FRONT ROW: COMMANDER RONDALL BROWN, 2ND VICE COMMANDER WILLIAM CHRISTY, SGT. AT ARMS PHILLIP CANTLEY, SERVICE OFFICER LARRY SAMS, JUDGE ADVOCATE JACK GREVE. BACK ROW: POST AND DISTRICT ADUTANT CHARLES GAINES, DEPARTMENT COMMANDER EVAN THOMPSON, CHAPLAIN CARL MAXWELL, FINANCE OFFICER MARK RUNGE, 1ST VICE COMMANDER MITCHELL SHIELDS MISSING FROM PHOTO. 

The American Legion was chartered by Congress in 1919 as a patriotic veteran’s organization. Focusing on service to veterans, servicemembers and communities, the Legion evolved from a group of war-weary veterans of World War I into one of the most influential nonprofit groups in the United States. Membership swiftly grew to over 1 million, and local posts sprang up across the country. Today, membership stands at over 2.4 million in 14,000 posts worldwide. The posts are organized into 55 departments: one each for the 50 states, along with the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, France, Mexico and the Philippines. Over the years, the Legion has influenced considerable social change in America, won hundreds of benefits for veterans and produced many important programs for children and youth. Following is a chronology of significant dates in Legion history: History of Post 177 & Post 532 Hayesville’s First American legion Post, named after Robert Napoleon Roach, who was killed in action on October 22, 1918 during WW I in France. He is buried in the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery and Memorial in France. On July 30, 1927, a meeting was held for forming a Post of the American Legion. All men that served any time during the World War at home or abroad being eligible, were invited to be present. An application for a Charter was filled by the following; Bascom Neal Haigler, George B. Thompson, Robert M. Tiger, Roy Smart, Will Taylor, Bynum Penland, Carl Parker, Allen Bell, A.B. Ledford, Carmen Anderson, Wayne Anderson, Dent Nelson, Gad Nelson and Walter Burch on July 30, and accepted by the national organization on August 2, 1927. At the August 26, 1927 meeting the first officers were elected; Post Commander-Bascom Neal Haigler, 1st vice Commander-George B. Thompson, 2nd Vice Commander-Will Taylor, Adjutant-Allen J. Bell, Finance Officer-Marvin Alexander, Chaplain-Roy Smart, Historian-Claude C. Long, Sgt-at-Arms-Henderson Setzer. In 1936/37, the Post was no longer active. On August 22, 1940, a group of ex-servicemen got together to reorganize the Bob Roach Post 177. The Commander- Arthur Jones, Vice Commander-J.N. Alexander, Adjutant-Allen J. Bell. On Saturday October 19, 1946, The War Memorial on the Hayesville Square, was dedicated to those who gave their lives in the two World Wars. The Commander, Vernon F. Martin, of the Bob Roach American legion Post 177, conducted the ceremony. The black draped stone was unveiled while the Legion Boys Choir sang “My Buddy” with piano accompaniment by Mrs. C.E. Standbridge. The American Legion Charter for the Bob Roach Post 177 was cancelled two years later in October 1948. In summer of 2008, Veterans of Clay County, applied for a Charter to form a new American Legion Post in Hayesville, to be named after George Lee. Mr. Lee passed in December 2008, he was a prominent Clay County resident, a World War II Veteran and recipient of a Purple Heart. He had also been a member of the original Bob Roach Post 177. On January 17, 2009, an American Legion Charter was presented, establishing the George Lee American Legion Post 532