Post 326 Shelby, Ohio
Post 326
Shelby, Ohio
About This Post
Post Namesake
JAMES O'BRIEN
James O'Brien was born in Chicago, Illinois. His mother died at childbirth and he was then adopted by a friend, Mrs. Shannabrook. There were two brothers, Henry and Harvey, now buried in Shelby, Ohio. His father was killed in the Spanish American War.
After the death of Mrs. Shannabrook, James was raised by a family named O'Brien, and he assumed their name. He lived with them at 41 Walnut Street until his induction into the regular army at Columbus Barracks, July 28, 1917. He was assigned to the 59th Machine-gun Battalion, first with Company "F", later with Company "A", 10th Battalion seeing action in Aisne-Marne, St. Mihiel, Meuse-Argonne, and the Defensive Sector with the American Expeditionary Forces.
James O'Brien at the age of 32 was the first Shelbian killed in action during World War I. His body was never returned from its original grave in the Meuse Argonne American Cemetery and Memorial, located at Romagne-sous-Montfaucon, France. Plot B, Row 40, Grave 20 near the battlefield where he died in the Argonne Forrest, October 5, 1918.
https://www.abmc.gov/Meuse-Argonne
A memorial marker stands in the Most Pure Heart of Mary Catholic Cemetery. Lot 41-1-5
The Shelby American Legion, named for him, is known as O'Brien Post #326.
What Makes this Post Unique
Dedication to Veterans' Affairs and Rehabilitation; National Security; Americanism; Community, Children, Youth and Schools
Supports local Boy Scouts, little league, Babe Ruth, girls softball program, all high school athletics, grade school programs and child reading programs at public library
ALA The American Legion Ladies Auxiliary, SAL Sons of The American Legion, American Legion Riders
Dedication to Buckeye Boys State and Buckeye Girls State... The American Legion, O'Brien Post 326 of Shelby, sent their first young men to Buckeye Boys State the Summer of 1943, and its first young woman to Buckeye Girls State the Summer of 1947. Please see below in history a listing of the Buckeye Boys and Buckeye Girls Staters.
Participates in the annual observance of Memorial Day and Memorial Day services with local churches
Annual Verteran's Day observance open to all Veterans with a traditional spaghetti dinner
Supports the local Wreaths Across America in December
O'Brien Post 326 of Shelby has six members that help staff the Richland County Joint Burial Squad
The Legion Hall is available, with kitchen and bar service if needed. Please see "Photos of O'Brien Post 326", for a view of the main hall!
Active, friendly canteen service for all members of The American Legion and their guests....
Photos
Shelby's War Memorials
Buckeye Boys and Girls State
Photos of O'Brien Post 326, Shelby Ohio
Memorial Day Flag Placements and pick-ups
COMMUNITY
Gary Sinise Foundation
Legion Sports
Honoring Shelby's WWII Veterans. May 25, 2015
Post 326 Legion Riders Shelby OH
Historic Pictures
Bands and Colors
HISTORY
1910
SHELBY MEN WHO DID NOT SURVIVE THEIR BATTLE IN WORLD WAR I
Nov 11, 1918
CARL EHERT
BERT J. HALE
CHARLES GATES
CLARENCE BROADHEAD
JOHN COOK
RAY HARRIMAN
GEORGE S. BRODERICK
RAY C. GUTCHALL
RALPH MAY
FREEBORN KELLOGG
JAMES O'BRIEN
AN INTERPRETATION OF THE PREAMBLE TO THE CONSTITUTION OF THE AMERICAN LEGION
Mar 19, 1919
THE AMERICAN LEGION PREAMBLE
"For God and Country, we associate ourselves together for the following purposes:
To uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States of America; to maintain law and order; to foster and perpetuate a 100-percent Americanism; to preserve the memories and incidents of our associations in all wars; to inculcate a sense of individual obligation to the community, state and nation; to combat the autocracy of both the classes and the masses; to..
