American Legion Post 48
Chesnee, SC 29323
Post History

 

            Post 48 was initially chartered by the national American Legion on December 22, 1936. The Post was granted a Certificate of Incorporation by the State of South Carolina on September 5, 1950. Clifford E Edwards (Mayor of Chesnee at that time) was the Post Commander. The land on which the Post building resides was acquired on October 9, 1950. This land is slightly south of the Chesnee city limits and is a little over 6 acres. The Permanent Charter from the national American Legion was granted August 27, 1951. The mortgage enabling the Post to construct the current building was approved May 1, 1959. Paul Tillotson was the Post Commander at that time. The mortgage was held by Piedmont Federal Savings & Loan Association of Gaffney, SC. The construction on the building took place during late 1960 into early 1961. Many members of the Post participated in this construction. For example, Wilford Willingham, a World War II veteran, helped wire the building. Perry Thorne, a Korean War veteran, was the longest serving commander of Post 48, having served from July 1987 to June 2001.

               The helicopter displayed at the south end of the building was installed September 18, 2004. The pistol range on the west side of the building was started in the early 1980’s. Mike Gable and Jack Wiggins built the shed that still shades shooters at the range. The pistol range has improved immensely in the last 5 years under the supervision of Range Committee Chairman Larry Chase, Ernie Goulet and now, Dan Codespoti.

    The Naval display consists of a Mark 14A torpedo, a powder charge launched depth charge – north of the torpedo, and an air launched hedgehog, just south of the torpedo all of which was installed in October  2010. This equipment was donated to Post 48 through a friend of long time post member Tommy Walker, Harvey J Visnaw a retired U. S. Navy veteran who is now deceased. The formal dedication of this equipment took place with a ceremony on May 14, 2011. The guest of honor for this event was Harvey Visnaw’s daughter Betty Visnaw Davis.

               Post Commander Cliff Jones was awarded Top Commander in SC American Legion District 8 on April 18, 2011. This award was granted for being the only Post in District to achieve our membership goal as greater than 100%.

               For 9 years in a row, Post 48 has surpassed the Department of South Carolina’s membership goal by being above the membership quota set by the Department each year.

               Post 48 currently has 2 World War II veterans as members: Bill Scruggs and Wilford Willingham. We salute these members of the “Greatest Generation”.

               Post 48 normally meets at 7:00 PM on the 2nd Thursday of each month, except July when we do not meet, and December when we meet on a Saturday prior to Christmas as our annual Christmas Dinner meeting. Any veteran is eligible to be member.

               Below is a list of the names of Post officers and the dates that we have documented that they served. If you have any documents containing the names and dates of any of the officers who served Post 48, please scan them and email them to webmaster@americanlegionpost48chesnee.com or contact me and I will scan them and return them to you. We will attempt to verify the information in the document and will put this information into our records.

 The dedicated veterans who have served Post 48 Chesnee are seen below:
(Note: In the below, a blank field represents information missing about that individual. We are still searching for information that will permit this list to be completed. If you know the names of any of the Post members that served in the missing officer position, please forward this information to webmaster@americanlegionpost48chesnee.com . Thank you. )

