Post History
https://centennial.legion.org/oklahoma/post129
From our Post Archives
A-24 Dive Bomber Crashed at 1015 W. 7th
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Post 129 Legion sign installed in 1925 at dedication of Legion two story building. Notice it says “Carter C Hanner Post 129 American Legion”
A Legacy Friendship Quilt- PDF Link
Horace Andrew's Letter Requesting Establishment of a Post in Stillwater Dated 1919
Letter Suggesting the Establishment of Universal Military Training by Elmer Fraker
"A (Senate) Resolution commending the Carter C. Hanner Post 129 of the American Legion at Stillwater, Oklahoma, for sponsoring a ward (sic) bond sale to be held in the field house on the campus of the Oklahoma A. & M. College, immediately following the Aggie-Creighton basket ball game, on Friday, February 5, 1943."
CHARTER DATE: April 27, 1921
POST NAMESAKE:
Hanner-Sharp American Legion Post 129 Located at 611 S. Main, Stillwater, OK 74074 can be reached at 405-372-7262. Meetings are the 1st Thursday of the month 6:30 pm except no meetings in August. Usually a steak dinner is served at a cost of $10. If you join your first dinner is free. American Legion Post 129 Membership cost $40 per year. You are always welcome to attend and meet other veterans helping veterans.
The post was named the Carter C. Hanner and Mamon G. Sharp American Legion Post 129, Stillwater, Oklahoma.
Carter Cary Hanner Born 4 June 1878 Died 8 October 1918 WW1. Capt Hanner was killed in action Oct 8, 1918 in the Meuse-Argonne drive which cracked the German Hindenburg line. He is buried in the American cemetery at the battlefield site near Romagne, France. Capt Hanner was awarded the Croix de guerre by France for gallantry in action.
Mamon G. Sharp, Born 12 October 1905, Died 19 April 1942 in WW2. Stillwater's first soldier to make the supreme sacrifice for his country and mankind during World War II was Capt. Mamon Grey Sharp. It was at Cebu in the Phillipines that he, a few fellow Americans, and natives fought a bitter battle against overwhelming odds. Sharp was one of our sons who was expendable and didn't have a chance against the invading forces of the Japanese. Mamon Sharp was killed in action April 19, 1942. After 3 burials, Sharp now rests in plot B, row 2, grave 131, Fort McKinley U.S. Military Cemetery, Manila, Philippine Islands. While his heroism and bravery live on with the honored war dead of all other wars and conflicts the American Legion Post 129 pays tribute by naming the post Hanner-Sharp American Legion Post 129.
FIRST COMMANDER:
Dr. C. E. Sexton 1919 a prominent physician who served in the Army Medical Corps
NOTABLE MEMBERS:
On October 13, 1919 over 3 months after the convention in St Louis May 8-9, 1919, a group of Stillwater veterans, estimated to number about 20, met in the I.O.O.F. Lodge on East 9th street and organized the Stillwater American Legion Post. Dr. C.E. Sexton a prominent physician who served in the Army Medical Corps was elected the first Commander, Mr. American Legion A. B. (Red) Alcott ADJ Post 129 1919-1969 50 years and was Stillwater mayor. Other organizers James E. Berry, later lieutenant governor, Roy t. Hoke, John Hinkel, C. Ray Smith, Dave L. Kennicutt, Charles G. Denny, Deane A. Bishop, Carl S. andrew, Walter M. Denny, Albert L. Wright, G. N. Douglass, Ray Atherton and John J.R. Reid. Official charter was received January 27, 1920 and Post number 129 was assigned.
WHAT MAKES OUR POST UNIQUE:
Stillwater (Pawnee: Kiicawiʾuusiʾit, Kstiíriwara) is a city in north-central Oklahoma at the intersection of US-177 and State Highway 51. It is the county seat of Payne County, Oklahoma, United States. Stillwater is the principal city of the Stillwater Micropolitan Statistical Area which had a population of 78,399 according to the 2012 census estimate. Stillwater was part of first Land Run held April 22, 1889, when Oklahoma Territory's Unassigned Lands opened for settlement. The city charter was adopted on August 24 later that year.
Stillwater is home to Oklahoma State University, Northern Oklahoma College branch, Meridian Technology Center, and the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education.
Share the Legacy. Be Part of the Vision
Reference 100th Anniversary Media Toolkit
Resolution No. 31 Spring 2011, National Executive Committee
Legacy of the last 100 years
See Centennial Celebration Website: https://centennial.legion.org/oklahoma/post129
1. October 8, 1918: Carter Cary Hanner was killed in action in the Meuse-Argonne drive which cracked the German Hindenburg line. He is buried in the American cemetery at the battlefield site near Romagne, France. Captain Hanner was awarded the Croix de guerre by France for gallantry in action.
2. March 15-17, 1919: Members of the American Expeditionary Force convene in Paris for the first American Legion caucus.
3. May 8-10, 1919: St. Louis Caucus. "The American Legion" is adopted as the organization's official name.
4. June 9, 1919: The National Executive Committee adopts the Legion emblem.
5. Sept. 16, 1919: Congress charters The American Legion
6. October 13, 1919: 20 Stillwater veterans of WWI met in the I.O.O.F. Lodge on East 9th street and organized the Stillwater American Legion Post.
