Tag Archive for: #americanlegionpost60

TownTalk: Veterans Memorial A Success; Phase 2 To Come

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The Vance County Veterans Memorial has been in place for a few weeks now in the city-owned public space outside the Henderson Police Department.

Each side of the six-sided monument honors one of the branches of the military, from Army to  Space Force. Visitors who have come for a closer inspection of the impressive installation may notice something that’s unique to Henderson: depictions of Corbitt trucks on two sides of the monument.

“We’re proud to have those in there,” said American Legion Post 60 Commander Hartwell Wright on Tuesday’s TownTalk. Wright and Andy Roberson joined WIZS’s Scout Hughes to reflect on how the memorial came to be, as well as what’s next.

The 9-foot tall monument with the bronze eagle atop it may be the first thing that grabs people’s attention, but Wright said “they always migrate to the names and reflect on the names.”

Although the monument itself is devoid of names, the 126 names of those Vance County natives who died in service to their country are inscribed on a large stone as part of the overall installation.

When the American Legion Post 60 kicked off its campaign to raise the $150,000 or so needed to complete this part of the project late in 2025, Wright said folks were skeptical that things could fall into place by July 4.

But, indeed, the memorial was officially dedicated on Saturday, July 4 – on time and on budget – and Wright called it a true labor of love. From financial donations – small and large – to donations of time, labor and materials from numerous individuals and businesses in the community, the memorial was commissioned and completed.

Mission accomplished.

At least this phase, anyway.

Wright said next phases include adding lighting to illuminate the memorial at night, and then to replace nearby wooden benches with granite benches to complement the memorial area.

In addition to those who contributed time and money to the project, Wright said the city of Henderson has been a key partner from the beginning.

Wright said, “We contemplated several different locations,” including the property where the Post 60 Hut sits on Garnett Street. But the railroad owns a good bit of the property near there, and, besides, Wright said, parking would have been a problem, too.

The city offered up the area outside the police department, and that set the wheels in motion.

Long-time residents may remember the monuments in what Wright called Veterans Triangle, positioned near the Fire Department and the overpass on North Garnett Street. After the city removed those monuments to make way for the water fountain installation, folks began talking about the need to have some sort of memorial to remember the war dead.

“It was time for us to rectify that,” Wright said. “That was the impetus behind getting this thing started.”

Without the generous donation of the property by the city, the project most likely would have had a very different outcome, Wright said.

Roberson agreed, adding that the donations of landscaping work, hole digging and concrete pouring would have added to the bill considerably.

“It would have been a lot more money,” Roberson said.

Another partnership involved the Vance County Historical Society, which had a project of its own underway to create banners for downtown lampposts in memory of the 126 veterans who died in military service.

“We piggy-backed off of them and the research they were doing in verifying each and every one of those names,” Wright said.

Names inscribed on the original stones at Veterans Triangle had been provided long ago by the Department of Veterans Affairs, and Wright said they were presumed to be correct.

In their research, however, it was discovered that several of those names belonged on memorials in Henderson-VILLE, not Henderson.

Please contact the Vance County Historical Society if you believe your family has a loved one whose name should be included along with the 126 other names of service members who have died in military service.

Visit https://vcvm.org/ to learn more and find a link to make a donation online.

Send checks to:

American Legion Post 60

P.O. Box 1765

Henderson, NC 27536

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Veterans Monument Installation On Track For July 4 Dedication

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If all goes as planned, the new Veterans Memorial will be officially unveiled at a ceremony on July 4, a fitting day as the nation officially celebrates its 250th birthday.

Hartwell Wright, American Legion Post 60 commander, said the fundraising efforts are paying off, but there’s more to do.

The July 4 ceremony will be more of an “official” unveiling, Wright said, adding that it’ll be a little tough to keep a 9-foot tall, 6-sided granite monument in the middle of town under wraps.

“It’s kind of hard to hide something that large,” he quipped.

The Veterans Memorial, which will be situated outside the main entrance of the Henderson Police Department, will include all six branches of the U.S. military – the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard and the Space Force.

“We’ve been really, really busy trying to raise the funds for this thing,” Wright told WIZS recently. The price tag exceeds $150,000, and there’s still $50,000 or $60,000 left to go, he said.

“I feel real excited at this point,” Wright said. The foundation was to have been completed in the week leading up to Memorial Day, he noted.

“And hopefully, by the first of June, we’ll start digging a hole,” he said, in preparation of the monument installation.

If all goes according to schedule, Wright said the monument should be installed the last week of June.

