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The American Legion Crandall-Palmer Post #61

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POST HISTORY 

 

On August 15,1949 Post 61 received their temporary charter with 65 members and their permanent charter in 1950. The first Commander was Jim Reily and the first Adjutant was E. G. Gage. Lino Aragon & E.G. Gage were the last two Charter Members and have seen passed on.

Member James Cagle was the last World War One veteran to pass away. He was born on March 26, 1896 in Warren County, Tennessee and moved to Goodyear, Arizona in 1970. We have three remaining World War Two veteran's still with us:  Raymond Battersby (Norman, OK), Raymond Bedoya (Avondale, AZ), and James Couch (Goodyear, AZ).

  Post 61 and Unit 61 have co-sponsored over 1100 students to Boy's and Girl's State since 1950.

The Post has presented school awards to the six primary schools in the Greater Southwest Valley of the Sun for the last 50 years. Recently, they started an Americanism scholarship award program in lieu of the medallion awards they given at those schools. They have also presented JROTC and Commanders Trophy awards to Agua Fria and Tolleson High Schools since 1970 and to Westview High School when it started its JROTC program.

Crandall-Palmer has sponsored American Legion Baseball Teams (A & B) for 40 years.

The Post has had three Ladies as Post Commanders Helen Daley, Marian Black and Patricia Thompson. Four other Post 61 members have gone on to be Department of Arizona Area “B” Vice Commanders, George Jefferies, James Flannery, Frank Whitten and James Burke. 

Historical information was provided by Past Post Commanders and former Post Adjutant Joe Solano.