Wagner-Erbele-Sukowaty

 The Wagner-Eberle-Sukowaty American Legion Post 477 and Auxiliary Unit 477 of St Nazianz celebrates 76 years of service to the community. The American Legion is the nation’s largest wartime veteran’s organization and was founded in 1919 on the four pillars of a strong national security, veterans care and rehabilitation, Americanism, and youth programs. Legionnaires work for the betterment of their communities through nearly 14,000 posts across the nation.

                Post 477 and Auxiliary have provided military honors at funerals of numerous Veterans, and at eleven local cemeteries on Memorial Day for the past 75 years. Every Memorial Day a flag is placed on the grave of each Veteran buried in those cemeteries, their name is read, a 21-gun salute given followed by playing of “Taps”. This takes about five hours to complete, finishing each year at St. Gregory’s Parish in St. Nazianz.

                 Providing an Honor Guard at local parades and at sporting activities or collecting items

for ‘Christmas with the Veterans’ at the Tomah VA hospital and the King Veterans’ Home, providing flag boxes at local village and town hall so old worn U.S. flags can be properly disposed, or selling poppies are just a few of the things Post 477 and Auxiliary do throughout the year. The annual brat fry held in June of each year along with generous donations from numerous sponsors allows donations annually to the following causes:

• The Old Glory Honor Flight which flies WWII, Korean and Vietnam Veterans to Washington D.C. to visit their memorials.
• The eternal flame Veterans Memorial in Manitowoc
• Camp American Legion, a statewide camp which supports Veterans and their families by providing a relaxing and fun experience near Lake Tomahawk, WI. 
• The rededication of the Town of Meeme Liberty Pole scheduled for Labor Day 2022. 
• Badger Boys and Girls where students learn to be citizens by “learn by doing” as they function on city, county, and state levels.
  • Wisconsin American Legion Law Enforcement Academy (WALLEA). For students who possess a desire to learn more about law enforcement professions.
  • College scholarships to High School students through the American Legion Oratorical and Americanism and Government Testing. 

                   Whether driving Veterans to medical appointments, donating blood, volunteering in the community, visiting the sick at home or in nursing homes, helping fellow Veterans navigate the VA system to get the benefits they need or providing a helping hand when they need it most is standard operating procedure at our Post. Recently the Post conducted military funeral honors training and trained numerous veterans from across Manitowoc County. On October 31^st members of Post 477 and Auxiliary hosted the Wisconsin American Legion Sixth District conference at the St. Nazianz community center. The conference was attended by over 50 leaders from across the district who represent over 3000 legionnaires, and state commander Greg Eirich was also in attendance. This was the first time St. Nazianz has hosted a district conference in 75 years. None of this would be possible without the many dedicated members of Post 477 and Auxiliary who have carried on years of traditions and grew it into what it is today.