“We just want our citizens to come out and take pride in Vance County and what God has allowed us to do in the United States of America to live the way we live and especially the way we are able to live right here,” Wright said.

He invites the community to come out to the ceremony – bring a lawn chair and enjoy the morning’s festivities.

In case of inclement weather, the ceremony will be held in nearby McGregor Hall.

Visit www.vcvm.org to learn more. There’s a link on the page for donations.

“We will keep our campaign going even after the monument is completed,” Wright said. He said the plan is to replace the benches near the future site of the monument with granite benches to match the monument.

Send checks to:

VCVM

P.O. 1765

Henderson, NC, 27536.

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Henderson City Council Approves Design For Veterans Memorial

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The Henderson City Council approved on Monday a design for the veteran’s memorial that will be installed in front of the police station.

Hartwell Wright with American Legion Post #60 described the memorial to Council Members and said he expects the cost to be in the range of $150,000.

The memorial will be solid granite and will have six sides – one side for each branch of service, Wright explained.

“We’re going to do everything in our power to make it Henderson-specific,” he said, but the memorial will not include the names of individuals. The plan is to create another granite wall, along the order of the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, D.C., to put those names.

“We hope you’ll be as excited as we are to recognize our veterans,” Wright said.

And with the hefty price tag, he said fundraising will begin as quickly as possible.

Planners had hoped to be able to use the stone memorials that had been installed at 110 Young St. in this memorial, but they just won’t work out, Wright explained. Instead, those stones – which were provided by the American Legion, will be placed on display on the Post 60 property on Garnett Street.

American Legion Post #60 Gets OK For Veterans Memorial

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In a unanimous vote at its regular September meeting, the Henderson City Council approved a request from the American Legion Post #60 to create a Veterans Memorial at the entrance to the Henderson Police Station on Breckenridge Street.

The circular space is about 25 feet in diameter and currently is planted with shrubbery. The American Legion Post #60 plans to raise the funds necessary to construct a memorial. The City Council, however, reserves the right of final approval of the design and placement of the memorial.

The explanation in the agenda package stated that “having a dedicated site for such a memorial will honor the men and women of our community that served our nation. It will give our community the opportunity to remember and reflect on the sacrifices made by many.”

Other than the cost of monthly electrical costs associated with lighting, the city wouldn’t be paying for any part of the memorial.

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American Legion Post 60 Memorial Day Service

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The Henderson American Legion Post 60 will host a Memorial Day event on Monday, May 27, beginning at 10 a.m. at the post building, located at the corner of Garnett and Spring streets in downtown Henderson.

Jeremy Hetrick, incoming Commander, will be the speaker.

As part of the holiday observance, the names of all individuals from Vance County who gave their lives in service to their country will be read aloud.

In case of rain, the event will be held in the post building.

 

The Local Skinny! American Legion To Host Memorial Day Service

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It’s a sobering sight to see those white crosses that dot the grassy area outside American Legion Post 60 in Henderson. Whether you just drive by over the Memorial Day weekend holiday or attend the annual service at Post 60 on Monday at 10 a.m.

Post Commander Ted Grissom wants people to remember why those crosses – numbering more than 150 – matter.

Each cross represents someone from Vance County who has died while serving in the Armed Forces, from World War I to the present, Grissom told WIZS’s Bill Harris on Thursday’s segment of The Local Skinny!

The ceremony will be brief, he said, but the main reason to gather will be “to honor our heroes remember their achievements and service, and to thank them” for their ultimate sacrifice to their country.

“Many didn’t volunteer,” he said, but were called to be part of something bigger than themselves – they were ordinary people who responded in extraordinary ways” to protect and defend this country, our freedom and way of life.

“Our gathering in Henderson is just one small spark in the flame of pride that burns across the nation on Memorial day and every day,” Grissom said.

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American Legion Post 60 Plans April 21 Chicken Plate Fundraiser

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The Henderson American Legion Post 60 will have a chicken plate fundraiser on Friday, April 21.

Pickup is from 12 noon to 2 p.m. at the Post 60 Building, located at the corner of Garnett and Spring streets in Henderson.

Plates are $10 and include grilled chicken, boiled potatoes, green beans, bread, dessert and barbecue sauce.

Orders of 10 or more plates can be delivered, according to Post Commander Ted Grissom. Tickets are available from any Post 60 member or by calling Grissom at 757.968.6346, post Historian Edward Woodlief at 252.767.4044, or Andy Roberson at 252.432.2432.

The local post supports veterans and their families, as well as the community. Grissom welcomes veterans from any branch of military service to attend monthly meetings at Post 60 held the third Thursday of the month at 6:30 p.m.

