Post 475 Downingtown, Pennsylvania
Post 475
Downingtown, Pennsylvania
About This Post
Post Namesake
The family of PFC Charles F. Moran, received notice from the U.S. Army’s adjutant general’s office in Washington, DC that their son had posthumously received the French Croix de Guerre from Gen. Phillippe Petain, Commander-in-Chief of the French Armies. The medal’s citation read: Moran “displayed great bravery by keeping his machine gun in action in spite of the violence of the bombardment. Forced to leave his position, he continued to fire until the enemy was broken.” Moran was the first of five serviceman from the Downingtown area to have been killed in battle during World War I. The American Legion’s Downingtown post was named for him. Downingtown Area Historical Society
HISTORY
1910
Application for Temporary Charter, Signers
Sep 10, 1919
H. Raymond Greenleaf, Howard E. Harvey, Paul G. Moran, Frank Dougherty, W. Edgar Powell, Robert A. Dougherty, Simeon Yetter, Charles P. Kennedy, Joseph E. Miller, Harry P. Lowry, Ernest Glauner, Ralph J. Williams, Lloyd G. Yohn, W. Norman Howe, Walter P. Weimer.
1920
American Legion’s School Medal Established by Downingtown Post 475
Jun 8, 1920
Shortly after the Charles F. Moran Post was founded in 1920 by Raymond Greenleaf, Robert Dougherty, Howard Harvey and Joseph Miller, member Gilbert McIlvaine (who succeeded Greenleaf as commander) with the Adjutant Carroll Reed designed the first School Medal. McIlvaine and Reed conceived the idea of the American Legion School Award Program to give recognition to young students demonstrating the highest qualities of citizanship and of true Americanism. In collaboration with John Sinnock of the..
