Sgt Justin Dean Norton died on June 24, 2006 in the vicinity of Baghdad, Iraq, from injuries sustained when he encountered enemy forces small arms fire, and an improvised explosive device which detonated during a dismounted patrol. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 10th Calvary Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, and Fort Hood, Texas. Sgt Justin Dean Norton, 21, was born in Olympia Washington on October 30, 1984. He grew up in Rainier, Washington and graduated with honors from Rainier High School in 2003. Justin fulfilled his dream of joining the military in April 2003 as a 19D, Cavalry Scout. He attended Basic and Advanced Training at Ft Knox, Kentucky. He was then assigned to the Alpha Troop “Apaches”, 1-10 Cavalry, and 4th Infantry Division out of Fort Hood, Texas. Justin was quickly promoted to SGT because of the high standards of excellence and leadership abilities he possessed. He deployed to Iraq in November 2005. Sgt Justin Norton was tragically killed in action by an Improvised Explosive Device while on patrol in Baghdad, Iraq on June 24, 2006. Sgt Justin Norton’s military awards and decorations include the Purple Heart, Bronze Star, Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, and Global War on Terrorism Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, Combat Action Badge, and the Expert Rifle Marksmanship Badge.

Thomas Conner, William (Bill) Powell, Matt Whitney, Lou McElroy, Roberta Smith, Gary Warnock, Chuck Laguna, Peter Schultz, Jerry McKusker,

Army Sgt Justin D. Norton Post 100 The Beginning Legionnaires Tom Conner and Dale Movius decided that the time was right to start a new post in Lacey, Washington. Both were members of the Lynnwood post which is located two hours from their home and after two years of assisting in the rebuilding of the Lynnwood post they decided to start a post closer to home. Dale Movius, Tom Conner, along with Bill Powell, and Roberta Smith they mailed letters to potential Post 110 members, recruited new members with the help of the Department Membership Chairman Quent Keaveny. Their efforts paid off within a month they had their fifteen members to start the Lacey Post. On September 22, 2008 they held their first meeting in the basement of the Department Headquarters. On that date they elected post officers, set the post membership dues and mapped a course of action for Legion Programs. Chairmen were elected to the Americanism, Oratorical, Boys State and Law and Order Committees. Dale Movius approached the Norton family asking permission to use their son’s name for the post name. With the blessing of the family post membership voted unanimously to name their post after Army Sgt Justin D. Norton who lost his life in 2006 while serving in Iraq. His memory will be forever engraved in the post history. It was under the authority of the St. Louis Caucus and in view of the forthcoming national convention in Minneapolis that the Washington State Committee, late in the summer of 1919, sent out a call to all temporarily chartered posts of the state for a convention of delegates to be held in Seattle October 9 – 11, just one month in advance of the date of the national convention. The first convention call was issued by Harvey J. Moss as committee chairman, and the purpose as given was to organize the temporarily chartered posts of the state into a Department of Washington and to elect delegates to represent the Department at the first national convention. Shortly before the date set for the State Convention, a State Headquarters of The American Legion was established in the offices of the Veterans Welfare Association, in Room 3 of the Central Building in Seattle. Harvey J. Moss, Adjutant General of the Washington State Militia, was influential in setting up an office to promote chartering posts and to establish a State Charter. Norman Coles, Chairman of the Post Organization Committee, reported temporary charters had been issued to more than sixty posts. The first was Elmer J. Noble Post #D 1 in Seattle on June 30, 1919. The first Department Convention convened in Seattle on October 9, 1919 at the Elks Temple on Fourth Ave. and Spring Street. Records show that approximately 200 delegates from 46 of more than 60 posts were in attendance. Seattle delegate Harvey J. Moss, called the convention to order and upon motion, Lindsly L. Thompson of Olympia was elected as the permanent chairman and Henry A. Wise, of Spokane, was elected Permanent Secretary. The first banquet was held on Friday at the Army and Navy Club. Dignitaries from the city, state, and national were present. National Vice-Commander Jack Sullivan, a native of Seattle, represented the national organization. Washington Governor Louis F. Hart was the featured speaker. In his closing remarks he said “There is a feeling of unrest among our people . . . It is for you, The Legion, to stop this spread of anti American talk and to defend here, as you did across the seas, the flag and our constitutional government.” On the third day of the convention business was discussed and resolutions proposed. The convention delegation went on record that they favored Universal Military Training, investigation of hospitals where veterans were being treated, and were concerned over the spread of Communism and un-American ideas. The convention delegation went on record that The American Legion should be a strong supporter of Law & Order. The first Department Commander Frank Jeffery, of Kennewick Post 33, was elected after a vigorous campaign that saw three other candidates vying for the position. The other candidates were Paul H. Weyrauch, Walla Walla Post 323, Norman Coles, Seattle, Post 1, and Ray B. Greenwood, Bremerton Post 4. The following legionnaires were elected to fill Department Officers positions; A.E. Klebba, Seattle Post 18, Adjutant/Finance Officer; Eugene Beeb, Everett Post 6, Vice Commander; William scale, Centralia Post 17, Sgt-at-Arms; Spencer S. Sulliger, Kent Post 15 and Louis Schaeffer, Vancouver Post 14, Historian. The American Legion had come to the State of Washington – strong, enthusiastic and determined. Good men already tested in nerve, courage and patriotism had been placed at its head. It had been organized on a non-political, non-sectarian basis. There was to be no distinction in rank. Americanism was the theme-eternal vigilance, without fear or favor, to keep America and American institutions safe – this was the spirit that the representative of over nine thousand Legionnaires of the State of Washington carried from the meeting hall – a spirit and an influence that soon was to be felt in every city, town and community – to grow and gain in support through the years. Delegates to the National Convention were selected from the five Congressional Districts in place in the State of Washington at that time. There were a total of 39 convention delegates who attended the first National Convention in Minneapolis. While attending the National Convention in Minneapolis, the Washington delegation and the nation were shocked to hear of the infamous, Centralia Massacre. On November 11, 1919, Legionnaires of Grant Hodge Lodge Post 17, lead the Armistice Day Parade. They were lead by home town hero, Warren Grimm who just a few days before had returned from Siberia. Grimm and three other Legionnaires were shot and killed from an ambush. The killers were members of a Marist group known as the Industrial Workers of America.