American Legion Post 424 Honors 50- And 75-Year Members
March 26, 2022 at 12:59 a.m.
American Legion Post 424 Honors 50- And 75-Year Members
By David L. Slone-
Two U.S. military veterans recognized Friday by the Post have been members for the last 75 years - Douglas P. Shearer and William Elliott - while a third - Francis Anderson - was honored for his 50 years of loyalty.
Commander Bill Shepherd presented a framed certificate to Shearer at his residence at Miller’s Merry Manor Assisted Living in Warsaw at noon Friday for having been a “member in good standing continuously for 75 years.”
Shearer served as a chemical engineer in the Army during the Korean Conflict, according to Shepherd. The Chemical Corp is a branch of the Army tasked with defending against chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear weapons. The Chemical Corp was tasked with delivering chemical weapons rather than defending against them.
Born Oct. 7, 1927, Shearer went to Purdue University and worked for pharmaceutical companies. He lived in New Jersey for a number of years, he said.
Shearer also served as Post 424 commander from 1997 to 2000. “They say he was kind of a historian for the Legion. He was a history buff,” Shepherd said.
Asked what he enjoyed most about the Legion, Shearer said the comradery. He attributes his nearly 95 years of life to just being healthy.
Upon presenting the framed certificate to Shearer, Shepherd thanked him for his service to the Legion and to the country.
Elliott, 98, and Anderson, 88, were honored by Shepherd and 3rd District Commander Rob Kelley at American Legion Post 424, 202 S. Main St., Bourbon, Friday evening before nearly a full house.
Anderson enlisted in the Army in 1952 to 1960 where he was in Special Forces. He was in at the start of the Vietnam War and worked out of Germany where he had 47 jumps, mostly at night, according to Shepherd.
“I don’t even like to take my trash out at night. He’s jumping out of airplanes,” Shepherd said.
Elliott was drafted in 1944 into the U.S. Navy Air Corp for World War II. He went to boot camp in Memphis, Tenn., for six weeks to learn basics for being in the service, according to Shepherd. Then he spent six months in Jacksonville, Fla., to study radio and radar. He had to learn Morse code.
“His job was to lay in the belly of airplanes, looking for German submarines along the Pacific coast. He then would send messages from the plane to alert others. Very impressive job,” Shepherd said of Elliott.
He said Elliott also was on the Legion’s firing squad when they went to funerals to do the 21-gun salute. “He presented the family with the United States flag,” Shepherd said.
After Anderson and Elliott were presented their framed certificates, Kelley said, “I would like to personally thank those two gentlemen. It’s a heck of an accomplishment. On behalf of the Department of Indiana and 3rd District, congratulations on such a milestone.”
In an interview afterward, Elliott said he served in the Navy Air Corp from 1944 to 1946, joining the Legion in 1947.
“They’re all friends. They served. And the conversation,” he said of what he enjoyed most about being a Legion member.
Born Oct. 31, 1923, he said he was a musician, too, and music was what kept him alive. His father also was a musician and they used to play music together.
Elliott’s wife, Barbara, passed away last April.
Anderson was born Jan. 23, 1934. He said he served in the Special Forces Airborne from 1952 to 1960. “I was involved in everything,” he said in an interview.
A Legion member since 1972, he was born and raised in Virginia. He worked 37 years “on the grid.” He moved to the Bourbon area after meeting a woman from Atwood. He and Marilyn Lutes Anderson were married for 62 years until she died four years ago on March 8.
Asked what he liked about being in the Legion, Anderson replied, “They do all of our funerals. It’s a good place to sit down and bull***t. Drink a couple. And they’re all nice and friendly people.”
Latest News
E-Editions
Two U.S. military veterans recognized Friday by the Post have been members for the last 75 years - Douglas P. Shearer and William Elliott - while a third - Francis Anderson - was honored for his 50 years of loyalty.
Commander Bill Shepherd presented a framed certificate to Shearer at his residence at Miller’s Merry Manor Assisted Living in Warsaw at noon Friday for having been a “member in good standing continuously for 75 years.”
Shearer served as a chemical engineer in the Army during the Korean Conflict, according to Shepherd. The Chemical Corp is a branch of the Army tasked with defending against chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear weapons. The Chemical Corp was tasked with delivering chemical weapons rather than defending against them.
Born Oct. 7, 1927, Shearer went to Purdue University and worked for pharmaceutical companies. He lived in New Jersey for a number of years, he said.
Shearer also served as Post 424 commander from 1997 to 2000. “They say he was kind of a historian for the Legion. He was a history buff,” Shepherd said.
Asked what he enjoyed most about the Legion, Shearer said the comradery. He attributes his nearly 95 years of life to just being healthy.
Upon presenting the framed certificate to Shearer, Shepherd thanked him for his service to the Legion and to the country.
Elliott, 98, and Anderson, 88, were honored by Shepherd and 3rd District Commander Rob Kelley at American Legion Post 424, 202 S. Main St., Bourbon, Friday evening before nearly a full house.
Anderson enlisted in the Army in 1952 to 1960 where he was in Special Forces. He was in at the start of the Vietnam War and worked out of Germany where he had 47 jumps, mostly at night, according to Shepherd.
“I don’t even like to take my trash out at night. He’s jumping out of airplanes,” Shepherd said.
Elliott was drafted in 1944 into the U.S. Navy Air Corp for World War II. He went to boot camp in Memphis, Tenn., for six weeks to learn basics for being in the service, according to Shepherd. Then he spent six months in Jacksonville, Fla., to study radio and radar. He had to learn Morse code.
“His job was to lay in the belly of airplanes, looking for German submarines along the Pacific coast. He then would send messages from the plane to alert others. Very impressive job,” Shepherd said of Elliott.
He said Elliott also was on the Legion’s firing squad when they went to funerals to do the 21-gun salute. “He presented the family with the United States flag,” Shepherd said.
After Anderson and Elliott were presented their framed certificates, Kelley said, “I would like to personally thank those two gentlemen. It’s a heck of an accomplishment. On behalf of the Department of Indiana and 3rd District, congratulations on such a milestone.”
In an interview afterward, Elliott said he served in the Navy Air Corp from 1944 to 1946, joining the Legion in 1947.
“They’re all friends. They served. And the conversation,” he said of what he enjoyed most about being a Legion member.
Born Oct. 31, 1923, he said he was a musician, too, and music was what kept him alive. His father also was a musician and they used to play music together.
Elliott’s wife, Barbara, passed away last April.
Anderson was born Jan. 23, 1934. He said he served in the Special Forces Airborne from 1952 to 1960. “I was involved in everything,” he said in an interview.
A Legion member since 1972, he was born and raised in Virginia. He worked 37 years “on the grid.” He moved to the Bourbon area after meeting a woman from Atwood. He and Marilyn Lutes Anderson were married for 62 years until she died four years ago on March 8.
Asked what he liked about being in the Legion, Anderson replied, “They do all of our funerals. It’s a good place to sit down and bull***t. Drink a couple. And they’re all nice and friendly people.”
Have a news tip? Email [email protected] or Call/Text 360-922-3092