Post History
California American Legion post now aboard the USS Iowa
During its 50 years of service from 1940 to 1990, speed, big guns, heavy armor and endurance earned the USS Iowa the designation of the "World's Greatest Naval Ship." The battleship is a floating interactive maritime museum in the community of San Pedro, Calif., which is near Los Angeles, and now it’s home to American Legion Post 61. The effort to transfer Post 61 from its original home in Sacramento to aboard the USS Iowa was a passionate effort by California Legionnaires, the staff of the Battleship USS Iowa Museum, and San Pedro community leaders.
On Nov. 9 (2017), the new officers of Battleship Iowa American Legion Post 61 carried the colors up the gangplank for the first time and were joined by district and department leadership for the inaugural post meeting on the ship. A celebration of two and half years of hard work and dedication took place with nearly 40 people crowded into the chief’s mess. The 2016 decision by the members of the former San Pedro Veterans Alliance to organize an American Legion Post resulted from the conclusion of these Veterans that the American Legion was the representative Veterans' organization in this country. That conclusion has been proven true as today the American Legion is the largest wartime Veterans' organization with nearly 15,000 local Posts throughout America and over 3 million members who care about America, Veterans, their families and our nation's youth.
Sacramento Post No. 61, American Legion Hall Association, Inc. was a incorporated on April 23, 1923 . The post was located at 8837 Grayling Way, Sacramento, CA 95826 until its request for charter suspension in 2017.
A June 21, 1930, photograph of the American Legion Sacramento Post 61 Convention Committee with 18 members present. Seated on the grass in the first row are: Joe Knowles, Paul Wise, George Compte, Tom Deise, E.J. (Joe) Plato, Frank Malany. In the middle row are: -----, LeRoy Deise, Wilber Polk, George Cook, Roy Womack. Standing in the third row are: Zeick Hoskins, -----, Roy Neilsen, Dewey Baker, Rod Gilbride, E.G. Funke, Walter Hicks.
Patriotic Days
MEMORIAL DAY has always been an outstanding occasion in this community. In addition to memorial events throughout the San Pedro community, the goal of every Veteran to it's last man is to keep MEMORIAL DAY sacred to the memory of our war dead of all of the wars of the country; and all graves are decorated on this National Holiday.
ARMISTICE DAY, now called VETERANS' DAY, originally marked the end of fighting in World War I. It is an important holiday on the calendar of Legionnaires everywhere and in the hearts of all Veterans. Annually the Post sponsored the Armistice Day Parade. An important tradition was established when the Post led in the memorial exercises at 11 o'clock on the morning of November 11, marking the exact hour of the cessation of hostility on the war fronts.
Scholarships and Community Projects
American LegionPost --- sponsors various scholarships for the further education of our children. We also sponsor and financially assist many worthy community projects and programs initiated by the National American Legion.
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