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Delphos VFW: ‘Diamond’ in the rough
Local post 75
DELPHOS — The local Veterans of Foreign Wars post has worked with the American Legion to create the Delphos War Memorial and the Delphos Veterans Council. The VFW supplies a color guard and its members provide graveside rites when some of our most patriotic residents pass on. They help organize Memorial Day and Veteran’s Day services and so much more. The post remains an active member of the community and today turns 75 years old.
Korean War veteran John Williams is one of the club’s long-standing members. He recalls the post’s earlier days:
“We were started in 1933 and most of the charter members were World War I guys but the first member was a Spanish-American War veteran and was our first post commander - Charles Bevans,” he said. “The others were in World War I and they bought a bottle of whiskey. The last one of them was supposed to have it but they all got too old to drink it, so we have it in a nice wood case at the post.”
Williams says he joined the post in 1955 but allowed his membership to expire until he joined again in 1960. It was a few years later when he became more involved.
“I got active in about 1975. We still had World War I veterans around, so our membership was older. Most of the other posts in the area were chartered by World War II veterans, so they were more active than we were but I believe we are the oldest post around here. Our membership has always been around 275-300,” he said.
The national organization was founded in 1899 and chartered by Congress in 1936, making the Delphos post among the earlier ones. Former Commander Keith Harmon says post 3035 is special.
“Ohio has at least 10 posts with 1,000 members or more and there are a lot of posts with 75-100, so ours is mid-size with around 400 today. A lot of posts remain chartered but aren’t active in the community like Delphos is, so our post is unique in that respect,” he said. “Posts are chartered with 25 members, so if there isn’t some growth over time, it won’t make it. It takes a lot of hard work and effort by all the members to make a post successful. Our post is something special.”
Membership in the VFW is one way veterans continue to serve their country and fellow-soldiers, sailors, Marines and airmen. Harmon has made it a calling. He directs the veterans’ services office in Van Wert and is campaigning for national office in the VFW. He remembers leading the Delphos post:
“I was post commander for the first time from 1986-1989; the membership at that time was around 200. We’ve gone through two renovations that have helped. The post used to be above the old Line-Up Restaurant and was struggling financially when it bought the current building. Members made it happen by selling what amounted to bonds within the post. People also donated money and as funds were generated, the post began to make a profit. It was that commitment by members that kept the post afloat through difficult times,” he said.
Williams credits a certain group of veterans with making the post what it is.
“It’s the Vietnam guys who have really kept it going — they really grabbed hold of it and have done a great job for us. They made the post what it is now,” he said.
The VFW refers to a post’s 75th anniversary as its Diamond Jubilee and a citation will be granted at a later date. Harmon says the milestone has gone overlooked, in part, because the local members have been focused on a particular project. The post plans to provide dinner to a convoy coming to Delphos on June 17. The Military Vehicle Preservation Association is re-enacting the Transcontinental Motor Convoy of 1919, when Army vehicles drove from coast to coast. The re-enactment will bring 150 historic military vehicles to Delphos, en route to South Bend, Ind., and beyond.
“We’ve been pretty busy,” Harmon said. “So, that’s why we’ve neglected to do anything for ourselves.”
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