersection of Bergen Avenue and Mercer Street in Jersey City. The armory is long gone but you will see in the following pictures how it looked. Company I, 4th Regiment left as unit when war was declared on Germany. After returning to America it was decided that there should be a meeting of the "I" lads for the purpose of forming an American Legion Post for those who had enlisted with Company "I" from Bayonne. There was such sentiment and it was met with great success. When it came time to give the Post a name, Peter E. Leddy was chosen because he was the first Company "I" boy killed in action and was loved by his comrades. The Peter E. Leddy Post was made up from men of all classes and walks of life who served during World War I. Any division, whether it saw service abroad or waited crountryside for the summons to get into the action. The Post was established on June 14, 1919 under the name of Peter E. Leddy Post 19 and received its permanent charter on September 9, 1920. It was founded for those Veterans of World War I looking for a club to gather and discuss the war with fellow soldiers. The following members signed the original application for the charter: William H. Errien, Dominick D. Sharkey, William L. Leahey, George Wright, Michael J. McFadden, Harold T. Rose, Patrick J. Hogan, James M. Cambell, Joseph D. Givens, Elbert Scofield, Raymond Miller, Harold A. Bell, Howard R. Watson and Harry B. Mohring. The first officers of the Peter E. Leddy Post were: John J. Conway, Commander; Harold E. McCullough, Vice Commander; Harold Powell, Second Vice Commander; Peter F. Higgins, Employment Officer; Edward Griffin, Insurance Officer; D. Perry Moran, Post Historian; Fred Kretamer, Finance Officer; John T. Hayward, Adjutant. The Post met every Monday evening at the Bayonne Public Library, but it was the hope of every member that in the near future the Post would own its own home and already the local organization was fixing plans to bring that about. Committees were formed to look over locations in Bayonne that might be suitable for the Post. As you will see in the coming pictures the present day building which opened on Memorial Day 1965 is the fourth post home. The first was located over Roamer's Shoes on 25th Street, the second was located on 33rd Street and Broadway over a liquor store and the third was the Schmacker Funeral Home which is the same location as the existing Post. On December 5, 1939 a resolution was drawn up to change the name of Post 19 from Peter E. Leddy Post 19 to "Bayonne Post 19", there were many who believed it was not right to name the post after one soldier who died or was wounded or had served during World War I, they believed the Post should have the towns name thereby honoring all who served or died from Bayonne. The rest is a pictorial history of Bayonne Post 19, we have tried to keep in chronological order by years.

 

 

$th Regiment National Guard, Jersey City, New Jersey

 

Bayonne Public Library

 

Some Membership cards of WWI Post Members

 

Membership cards of WWI Post members

 

Various Articles on Post 19 appeared in The Bayonne Times 1926

 

The Peter E. Leddy Charter

 

Resolution changing the name of the Post to Bayonne Post 19

 

Article as it appeared in The Bayonne Times

 

The second charteter issed officially changing the Post's name

 

The American Legion Auxiliary 1939

 

The SAL Squardron 19 Band 1939

 

The old Post 1930's thru the 1960's

 

CMH Oresko signing autographs during perade 1945

 

Bayonne Post 19 softball team from 1946-47

 

late 1940's Bayonne's Congressional medal of Honor recipiants

 

Post officer Installation 1946 Bayonne Post 19

 

The 1950's

 

Bayonne soldier helps wounded buddy Korean War

 

Bayonne soldier receives Medal of Valor Korean War

 

Bayonne soldier during Korean War

 

Recording messages at Bayonne Post 19

 

End of War new officers installed 1955-56

 

New jersey Medal of Valor presented to CMH Gregg & Oresko

 

Post installation 1961

 

Official opening of new Bayonne Post 19 on Memorial Day 1965

 

Installation 1966

 

Fund raising for new Post building

 

Visiting Veterans at Lyons Hospital

 

Congressional Medal of Honor Stenen R. Gregg Monument

 

Congressional Medal Honor Nicholas Oresko

 

Bayonne's Great Naval History WWII, Korea & Vietnam

 

Post 19 newsletter 1960's

 

The Vietnam War Beginns

 

Vietnam War "Freedom is Not Free"

 

Change of Commands in the 1960's

 

Veterans reading club many Post 19 members belonged to it.

 

Veterans in the classroom on Veterans Day

 

Essay contest

 

Daughter receives Fathers Fire Fighter award

 

Auxiliary visits Hospitalized Veterans

 

Christmas Special at the Post

 

Mrs. O'Neill's first article on MIA son Douglas fro Bayonne

 

Local Vet is Welocmed Home from Vietnam

 

The buring of the Mortgage

 

Post 19 remembering our POW/MIA's especially Doug O'Neill

 

POW/MIA ceremony

 

Doug O'Neill remembered in East Berlin PA

 

Douglas Lee O'Neill POW/MIA from Bayonne NJ

 

Mrs. O'Neill's second article on Douglas

 

POW/MIA way Bayonne NJ

 

Tickets for NBC Jim Jenson all stars they played in Bayonne

 

NJ's first Woman State Commander

 

Oratorical Contest 1980

 

Change of Command 1980's

 

Bayonne Post member win writing contest award

 

Change of Command

 

Planning of Memorial Day parade 1989

 

Law enforcement award 1995

 

Commander Romy 1994

 

Child Abuse Prevention at Post

 

coloring contest late 1990's

 

Law enforcement award 2000

 

Coloring contest 2001

 

The day that changed our lives 2001

 

Iraq War Veteran

 

Capatured Iraq Tank 2006

 

Change of Command 2002-2003

 

Legion Riders form 2008

 

Legion riders first Post event

 

Post 19 Legion Riders Rolling Thunder thru the years

 

Legion Riders Welcome Back Wilmont from Iraq

 

Post loses a Great Commander

 

Many Firsts at Bayonne Post 19

 

Mike Wilson first Dept. Commander out of Bayonne Post 19.

 

Commander Wilson's Message

 

Recient Special events at Bayonne Post 19

 

Bayone New Jersey War Monuments

 

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