American Legion Post 108

About

AMERICAN LEGION POST 108 

214 S. NOBLE AVE. CUSHING, OK 

EVERY WEDNESDAY MORNING FROM 9 AM TO 11 AM, JOIN US FOR COFFEE AND BREAKFAST!
Joe Spychalski is a Veterans Service Officer who will be there to help veterans fill out Claims & Benefits Applications for injuries they sustained while in service.

American Legion Post 108, Cushing-Drumright - The Walk of Honor

American Legion Post 108, Cushing-Drumright has The Walk of Honor for all honorable discharged veterans, either living or those who have passed.  Anybody who wishes to honor any member of the armed services or any member of the Merchant Marine from WWII may purchase a brick to be placed in the Walk of Honor. The Walk of Honor is located at the entrance to Post 108 at 214 S. Noble Ave, Cushing.

The Cost is $50 and can include the name, service, rank, time of service, and special awards.  Space is limited to 3 lines of 15 Characters.  If you would like to contact American Legion Post 108 please contact us at donaldsonwalkerpost108@gmail.com or by mail at PO Box 108, Cushing, OK 74023. Any member of Post 108 may also help you. The forms are below.

HISTORY: 

Cushing, Oklahoma’s American Legion Post 108 is currently named the American Legion Irvin F. Donaldson – Joe J. Walker Post No. 108. It has a membership of some 170 members. The Post has a long and proud history of achievement in the community, District, and State of Oklahoma. Post 108 has been an integral part of the history of downtown Cushing and the Cushing community since 1919. Post 108 was named Oklahoma Post of the Year in 2009-2010, and placed 2nd in 2010-2011, and 3rd in 2011-2012. 

Cushing, Oklahoma American Legion Post 108 was chartered on November 6, 1919. Post 108 was one of the six original posts in the State of Oklahoma. In June, 1920, the Post was redesignated American Legion Donaldson-Walker Post 108 in honor of Private Irvin F. Donaldson and Joe J. Walker, two Cushing boys that were killed in action (KIA) in the Argonne Forest, during World War I. Irvin Donaldson’s remains were returned to American soil in 1921, and are buried in Fairlawn-New Zion Cemetery, north of Cushing on Oklahoma State Highway SH 18. Joe Walker is buried in Flanders Field in Belgium. The Post was organized under the leadership of Andrew W. Little, who served as the first Commander. Fifteen Charter members were listed on the original Application for Charter. 

The Post currently (2017) includes, Legionnaires, Auxiliary, and Sons of the American Legion (SAL). The Post is in the process of organizing a chapter of Legion Riders. The Post is a strong advocate for veterans in the community. Members have been active in a variety of veteran-related activities, promoted Americanism, and provided and supported youth and civic programs over the years, including: Legion members have fostered patriotic sentiment by conducting proper ceremonial Flag raising and lowering on designated Flag Days, and teaching Flag etiquette in the public schools. The Post takes an active and leading role in conducting Memorial Day ceremonies at the Cushing City Hall, and Veterans Day ceremonies at the Post. In the past, ceremonies on those holidays were conducted by the Legion at Fairlawn Cemetery. The Post furnishes a uniformed Honor Guard, Firing Squad and Bugler at veteran funerals in the city, county, and State as requested. Honor Guard flags, M-1 rifles for the firing of volleys, a bugle to sound “Taps,” and a Flag Detail to fold and present the interment Flag to the next of kin, are all included in the duties performed. Dedicated Legionnaires, ranging from ages 60-92, have participated in these ceremonies, regardless of weather conditions. In addition, the Post provides an American Legion Commemorative Wreath for display at funeral services in city chapels for local veterans. The Honor Guard also furnishes Color Guards for the Cushing High School Alumni Parade and Banquet, Christmas Parade, Festival in the Park gathering, and other civic events as requested. 

Post 108 supplies some 45 American Flags to local cemeteries, civic activities, including City Hall, Cushing Fire Department, Senior Citizen and Community Centers, Public School and Administration buildings, and the Regional Hospital. The Post furnishes and positions some 2,000, small grave-marking Flags at city and surrounding area cemeteries on Memorial Day each year. The combined Flag projects cost some $6,200.00 yearly. 

The Post donates funds to support civic outreach programs for the Cushing community. The Post’s Forgotten Warrior Program provides some $3000.00 annually to provide Christmas programs, entertainment, gifts, transportation, clothing, food, and communications capability to veterans living in nursing homes, hospitals, and shelters. An annual donation is made to the Lions Club International for a sight machine for the Cushing elementary schools. Another program provides one-time assistance to veterans and families of deployed military personnel in the form of a $200.00 gasoline card, or grocery card, or a credit card for use to pay their utility bill. The annual cost to the Legion is $5,000.00. The Post donates $500.00 each year to support the Cushing High School Graduating Seniors Night Out, after the graduating ceremony. In addition, the Post pays the annual American Legion dues of all members serving on active duty. 

