Legion post recognized for new growth

Not too long ago, one of Blairsville's longtime institutions, its American Legion post, was on the decline and was in danger of losing its charter.

As can happen with any organization, the veterans' group dwindled in activity and numbers as members grew older and dropped out of the ranks.

Though down, the Blairsville Legion Post 407 wasn't out.

Last Friday, the resurgent group gathered at the post home of a like-minded organization, the Blairsville Veterans of Foreign Wars, to celebrate the beginning of a new era in its long tradition of brotherhood and service and to recognize a handful of longtime members who embody that tradition.

As local members, their spouses and guests sat down for the group's first annual membership recognition dinner and 18th military service group fellowship repast, Joseph Mansfield, the Legion's 27th District Commander, presented the Blairsville post with awards recognizing it as the fastest growing post in the district for its size.

According to John Zedick, the post had just 13 members on its rolls when he became commander at the beginning of the year. Since then, that number has grown to 45, and he said the goal is to expand further, to 75 members.

Other current officers of the Blairsville post include: Irv Lindsey, first vice commander; Marvin Lockard, second vice commander; Brady Hogue, adjutant; Jess Bartholow, finance officer; Al Hogue, chaplain; Russ Quick, service officer; and Jimmy Prince, sergeant-at-arms.

A veteran of the Iraq War who is in his second year as district commander, Mansfield lauded the Blairsville post for its continued support of a summer youth baseball program while noting the members "brought yourself back up" from the point of being "a post that nearly didn't exist."

Mansfield noted it was the Legion organization, and the support of his wife, that "brought me back up" after he returned from Iraq with a Purple Heart, more than 200 pieces of shrapnel in his body and the loss of feeling in his lower extremities.

Having struggled with post-traumatic stress disorder, he said "the Legion saved me," providing him with a new mission: "fighting for American veterans."

Guest speaker James H. Hales Jr., the past Legion state commander in 2006, noted the national organization had its start in 1919, founded by veterans with the goal of assisting their comrades in arms who were wounded and the orphans left behind by those who never made it home from the battlefield. The group also helped able-bodied veterans of the First World War transition back into civilian life.

Since then, Hales noted, the Legion's mission has evolved to include: lobbying for veteran's health care and benefits; supporting a strong national defense; promoting Americanism; and providing community service, including sponsorship of youth programs.

"Service before self knows no generation," he said, noting that the newest generation of veterans of the global war on terrorism includes both men and women from every profession and every social, economic and religious background.

Last week's program also honored five longtime members of the Blairsville Legion post, each with more than 50 years on the rolls: Maribel Swasy, Donald "Doc" Richards and Anthony "Tony" Vigliotti, who received certificates of recognition, and Floyd Kelly and Robert "Bob" Goodlin, who were unable to attend.

Swasy, who joined the Legion in 1949, was an Army nurse in 1945-46 who attained the rank of second lieutenant. After completing boot camp at Camp Swift, Texas, she was stationed at the 152nd Hospital in Calcutta, India, and the 14th Evacuation Hospital in Burma.

She has eight children, 18 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

Richards was a staff sergeant in the Army Air Corps, serving from 1943 to 1946. He completed his basic training at Shepherd Field, Texas, and then spent time at nine posts around the country--in Texas, New Mexico, Nevada, South Dakota, Nebraska, North Carolina and New Jersey. He joined the Legion shortly after being discharged from active duty.

He and his wife, Doris, have two daughters and four grandchildren. One granddaughter, Megan Conrad, is a captain in the Army who served a year in Iraq.

Vigliotti, a Cokeville native, joined the Legion in 1947, after serving in the Army in 1942-45. A sergeant with Co. B of the 818th Aviation Engineer Battalion, he completed training at the Jefferson Barracks in Missouri before shipping out to the European Theater of World War II. He was among the first wave of troops to land at Normandy during the Allied D-Day invasion of June 6, 1944, and continued with his unit as it advanced through France and Germany to the end of the war.

In his civilian career, he was employed by the Pennsylvania Railroad and its successor, Conrail, retiring in 1983. He also served as a local baseball umpire for 49 years, officiating at games for the Little League, the Indiana County League, St. Vincent and Junior and Senior Legion teams. He and his wife, Josephine, have two children and four grandchildren.

Kelly, who has been a member of Post 407 for 60 years, achieved the rank of AMMP 3rd Class while serving with the Navy in World War II. After graduating from the Great Lakes Naval Training Center, he was assigned to the U.S. Naval Base at Norfolk, Va., where he served until his release from active duty in 1945. He helped service scout planes that were used to accompany convoys of vessels between the United States and England.

He and his wife, Vera, had one son who passed away at a young age.

Goodlin, who also joined the Legion post in 1947, was a seaman 1st Class in the Navy from 1943 to 1946. After basic training at Bainbridge, Md., he shipped out of California aboard the U.S.S. Butte of the 5th Fleet.

He and his late wife had three children. He also has six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

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The Saltsburg Legion Post 57 will be holding its dinner for members and guests at 6:30 p.m Saturday. Retired Air Force Colonel Francis Romeo will offer a presentation about the United States flag.

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Students at Blairsville Middle School, under the leadership of social studies instructor Josh Cunningham, will conduct a fundraising drive beginning in January to benefit members of the 56th Stryker Brigade based at the National Guard armory in nearby Torrance. The service members currently are training stateside and soon will depart for a tour of duty in Iraq.

Cunningham said the goal is for each of the school's homerooms to fill two backpacks with items that troops returning from Iraq have requested: hand sanitizer, hard candy and gum, soap or shampoo, baby powder, suntan lotion, bug spray, lip balm, tea bags, powdered drink mix, freeze-dried coffee and non-perishable salty snacks such as beef jerky or sunflower seeds.

If successful, the drive will provide backpacks for 30 soldiers, about the complement of a company. Cunningham said the packs will be shipped to Iraq with the assistance of the National Guard armory in Greensburg.