7. Nov. 10-12, 1919: First Legion convention convenes in Minneapolis.
8. April 27, 1921: Charter date for Carter C. Hanner American Legion Post 129 Stillwater
9. June 15, 1923: American Legion adopted the first “Flag Code”. Congress adopted the code in 1943.
10. June 17, 1925: Legion creates American Legion Baseball Program
11. September 1932: The sons of The American Legion officially recognized.
12. June 23, 1935: The first American Legion Boys State convenes in Springfield, Ill
13. June 1, 1938: National High School Oratorical Contest conducted in Norman, OK
14. April 19, 1942: Stillwater's first soldier to make the supreme sacrifice for his country and mankind during World War II was Captain Mamon G. Sharp. It was at Cebu in the Philippines that he, a few fellow Americans, and natives fought a bitter battle against overwhelming odds.
15. Sept. 19-21, 1942: preamble to the Constitution changed from “War” to “Wars”.
16. June 22, 1944: Dec 15, 1943 Past National Commander Harry Colmery wrote first draft of the “GI Bill of Rights” and in 1944 President Franklin Roosevelt signs into law the original GI Bill.
17. 1948-49: Preston J. Moore Post 129 State Commander Oklahoma
18. Feb 11, 51: Post 129 renamed Carter L. Hanner-Mamon G. Sharp American Legion Post 129 Stillwater
19. 1955-58: Preston J. Moore Post 129 National Executive Committeeman
20. 1958-1959: Preston J. Moore Post 129 National Commander
21. Sept 1, 1966: The Legion voices concern over the fate of prisoners of war in Vietnam forming the MIA/POW special group.
22. 1976-77: 64th American Legion Commander Post 129 Mable (Mike) Stephanic 1976-77 (First Woman Cdr)
23. Aug 26, 1982: American Legion presented $1 Million to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund for construction of the Wall in Washington, becoming the largest single contributor to the project
24. 1986-87: Lawrence Roy Post 129 State Commander Oklahoma
25. Jan 1, 1989: The Veterans Administration elevated to cabinet level status. The Legion fought hard for the change.
26. Aug 2, 1990: Legion files suit against the federal government about the effects of Agent Orange on veterans who served in Vietnam.
27. 1991-1992: Lawrence Roy Post 129 National Vice Commander
28. 1993-2001: Lawrence Roy Post 129 National Executive Committeeman
29. Oct 17-18, 2007: American Legion passes Resolution 35 adopts The American Legion Riders as a national program of the American Legion.
30. June 30, 2008: President Bush signs into law Post 9/11 Veterans Educ. Assist. Act, supported by the Legion.
31. Oct 22, 2009: President Obama signs the Veterans Health Care Budget Reform Act of 2009, guaranteeing advance funding for VA appropriations which was strongly supported by Legion.
32. February 2010: Legion wins $250,000 for Operation Comfort Warriors in PepsiCo’s Refresh Everything Project.
33. December 2010: Legion begins relationship with USAA
34. October 2012: VA guarantees its 20 millionth home loan.
35. 2014-present: Dewey Clapp Post 129 Treasurer and Oklahoma Department Treasurer
36. 2015-present: Gerald McClain Post 129 Historian and Oklahoma Department Historian
37. August 2017: The Legion assists in the passage of the Veterans Appeals Improvement and Modernization Act.
38. August 2017: The new GI Bill approved by removing burdensome cap in education benefits.
39. August 2017: Denise H. Rohan elected as national commander, as first woman in the role in Legion’s history.
Affiliated Organizations
A Women's Auxiliary of American Legion Post 129 was formed on _______. The Legion has every reason to be proud of it's Auxiliary. Auxiliary members are always anxious and willing to co-operate in every Legion activity.
A Sons of the Legion for American Legion Post 129 was formed on December 2, 1965. The Legion has every reason to be proud of it's Sons of Legion unit, which gained statewide recognition because of it's programs of service.
Patriotic Days
MEMORIAL DAY has always been an outstanding occasion in this community. In addition to memorial events throughout the Stillwater, OK community, the goal of every Veteran to it's last man is to keep MEMORIAL DAY sacred to the memory of our war dead of all of the wars of the country; and all graves are decorated on this National Holiday.
ARMISTICE DAY, now called VETERANS' DAY, originally marked the end of fighting in World War I. It is an important holiday on the calendar of Legionnaires everywhere and in the hearts of all Veterans. It has been in Stillwater OK. Annually the Post sponsored the Armistice Day Parade. An important tradition was established when the Post led in the memorial exercises at 11 o'clock on the morning of November 11, marking the exact hour of the cessation of hostility on the war fronts.
Registration Of Graves
Since it's inception American Legion Post ___ has been a leader in this community in the area of graves registration; which has been incorporated by all the American Legion Posts in ___ County. Grave Registration enables all interested parties to locate the site of the grave of each Veteran. American Legion Post ___ acquired a burial lot in ______ Cemetery and this has been marked by the erection of a massive monument marking it as the burial lot for servicemen without kin. Each year, active members place a flag on each Veteran's grave.
Scholarships and Community Projects
American LegionPost --- sponsors various scholarships for the further education of our children. We also sponsor and financially assist many worthy community projects and programs initiated by the National American Legion.
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