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■ Continued from Page A-1organized the first black American Legion post in a building on Washington Avenue near Salu Street“They were true patriots,” Woodfork said. “They stood tall for their flag and their country. And they came home and gave something back to their town.”Today, veterans of World War II, Korea and Vietnam stand shoulder to shoulder to salute the flag at meetings of the post, 300 E. Elm Street“We’re a sprinkling of young and old vets,” said Woodfork, 81, who joined Post 354 in 1946. He supplied front-line infantry with ammunition in the D-Day invasion in World War II.Woodfork, Floyd Arbuckle, Joe Berry and Harold Killion came home from World War II and joined the legion post“The vets went to work in the steel mill andglassworks in Alton, and some started their own businesses,” said Woodforkm, who operated the U.S. Shop, a dry cleaning business on East Broadway, for 20 years.Post 354 sold its building in the late 1950s and didn’t have another home until 1989, when it bought the present building on Elm, said Arbuckle, a past commander.“We carried our flag with us and met in churches, homes and lodges,” he said. “We didn’t have a home, but we had comradeship.”Members of the post have served in all branches of the service and won medals for bravery.Arbuckle, 81, a Navy seaman, has 13 battle stars from action in the South Pacific on the aircraft carrier Enterprise.He remembers the day his ship was hit by a bomb from a Japanese fighter. “I felt the shock of the explosion. It tore a hole in the side of the ship. We floated back to Pearl Harbor for repairs.”Post 354 is known across the state for reaching out to veterans and needy people.“We roll up our sleeves if somebody needs help,” Woodfork said. “It may be collecting food for poor people or getting a sick veteran to a doctor.” Members stood on street comers Friday and Saturday selling 2,000 red poppies. “It’s our way of raising money for disabled vets,” Woodfork said.Post members will put on their legion caps today and ride in Alton’s Memorial Day Parade.At Upper Alton’s Oakwood Cemetery, they will stand at attention when a drill team fires a volley of shots over the graves of veterans, Woodfork said.Members will remember Clarence Graves, Louis Galloway, Allen Bevenue and other World War I vets who founded the post “We’ll kneel and put tiny flags on the graves of our veterans,” Woodfork said. “Then we’ll stand at attention and salute them. They’re gone, but their memories have kept our post alive for 70 years.”
Newspaper Details
Alton Telegraph
Alton, Illinois, US
Mon, May 25, 1992
Page 2
Full Page
Clipped by
Hayner P.
IL, USA 19 Apr 2023
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