GENTRY -- After dying out and losing its building in years past, the Londagin-Hardcastle American Legion Post 159 is back and off to a healthy start with its new charter and the installation of new officers. The post retained the number and flag of the former Gentry post.
The Gentry American Legion post met in the city park at noon on Saturday to receive its new charter and to have its officers installed, and during Saturday's meeting, Arkansas Department Commander Doyle Batey presented the organization's temporary charter and swore in the post's new officers.
Post officers are Marie Wilbanks, commander; Denver Whitehead, first vice president; Joe Zelk, second vice president; Jim Wilbanks, adjutant; Karla Wike, sergeant of arms; Kateri Killman, finance officer; and Karla Sipe, chaplain.
The post named in honor of Dan Londagin, who was killed in France during WWI, first received its charter on Oct. 31, 1932. The charter was later dropped but the post was reorganized in 1947, adding the name of Robert Franklin Hardcastle, a WWII veteran also killed in action. The post received its permanent charter in 1959 and an Auxiliary was formed.
In 1960, the post completed the construction of its own Legion hut on Main Street next to the baseball field. After the post closed, the building deteriorated and was later removed by the city.
The reorganized post meets on the third Saturday of each month, with a brown bag lunch at 11:30 a.m. and a meeting at noon. It plans to meet in the McKee Community Room at the Gentry Public Library but, with the facility closed due to the covid-19 pandemic, the post has been meeting in the large pavilion on the south side of Gentry City Park (across from the fire station).
For more information on the post, call the post's commander, Marie Wilbanks, at 850-520-0335.