American Legion Post 48 Chesnee
Commanders Vice Commanders Adjutant
Begin End L. Name F. Name M. Name L. Name F. Name M. Name L. Name F. Name M. Name
Jul-36 Jun-37 Broome C D       Hall W O
Jul-37 Jun-38 Broome C D       Hall W O
Jul-38 Jun-39 Shields H L       Hall W O
Jul-39 Jun-40 Shields H L       Hall W O
Jul-40 Jun-41 Stone T E       Hall W O
Jul-41 Jun-42 Broome C D       Hall W O
Jul-42 Jun-43 Broome C D       Hall W O
Jul-43 Jun-44 Broome C D       Hall W O
Jul-44 Jun-45 Broome C D       Hall W O
Jul-45 Jun-46 Askin H W       Hall W O
Jul-46 Jun-47 Broome C D       Hall W O
Jul-47 Jun-48 Lee C A       Hines John A
Jul-48 Jun-49 Broome C D       Hall W O
Jul-49 Jun-50 Broome C D       Hall W O
Jul-50 Jun-51 Edwards Clifford E       Steadman Thomas J
Jul-51 Jun-52 Edwards Clifford E       Steadman Thomas J
Jul-52 Jun-53 Edwards Clifford E       Donnahoo R G
Jul-53 Jun-54 Edwards Clifford E       Thompson George E
Jul-54 Jun-55 Steadman Thomas J       Powell George W
Jul-55 Jun-56 Thompson George E       Tillotson Paul E
Jul-56 Jun-57 Thompson George E       Tillotson Paul E
Jul-57 Jun-58 Tillotson Paul E       Tillotson Paul E
Jul-58 Jun-59 Tillotson Paul E       Hines John A
Jul-59 Jun-60 Hodges James L       Hines John A
Jul-60 Jun-61 Hodges James L       Hines John A
Jul-61 Jun-62 Hines Joe         Mossburg Hugh A
Jul-62 Jun-63 Hines Joe         Mossburg Hugh A
Jul-63 Jun-64 Powell George W       Bostic Don  
Jul-64 Jun-65 Powell George W Pintoff George   Bostic Don  
Jul-65 Jun-66 Shaffer Raymond L Pintoff George   Bostic Don  
Jul-66 Jun-67 Bostic Don   Pintoff George   Powell George W
Jul-67 Jun-68 Bostic Don   Cantrell Bernard   Thorne J  Perry
Jul-68 Jun-69 Broome C D Hines H P Bostic Don  
Jul-69 Jun-70 Broome C D Hines H P Bostic Don  
Jul-70 Jun-71 Cantrell Bernard   Powell George   Bostic Don  
Jul-71 Jun-72 Cantrell Bernard         Gilbert W O
Jul-72 Jun-73 Price James   Bostic Don   Powell George W
Jul-73 Jun-74 Cantrell Bernard   Henderson Robert   Thorne J  Perry
Jul-74 Jun-75 Cantrell Bernard   Henderson Robert   Thorne J  Perry
Jul-75 Jun-76 Wagner J E Henderson Robert   Thorne J  Perry
Jul-76 Jun-77 Henderson Robert E Wilson William   Thorne J  Perry
Jul-77 Jun-78 Henderson Robert E Wilson William   Thorne J  Perry
Jul-78 Jun-79 Henderson Robert E Wilson William   Thorne J  Perry
Jul-79 Jun-80 Henderson Robert E Wilson William   Thorne J  Perry
Jul-80 Jun-81 Henderson Robert E Wilson William   Thorne J  Perry
Jul-81 Jun-82 Henderson Robert E       Thorne J  Perry
Jul-82 Jun-83 Henderson Robert E       Thorne J  Perry
Jul-83 Jun-84 Henderson Robert E       Thorne J  Perry
Jul-84 Jun-85 Henderson Robert E       Thorne J  Perry
Jul-85 Jun-86 Henderson Robert E       Thorne J  Perry
Jul-86 Jun-87 Ponder Homer M       Thorne J  Perry
Jul-87 Jun-88 Thorne J  Perry       Powell George W
Jul-88 Jun-89 Thorne J  Perry       Powell George W
Jul-89 Jun-90 Thorne J  Perry       Wiggins Jack S
Jul-90 Jun-91 Thorne J  Perry       Wiggins Jack S
Jul-91 Jun-92 Thorne J  Perry       Wiggins Jack S
Jul-92 Jun-93 Thorne J  Perry       Wiggins Jack S
Jul-93 Jun-94 Thorne J  Perry       Wiggins Jack S
Jul-94 Jun-95 Thorne J  Perry       Wiggins Jack S
Jul-95 Jun-96 Thorne J  Perry       Wiggins Jack S
Jul-96 Jun-97 Thorne J  Perry       Wiggins Jack S
Jul-97 Jun-98 Thorne J  Perry       Wiggins Jack S
Jul-98 Jun-99 Thorne J  Perry       Wiggins Jack S
Jul-99 Jun-00 Thorne J  Perry       Wiggins Jack S
Jul-00 Jun-01 Thorne J  Perry       Wiggins Jack S
Jul-01 Jun-02 Thorne J  Perry       Wiggins Jack S
Jul-02 Jun-03 Scruggs Connell         Wiggins Jack S
Jul-03 Jun-04 Scruggs Connell         Wiggins Jack S
Jul-04 Jun-05 Thorne J  Perry       Wiggins Jack S
Jul-05 Jun-06 Turner Harold   Finley Thomas   Wiggins Jack S
Jul-06 Jun-07 Turner Harold   Finley Thomas   Wiggins Jack S
Jul-07 Jun-08 Turner Harold   Finley Thomas   Wiggins Jack S
Jul-08 Jun-09 Turner Harold   Finley Thomas   Wiggins Jack S
Jul-09 Jun-10 Finley Thomas   Scruggs Connell   Brown Terry G
Jul-10 Jun-11 Jones Cliff   Turner Harold   Brown Terry G
Jul-11 Jun-12 Jones Cliff   Brown Terry   Brown Terry G
Jul-12 Jun-13 Jones Cliff   Brown Terry   Smith Clark A
Jul-13 Jun-14 Jones Cliff   Brown Terry   Smith Clark A
Jul-14 Jun-15 Jones Cliff   Brown Terry   Smith Clark A
Jul-15 Jun-16 Jones Cliff   Brown Terry   Smith Clark A
Jul-16 Jun-17 Brown  Terry   Hall Richard   Smith Clark A
Jul-17 Jun-18 Brown  Terry   Hall Richard   Smith Clark A
Jul-18 Jun-19 Smith Jr Jack D Hall Richard   Cason Clifton  
Jul-19 Jun-20 Smith Jr Jack D Hall Richard   Augur Robert  
Jul-20 Jun-21 Smith Sheila   Hall Richard   Augur Robert  
Jul-21 Jun 22 Smith Sheila   Hartzog Arthur B Garner John  
Jul 22 Jun 23 Garner John   Hartzog Arthur B Smith Sheila  

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