Northville’s American Legion post after it was renovated post WWII.
Service & Patriotism Northville’s American Legion marks 100-year milestone
By Michele Fecht
I
f not for a global pandemic, the celebration of Northville’s Lloyd H. Green Post 147 centenary would likely be under way. Instead the local American Legion post is hoping to mark the milestone with an event in September, according to post commander Daron Underwood. In addition to the local post’s 100th anniversary, this month also marks the 75th anniversary of V-J Day (Victory over Japan) signaling the end of World War II. To add to the list, 2020-21 also marks the 75th anniversary of the completion of the Post’s headquarters —named Veteran’s Memorial Hall — at the corner of Dunlap and North
14 The ‘Ville
Center. The building partially opened in July 1945 with final completion the following year. THE LEGION TODAY The Northville American Legion named its post after Lloyd H. Green, an 18-year-old courier in Company C of the 120th Machine Gun Battalion. He was killed in France on October 2, 1918, the only Northville casualty of World War I. The post was formed to support servicemen returning from the Great War, and has continued that mission for all veterans and military members since its inception. The American Legion Auxiliary
was established in 1925 to help veterans, military and their families. The post also supports the Sons of the Legion and the Legion Riders. The post today has about 230 members. Finance Officer Jasper Catanzaro said the post welcomes members of all ages —both men and women — who have served Federal active duty in the United States Armed Forces since December 7, 1941 and have been honorably discharged or are still serving. You do not have to be a war veteran to join the American Legion. Though COVID has altered the post’s programming and events such as its Wednesday
Slider Nights, it is still renting out space in the headquarters building. Anyone interested in membership in the American Legion or renting space in the facility can contact the post at (248) 349-1060. VETERAN’S MEMORIAL HALL Having spent the first decade of its existence occupying a variety of Northville buildings for its meetings, the American Legion settled into new headquarters in 1932 at 341 East Main Street. Owned by Ford Motor Company, the company offered the American Legion use of the building for its headquarters. The building continued to house the Legion’s headquarters — as well as a Red Cross chapter — until the property was sold in 1943. The Legion found itself in the middle of a world war without a home base. The necessity for a permanent headquarters was
