Lufkin VFW Post

HISTORY OF VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS POST 1836, LUFKIN, TEXAS.
On October 28, 1937, 22 dedicated Lufkin veterans of World War I met for the purpose of organizing a memorial Post of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, This resulted in formation of VFW Post 1836 in Lufkin, Texas.
The charter members were as follows:
	Ray A. Holsembeck Claude F. Trevathan Jacob B. McGee Tom M. Million Charles B. Ragland J. A. Eddings J. H. Nixon Clyde B. Paramore Leslie Taturn C. E. Kaemmerling Roscoe W. Ivy	W. J. Hanson A. W. Stevens Meance M. Fontenot Clifford A. Woodsworth E. G. Berry Henry R. Lewis Oscar R. McKinney James A. Abney Alfred B. Cook (Commander) Gersta Morrison Stephen L. Thompson
After forming the Post, the members were handicapped by having no definite meeting place. The old minutes record some of the interesting places where Post meetings were held. For instance, meetings were formally held in the Judges chambers of the Angelina County Court House, in the city community center, the First Christian Church, the basement of the Angelina Hotel, at the home of Commander Cook, and homes of Charlie Ragland and Thurman Winston; also on the second floor of the First State Bank, at the Lufkin Foundry, the old Cash Drug Store, in the old Log Cabin building on Shepherd and Second, and probably at many other places. Some time in 1941 the dedicated members of Post 1836 took the first steps towards their goal of a permanent home. Members Charlie Ragland and Clifford Woodsworth made the first move to bring the goal to reality. They first contacted the Long Bell Lumber Co. about a tract of company land surrounding a lake formerly used as a log pond. Long Bell donated the land, known as Lufkin Land Mill Pond #2, together with 14-acres surrounding the lake. Later, in 1945, member Charles Ragland donated a tract of land he owned south of the lake, thereby making Lufkin Post 1856 the owner of 30 acres and a beautiful lake. In recognition of a very generous donation to the Post building fund from Mrs. Simon W. Henderson, Sr., the lake was officially named "The Henderson Memorial Lake." Following acquisition of the land, a small wood and tin building was erected as a temporary home for Post 1836.
Most of the materials for the structure were donated by Lufkin Foundry and Machine Co., and Matt Hand of the Lufkin Telephone Exchange. The building was constructed by members of the Post. The small building served for all business and social needs, and meanwhile ambitious plans for a much larger and more adequate home were underway. Those plans were four years in the making, and of course were halted by war time restrictions and material shortages. Finally, in 1948, construction contracts for the new building were awarded to L. Richardson, of Lufkin. By this time a Ladies Auxiliary of Post 1836 had been formed, and between them and the VFW members a great many projects were inaugurated in order to raise funds for the new building. At the start of construction. Post 1836 had a membership of 400 veterans of World War I and World War II. Here are just a few of the projects the members and the Auxiliary, with wonderful community support, used to raise the $35,000 necessary to complete the beautiful building which was dedicated in early May, 1948. Chances were sold on new automobiles; barbeques were held; booths set up at Forest Festivals; Turkey Shoots and carnivals were sponsored; members sold and delivered Liberty Bonds; lunches were sold; fish fries and many other projects were sponsored. Radio Station KRBA had an all-day "Talk" program where friends and relatives called in and pledged money to the building fund in honor of, or in memory of, some loved one or friend in the U.S. armed forces. P.R.. Wilson pledged one-tenth of all money made from his crop that year. It is recorded that Carl Kaemmerling did his part by manning the hamburger stand at carnivals and gatherings and had the unique idea of burning a batch, of onion rings on the stove to attract the crowd to his booth. Lufkin VFW Post 1836 is very proud of the record of its Ladies Auxiliary; and particularly proud of Mrs. Joanna Ragland who was chosen to head the Texas state auxiliary organization in 1950-1951. The ladies auxiliary, of course, was always active in sponsorship of the annual VFW Poppy Sales Campaign. Post records indicate that the first Poppy campaign for Post 1836 was conducted by Martha Lewis, Alma Fontenot, Katherine Legg, and Iris Nell Whittington. Post 1836 also produced a Commander for the state of Texas VFW organization. Member Johnny U. Foster served with distinction in the post of Commander in 1952-1955.
History records that Lufkin Post 1836 was host to the state convention, held in the Feagin building, in December 1941. One memory of those who attended was the beautiful rendition by Mrs. Gordon Vickery of the ballad "My Buddy", which in view of coming events was sadly prophetic. The convention audience was shocked when in the midst of one of the meetings, a breathless young man burst into the ball and gasped out information that at that very moment Japan was bombing Pearl Harbor. That out-of-breath modern Paul Revere was Sam Kaemmerling. Originally, Post 1836 was in Texas District 2. In 1946 parts of District 2-12 and 17 were consolidated into District 19, with VFW Lufkinite, Johnny U, Foster, as Commander. The national organization of Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States at the present time is the largest veterans organization in the world, with approximately two million members. The VFW organization was formed in 1899 at Columbus, Ohio by veterans of the Spanish-American War. Later veterans who saw action in subsequent wars and U.S. Expeditionary Forces were admitted to membership. After the first World War the VFW began to promote more solidarity between its members. Following World War II, and continuing through the Korean and Vietnam campaigns, the VFW greatly increased its membership, gained world stature as a service organization, and advocated many benefits for veterans and their dependents. VFW members, the Ladies Auxiliary, and their families are proud of the goals and service objectives of their organization to their fellow-men, their communities, their state and their nation which are set forth in the organization's by-laws and charter as follows; The purpose of this organization shall be fraternal, patriotic, historical and educational: To preserve and strengthen comradeship among its members; to assist worthy comrades; to perpetuate the memory and history of the dead, and to assist their widows and orphans; to maintain true allegiance to the government of the United States of America, and fidelity to its Constitution and Laws; to maintain and extend the institution of American Freedom, and to preserve and defend the United States from all her enemies, whomsoever."