1920
The First Commanders of The 1920's
Jan 17, 1920
Robers S. Daugherty and Glenn Skiles are the first Post 326 Commanders 1920
Arthur Johnson 1920-21
John H. West 1921-22
CHARTER MEMBERSHIP ROLL O'BRIEN POST 326 SHELBY OHIO
Jan 25, 1920
JAMES O’BRIEN, GEORGE BRODERICK, RAY GUTCHALL, CARL EHRET, BERT J. HALE, GHARLES GATES, CLARENCE BROADHEAD, JOHN COOK, RAY HARRIMAN, FREEBORN KELLOGG, RALPH MAY, D. FRANK SMITH, MARCUS A. HILL, TUNNIS V. NORTH, ALBERT E. COOK, WALTER E. DEARDOFF, HARRY T. FOGLE, JOHN H. WEST, CARL F. CLARK, GEROGE F. SEIDELL, GLENN L. HEDGES, EDWARD L. SHAW, DAMON F...
Relationship With The National Educational Association
Jul 17, 1921
The National Education Association, at its July 7, 1921, annual meeting in Des Moines, Iowa, accepts The American Legion’s offer “to cooperate with the NEA in securing for America a program of education adequate to meet the needs of the 20th century ... and which will make all, whether native or foreign-born, good American citizens.” At this..
Auxiliary Charter
Apr 1922
1922
CHARTER MEMBERSHIP ROLL AMERICAN LEGION AUXILIARY O'BRIEN POST 326 SHELBY OHIO
Apr 29, 1922
KATHERINE DEARDORF, MARIE COOK, IDA METCALF, IDA SUTCH, RILLA HASSLER, SADIE WEST, EVA SHAW, LUELLA HANNAFUS, MARY COOK, LILLIAN PAYNE, MARY HILE, NAOMA BARNES, MARY O'BRIEN, DOLLY LUDIN, MINAIE MAY, MRS. FRANK CASTOR, LUELLA LOVE, RETTA SOLL, MAY ADAMS, FLORENCE EVANS, LILLIE CRAWFORD, EMMA L. SMITH, DORA CRUM, LOTTIE SMITH, FRANCES CARPENTER, CLARA MARVIN, NANCY BRINER, NELLIE MOORE, MARY BRODERICK, EVELYN JOHNSON, MARY SPANGLER, CORA FREESE, HATTIE STITTLER, DORA KILLINGER.
EUNICE SMITH, JENNIE SMITH, MINERVA KNAPP,..
1930
Commanders of the 1930's
Jan 1, 1930
Luther Edgar 1929-30
Charles C. Payne 1930-31
William Abbott 1931-32
Felix Ludin 1932-33
Charles H. Dye 1933-34
Howard Funk 1934-35
John "Mac" Crawford 1935-36
Gerald E. Madden 1936-37
Howard Hannafus 1937-38
Harley J. Newkirk 1938-39
Charles Reed 1939-40
American Legion Boys State
Jun 23, 1935
Legionnaires Harold Card and Hayes Kennedy organize the first American Legion Boys State June 23, 1935, at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield. Meant to counter the Soviet Union's communist Young Pioneer camps, Boys State quickly catches on as a nationwide program to teach young Americans their rights, privileges and responsibilities as franchised citizens, as they set up their own cities, counties and state governments and..
1940
Commanders of the 1940's
Jan 1, 1940
Charles Reed 1939-40
Gerald Wilson 1940-41
Arthur McGaw 1941-42
Wayne Hodges 1942-43
Leo J. Bookmyer 1943-44
Ralph R. Johnson 1944-45
Merl Berkley 1945-46
Ivo Moll 1946-47
Leonard Waines 1947-48
John Echelberry 1948-49
Reno Mohn 1949-50
Post 326 Sends Its First Buckeye Boys State Delegates. Go to full story to view the young Shelby men that have attended by graduation year...
Jun 8, 1943
June of 1943, Shelby O'Brien Post 326 sent its first young junior men from Shelby High School. The junior men attended Buckeye Boys State held at Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware, Ohio. Those young men were then members of the graduating class of 1944. These numbers of students is a wonderful reflection for the community of Shelby and the role The American Legion plays in our community!
