Paul E. Kelly, Jr., American Legion Post 296, Marietta GA
Originally formed under the charter number as Post 537, American Legion Post 296 has a long and storied history of service to its community.
With an initial membership of some 50 WWII veterans from the Marietta GA, community the ‘Post’ was formed and chartered by the ‘Department’ of Georgia as Post 537, (a designation that identified it as ‘Colored’ Post commonly performed practice of the segregated ‘South’). With an objective of service to it’s community, the original membership provided many services to local Marietta residence, including clothing drives, the distribution of food to the needy as well as providing a place where veterans could congregate and find support gained through a social atmosphere. Founding members such as Avery Cuthbert and Lucious Johnson (recently retired from US Air Force service) not having a ‘Post’ home often held early meetings in member’s basements. Never losing sight of its community involvement the ‘Post’ became know for it many good works and generous donations to local churches and religious organizations. As the ‘Korean Conflict’ drew near many of its leadership (Commander Buddy Dyer being one) were called upon to return to active service. This unfortunately left a void in the organization leadership that lead to conflict within the ‘Post’ membership and eventually the lost of its ‘Charter’ due in large measure to inactivity by the ‘Post’.
In 1983 Edwin Dyer (a cousin of Buddy) and 3 other service veterans (Forster Brown, Charles Bartlett and Lucious Bradley) partitioned the Department of GA, American Legion and were granted a ‘Charter’ as American Legion, Post 296, Marietta GA.
(The official name was later modified to ‘Paul E. Kelly, American Legion, Post 296, in recognition of a fallen Vietnam War, hero of the Marietta community and again in 1998 to ‘Paul E. Kelly, Jr. Post 296, Inc. to reflect both the full name of it’s honoree and it’s incorporation).
Having held most of it’s meetings in local residences and local business facilities and proving itself a viable part of the Marietta community, the ‘Post’ was able to secure a ‘Post’ home on West Atlanta Rd. (recently renamed Atlanta Rd SE.) it’s current location.
‘Post 296’ continues in its service to it’s veteran membership, it’s community, it’s youth and it’s nation in performance of the ‘Four principles’ of the ‘American Legion’ and welcomes all who would share in it’s works.
