January 1963 to December 1953

January, 1953
These comrades of World war 1 were reported approved for life membership in the post based on 15 years paid-up membership.
Harry Smith, Wendell Shoop, James Burke, R. Paul Smith, and Mike Billys.
February, 1953
William Burkhart, H.A. Crownover, and Charles Koontz arranged for and built a flag pole and stand for presentation to the MT. Piskah A.M.E Colored Church. Burkhart did the shop work on the pole and base. Commander Eisenhower presented the flag to the church after W. Burkhart gave a talk on flag history and courtesy. B.W. Brechbiel, Deputy District Commander, extended greetings to the church.
Stanley Byers, Chairman of Scotland School arrangements and programs, who worked hard for the Christmas party, arranged for and planned the post's annual Military Ball for the orphaned children in the school. The ball was held the night of Feb. 20th.
Past Commander's Night was celebrated in the post recreation room and social room downstairs. Comrade Charles koontz arranged the room on the evening of 26 Feb. 1953, District Commander Ben Dubson and State Commander Herbert Walker were present as honored guests and speakers. Immediate Past Commander Kenneth Coleman was awarded the gold card for life membership. H.A Crownover served as master of ceremonies.
the rules and by-laws as drawn up for the newly organized Shippensburg Veterans Council were read and approved.
Operation Skywatch continued to function throughout the winter with a few watchers on during the night hours and over weekends during the winter months.
March, 1953
following a meeting in the Municipal Building where captain C.A. Noll of the U.S.A.F. awarded citations for 100 hours of plane spotting duty, a renewed effort was made to man the lookout for spotting planes. The lookout was Built on the hill on Roxbury Rd. under the direction and with the help of William Burkhart who was supervisor of the project appointed by Captain Noll. Construction work was finished in the fall of 1952 but few observers had stuck with it over the winter months. William Burkhart was also one of the five to receive citations.
April, 1953
Under the direction of B.W. Brechbiel, the all Pa. Weightlifting tournament was held in the college gymnasium with American Legion weightlifters in competition with other contestants from various parts of the state. The Minutemen under the direction of Lee Myers and Gerald Hummel set up and operated a concession stand at the SSTC gym for the convenience of guests and to make cash for the drill unit.
May, 1953
William Burkhart placed flags on all veterans graves and mended four fallen stones in Lower Middle Spring, six in Queen Street Colored Cemetery. On the committee for mending and resetting veterans' headstones were Alonza Coleman and Robert Ewan.
The Oscar M. Hykes Post participated in the following Memorial Day Services: Middle Spring Wed. 27 May, Newburg Sun. 24 May, Orrstown Sun. 24 May, Shippensburg Sun. 31 May, and Cleversburg Sun. 31 May.
June, 1953
Life memberships were awarded to these Legionaires, veterans of World War 1, who had maintained continuous membership in the American Legion for 15 years: William Brennan, Arthur Burkhart, Daniel Collins, Bruce Cramer, Galen Gates, J. Seth Grove, Carroll Hockersmith, Raymond Lemaster, Roy Martin, George McCollough, Walter Mowers, Carl Naugle, Nicholas Papoutis, Harper Shoap, Walter Myers, Alexander Stewart, Charles Trimmer, Edward Watson, Benjamin Whorely, Raymond Clough, James Burk, Mike Billys, Wendell Shoop, R. Paul Smith, harry Smith, and P.A. VanAllman
Post membership at the June meeting, 1953, stood at 1,009 members in paid-up status.
July, 1953
The following officers were elected for the year:
Commander-Mark Hemminger, First Vice Commander-Gerald Hummel, Second Vice Commander-Charles Ott, Finance Officer-H.A. Crownover, Chaplain-Stanley Byers, Judge Advocate-William Mark, Service officer-Charles Koontz, Sgt at Arms-Edgar Shoemaker, and Historian-Mark Snoke.
The June Fete Committee, headed by Mark Hemminger and Gerald Hummel reported their bingo concession job finished. The post undertook the operation of the bingo stand as its contribution to the Bi-County Hospital Fund Campaign of the June Fete Celebration.
The National Child welfare Committee of the American Legion awarded the post a citation for its outstanding work in child welfare during the year 1953. Mrs. H.A. Crownover headed this work in the Auxiliary and did an outstanding job of collecting clothing to indigent children.
The Korean Conflict ended 27 July 1953. The news of the Armistice was received in Shippensburg with gladness but its celebration was a quiet one. fellows talked in groups, bought each other a few drinks and watched and listened to the news. In the Legion Post, the celebration was light and people on that Sunday evening seemed little different from any other Sunday evening. It could be called a victorious war for us.
October, 1953
The post made and unanimously passed a resolution regarding eligibility for the death benefit. Dues for the current year must be paid by January 1st for a member's beneficiary to be eligible for the post's death benefit of $100.
Comrade B.W. Brechbiel Chef de Gare of the Cumberland County 40 & 8, awarded century pins to the following post members who had signed up 100 members each the previous year: Charles Koontz, Kenneth Coleman, And Charles Alpaugh. Comrade B.W. Brechbiel was made chairman of the year's membership contest.
The post worked with other post's of the community under the direction of the Shippensburg Veterans' Council in holding an open house day for returned veterans of the Korean War. It was dissapointing to note that on this Open House Day, 24 October, 1953, only 2 or 3 Korean Veterans came into the Legion and VFW post homes even though guides were at their places throughout the day and the occasion was widely publicized by newspaper and radio.
A Bulova watch was presented to Orris Love, a former Korean war POW. This G.I was the honored guest of the post's meeting and expressed his gratitude for the watch.
November, 1953
Comrade Ernest Agle was chairman and master of ceremonies for the community Armistice Day observations held in the Public School auditorium on Burd Street. comrade George Stewart, a past commander of the post and a veteran of WW1, talked on his memories of the first World war and the first Armistice Day.
The athletic field of the memorial Pak was leased to the Shippensburg area School District.
The following WW11 veterans were determined eligible for and awarded life membership in the post: harry Smith, Arthur Beistel, Frank Cressler, Lloyd Coleman, Jacob Lesher, Norman Sharp, Bryon Mohn, and Robert McCleaf.
Comrade B.W. Brechbiel was appointed to the national Committee for the Education of Children of War veterans. Comrade Brechbiel's appointment by the National Commander made reference to his many years and sincere interest in the Scotland School for Children of Veterans.
December, 1953
the Hospital Entertainment Committee with Charles Alpaugh as chairman took a gift of writing paper to 500 Mont Alto Sanitarium patients and entertained them with a program of music by a special group hired by the post.
The post gave a Christmas party to the Scotland School students from Cumberland County 12 December and purchased identification bracelets for them as gifts. The party and bracelets cost $137.70. John Snoke was chairman of the Christmas party project. funds were raised for this event by a turkey raffle.
The post put 2 rough lots (on which veterans of past wars are buried) in perpetual care in Spring Hill Cemetery. This is an annual practice and in so doing, the cemetery association each year cares for the total of 80 rough lots on which the veterans are buried. Rough lots are those not provided perpetual care by the kinfolk of those buried.
B.W. Brechbiel secured volunteer arrangements for the placement of over 12 Scotland school students in local homes over the Christmas holidays.