2 minute read
State Commander’s Column
Texas VFW Post 4443, Austin, celebrates the Texas VFW’s 100th Birthday.
100 Years of Serving Veterans April 21, 1921-April 21, 2021
At the beginning of the year, I asked that all Posts and Districts hold a special event to honor the Department of Texas’ 100 years of serving veterans.
The Department of Texas Veterans of Foreign Wars was officially chartered on 21 April, 1921, at which time there were already five Posts chartered in the state of Texas. The first Post was known as Fort Sam Houston, Post #76 in San Antonio, chartered on 26 June, 1917. This Post was organized by Arthur W. Pigott, who is known as the “Father of the VFW” in Texas. The remaining four chartered posts were Dallas Post #156, Dallas; Herbert D. Dunlavy post #581, Houston; Camp Bowie Post #708, Fort Worth; and Buddy Moore Post #688, Palestine. The first new Post organized within the Department of Texas was Davis-Seamon #812 in El Paso.
The first General order was issued on 1 May, 1921 in which R. H. McLeod, of Houston, was elected and installed as the Department of Texas Commander. Also in that order it was established that
Houston would be the temporary home for the Department of
Texas headquarters. During that first administration there was a low of 221 and a high of 969 in membership. In 1993, membership had grown to approximately 121,000 in 535 Posts, making it the largest Veterans organization in the United States. Today, there are approximately 65,000 members in 293 Posts and Members-at-Large. There are also 24 Districts in the State of Texas.
Over the years there have been four Commanders-in-Chief from the Department of Texas with the first being Ted C. Connell, who served 1960-61. Those to follow were T. C. Selman, 1980-81; Jim Nier, 1996-97; and Glen Gardner, 2008-09. Julian Dickenson, Past Department Commander, is the only member from Texas to be appointed as an Adjutant General.
The motto is “No One Does More for Veterans” — and over the last 100 years, Texas VFW members have proven that Texas does lead the way. I would like to thank each and every one of you for your service to this great country and thank you for all you do for this great organization.
May God bless you and your family, may God bless and watch over our troops and may God bless the United States of America.
Yours in comradeship, Dick Shawver