Post 108 annually sponsors 10 boys from Cushing and 2 boys from the nearby town of Drumright to attend Boys State, and 5 girls from Cushing to attend Girls State. High school members of the Junior classes apply, are selected, and attend a 1-week course, at a state university, where they learn about the branches of state government and how the branches perform their duties. They may elect to run and campaign for office, and if elected serve in that capacity to enact legislation, debate issues, formulate policy, and pass judgment. They also meet with their “real-life” state counterparts, as well as their elected State Representatives and Senators. Two representatives are selected from the Oklahoma Boys State and two from the Girls State programs, to attend the Boys Nation and Girls Nation American Legion Program in Washington, D.C. for one week. There, they learn how the Government functions at the national level. 

The Legion sponsored and supported a Boy Scouts of America Troop at one time. In past years, the Cushing Post sponsored an American Legion baseball team, and the 1922 team won the Department (State) Championship. It also sponsored a Little League baseball team. In the early days of the Post, the Post 108 band had the distinction of representing the Department of Oklahoma at the Fifth National Convention of the American Legion at San Francisco, California. 

One of the great challenges confronting the Post leadership after receiving its Charter was constructing a permanent building. A site was donated to the Legion in 1923, by E.P. Hinton. A foundation was laid in the summer of 1924; construction of the building began in October 1924, and was completed later that year. The Post is located at 214 S. Noble Avenue in Cushing. The Post building was renovated in 2005 to add central air conditioning and update and improve the interior and exterior facilities. State grant money, private donations, fund-raising activities, and donations of money, time, and effort by citizens and businesses of Cushing and the surrounding area paid for the renovations. The white stucco, Mission Revival-style building featured a raised parapet and a colonnade of square columns in front of the entrance. It was the first building in Cushing to be placed on the National and State Historic Register in 2005. The building itself was named on February 1, 2007, after Commander Jim E. Hunter, who served as Post 108 Commander for over 30 years. 

A significant addition to the Post property was made possible by the Honor Brick Program, an initiative of the Post. The project was led by Farrell Kleckner and Carey Seigle, and involved selling and installing bricks engraved with the names of veterans, on a “Walk of Honor” in front of the Post building. David Mason volunteered for the masonry work. The bricks memorialize the service of area veterans from Payne, Lincoln, and Creek Counties. The existing sidewalk to the entrance of the Post was replaced with a wider walk and lined on both sides with 4”x 8” paving bricks. Each brick is engraved with the names of veterans and their service information, including branch of service, rank (rate), and dates of service or war period, conflict, or campaign in which they were involved. This is an ongoing project with over 400 bricks currently in position. The entire community embraced the project. Over 300 bricks were sold to veterans, family, and friends; and local businesses donated funds to pay for veterans killed in action (KIA) or listed as missing in action (MIA), and for nurses. Some businesses also donated materials and advertisements. Legion members provided most of the labor. To associate a face with the name on a brick, 3-ring binders were created with photographs and a brief biography of the veterans. Binders are located in the Post and at the public library for the public to view. The “Walk” was dedicated in conjunction with the Veterans Day Celebration conducted at the Post on November 11, 2010. All military services and the Merchant Marine were represented. The ceremony included a flyover of Oklahoma Air National Guard F-16 fighter aircraft, a collaboration of Color Guards representing the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, American Legion Post 108, and Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 1118. The “Walk of Honor” enhances the appearance of the American Legion building, demonstrates the Post’s commitment to “Preserve the memories and incidents of our associations in the Great Wars,” and provides a lasting memorial to those who did their duty for God and Country. On November 6, 2016, the original Post building was severely damaged by an earthquake. It was determined that the structure was not economically or structurally repairable and the building was demolished. A new metal building was built on the site and officially opened and dedicated on September 16, 2017. 

The Donaldson-Walker Post has a strong record of leadership in the community, state, and nation. Members have assumed important private, business, civic, and governmental positions in the community. Some of the Post’s most distinguished Legionnaires include: Bobby Bryant who served his Post as Adjutant; Oklahoma District 5A as Commander, and currently serves at the national level as an American Legion National Vice Commander. James E. “Jim” Hunter was a member of the American Legion for over 60 years. He served as the Post 108 Commander for over 30 years and was named Oklahoma Legionnaire of the Year in 2005-2006. He served in the Marine Corps during the Korean War. Dale Wells, a member of Post 108, who served as an Oklahoma State Representative.

 (Note: Cushing is a city in southeastern Payne County, in north-central Oklahoma, with a population of 7,796 in 2016. It is some 70 miles northeast of Oklahoma City, and is nicknamed “The Pipeline Crossroads of the World,” as it is one of the largest crude oil storage locations in North America.)