Vietnam Vets Welcomed, Honored, Remembered During March 29 Ceremony

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By all accounts, the ceremony held at American Legion Post 60 Wednesday hit all the right notes: about 50 people gathered at noon to remember, support and pay tribute to veterans of the Vietnam War.

Britany Wilson spearheaded the event, and she told WIZS News that at least 18 veterans of the Vietnam War were present. “We honored each veteran personally,” Wilson said, with certificates and pins.

“I was very pleased that so many showed up,” she said, adding that the goal was to extend appreciation for their military service.

North Carolina author and military veteran Samuel Conner was the guest speaker. His book, “My Motorcycle Ride Across the Country” is one thing that has helped him in his healing process.

Unlike returning troops from earlier wars, Vietnam-era veterans typically did not get the hero’s welcome.

The Vietnam Veterans Association, Gentiva Hospice – where Wilson works as manager of volunteer services – and Jimmy Dixon all partnered to make sure this event was a success.

Wilson hosts a monthly coffee social at 9 a.m. on the first Saturday of the month for any veterans in the area.

The next gathering is this Saturday, April 1, at Sadie’s Coffee Corner.

But beginning in May, American Legion Post 60 is opening its doors for the monthly meeting.

“They (veterans) have a bond. It’s just a time for them to come and share that camaraderie that they miss,” Wilson said.

The post is located at 110 E. Spring St., Henderson.

Vietnam Vets Can Get An Official “Welcome Home” Mar. 29 At American Legion Post 60

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On March 29, 1973, the last U.S. combat troops left Vietnam, marking the end of this country’s involvement in a war that remains largely a reviled and divisive conflict for soldiers and civilians alike.

Now designated as National Vietnam War Veterans Day, March 29 is a time to pay tribute to those military veterans who often didn’t get a hero’s welcome upon their return to U.S. soil.

Britany Wilson is spearheading an event Wednesday to help change that in some small way, so many years after the country brought its soldiers home.

“We want this to be a warm welcome home for the Vietnam veterans who are attending, regardless of how many,” Wilson  told WIZS News.

“Some of them may have never received a welcome home,” she added. The whole thing should last about an hour, and then everyone is invited to stay for lunch at the American Legion building, 110 E. Spring St.

Wilson said she’d love to hear from military veterans who plan to attend by Saturday, Mar. 25, but “all are welcome even if they show up on the day of,” she added. “No one will be turned away.”

By contacting her ahead of time, it will allow her to have enough certificates and pins representing the different branches of the military on hand.

Local American Legion Post 60 joins other posts across the nation to pay tribute to military veterans on this day.

Contact Wilson at 919.609.3403.

TownTalk: American Legion Post 60 Celebrates 100 Years

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Henderson’s American Legion Post 60 is celebrating 100 years of service to the area with a special program Saturday evening to mark the occasion.

Post 60 Commander Ted Grissom reminds members of the program that is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 25, beginning at 6 p.m.

Post 60 Vice-Commander Hartwell Wright spoke with John C. Rose on Tuesday’s TownTalk and he said the local post provides support to military veterans in the area.

One goal on the horizon for Post 60 is establishing a veterans memorial in downtown Henderson. Although the idea is in the early stages, Wright said he hopes to have details soon about a tangible way to honor the military veterans of Vance County.

Wright recalled the early days of the American Legion in the U.S., when Congress decided that the newly established group would be the voice for veterans. The American Legion was instrumental in the formation of the Veterans Administration, he noted.

One of the group’s goals, Wright said, is “to keep the membership strong so we can be relevant in the future.” One way the local post supports veterans is with financial help. “When there is a significant need brought to our attention, we do our best to help that veteran,” Wright explained.

Membership is strong at this time, he said, adding that more veterans from the Vietnam and Iraq conflicts are choosing to participate in legion activities.

“It’s imperative on us to continue to recruit…so the future will be bright for the American Legion and the veterans we serve,” Wright said.

Among the activities planned for the program Saturday is a presentation of the post’s history by Ret. Col. Ed Blue.

“It will be the highlight of the event,” Wright said.

The event will be held at the Post 60 building, located at the corner of Garnett and Spring streets and will include a covered dish supper.

In addition to local post leaders, American Legion division commanders, vice-commanders and other district, state and local dignitaries are expected to be present. And although this particular event is by invitation only, American Legion leaders want to make sure that all local veterans know about ongoing activities that Post 60 participates and to raise awareness about services and membership in the organization.

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