1944 CHARLES HART, HERB POLAND,..
SHELBY MEN WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN WORLD WAR II
Sep 2, 1945
Approximatly 1,400 served from the Shelby Area. There were 199 Richland Countians killed in World War II, according to the Ohio Governor's Office of Veterans' Affairs. 29 from Shelby as listed on Shelby's WWII Monument in Central Park.
PAUL E. FAGAN
WILLIAM E...
Roster of The American Legion, O'Brien Post 326, As of April 22, 1946
Apr 22, 1946
* Indicates World War II Veteran
*Roger W. Adam, *Rosco E. Adam, *Russell Adam, James L. Aide, J. P. Adkins, George Alexander, *Frank A. Allen, *Lloyd Amato, *Earl E. Anderson, *George T. Andrews, Robert B. Andrews, *James M. Anspach, *Otho D. Armentrout, William Armentrout, *Charles E. Armold, *Rodney D. Armstrong, *Wm. A. Armstrong,
*Howard A. Baer, Ray Baer, Best D. Baker, *Robert E. Baker, *John J. Barnhart, *Donald L. Beal, *Alfred H. Beck, Howard L. Beck, *Eugene..
Post 326 Sends Its First Buckeye Girls State Delegate
Jun 8, 1947
Shelby O'Brien Post 326 sent its first young woman from Shelby High School. The junior women attended Buckeye Girls State at Captitol University in Bexley, Ohio. Shelby's Post 326 Junior Woman was JULIE ANDERSON who graduated from Shelby High School in 1948.
1948 JULIE ANDERSON
1949 LOU ELLEN FIREOVED
1950 BEVERLY JEWELL and MARGRET GARVIN
1951 KATHLEEN HENSON and BEVERLY HECK
1952 LOUISE DEWEY
1953 RUTH WINANS and MARGARET JACKSON
1954 BETTY..
1950
Commanders of the 1950's
Jan 1, 1950
Reno Mohn 1949-50
Dean E. Stroup 1950-51
George E. Hartman 1951-52
Thomas D. May 1952-53
Glenn R. Strouse 1953-54
Harold "Buzz" Martin 1955-56
Dale R. Troxell 1956-57
Dale's son, Donald R. Troxell was killed in Vietnam, May 26, 1967.
J. Herbert Ovens 1957-58
C. T. "Beez" Hollenbaugh 1958-59
R. O. Shorty Fellows 1959-60
SHELBY MEN WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE KOREAN WAR
Jan 31, 1955
CHARLES LEROY KIRKPATRICK
JAMES ADRIAN BRICKER
1960
Commanders of the 1960's
Jan 1, 1960
R. O. "Shorty" Fellows 1959-60
Fred D. Baxter 1960-61
George P. Wiggins 1961-62
Gene E. Johnson 1962-63
James M. Anspach 1963-64
Max C. Bashore 1964-65
Paul Stroup 1965-66
Harold T. Heitzman 1966-67
Harold Burrows 1967-68
Merlin G. King 1968-69
Robert E. Wise 1969-70
American Legion Boys Nation
Jul 24, 1963
Success of the Boys State programs throughout the country leads to a national version, which is initially called “The American Legion’s Boys Forum of National Government.” Legionnaire President Harry Truman greets the first class of boys on Aug. 9, 1946, on the final day of the event, conducted at American University. Three years later, in 1949, the program is renamed American Legion Boys Nation. In the..
1970
Commanders of the 1970's
Jan 1, 1970
Robert E. Wise 1969-70
Russell W. Chew 1970-71
Thomas H. Close 1971-72
Lester J. Amstutz 1972-75
Gregory K. Davis 1975-77
Merlin G. King 1977-78
Clyde C. Bell 1978-81
SHELBY MEN KILLED IN VIETNAM
May 7, 1975
KENNETH E. THORNTON
DONALD R. TROXELL
FORREST A. McKINNEY
THOMAS MOSS JR.
JOSEPH M. CHEARNLEY
BRUCE COPLEY
LT. DOUGLAS C. MABEE
