AMERICAN LEGION POST 52 HISTORY
A charter was issued to the first American Legion Post in Pickens County on July 2, 1920. This was Post #82. This post remained active only a short while where it and the other Post in Pickens County were consolidated into Pickens County Post #11 and remained as such until 1945 when application was made to charter an Easley Post. Since Post #52 was activated in 1945, the emphasis has been placed on service in the community, state, and nation.
Fully realizing that the conduct of each member of the post reflected upon the character of the national organization, Post 52 has been in the forefront in working with the youth of the community. Post 52 has been sponsored and been active in projects such as the American Legion Junior baseball, Boy Scouts, Boys State, Oratorical Contest, citizenship awards to Junior and Senior High School students.
In 1962 the post placed a memorial marker at the Post Office in Easley paying tribute to the comrades who made the supreme sacrifice. The makrer reads "This memorial marker is dedicated to the memory of our dedicated comrades." Orr Thrasher was chairman of the project.
T. Rogers was the first Coach of Easley American Legion Post #52 Junior Baseball. He begain in 1944, a year before the Post was chartered. Other coaches through the years have been: J.B. Ownes, Bill Carr, Bobby Norris, Bill Huston, David Loggins, Eddie Barbare, and Randy Bray.
The following members from Easley withdrew from Pickens County Post #11 and in September of 1945 were named charter members of Post #52. E.W. Ford, Trur H. Wilson, W.B. Parker Jr., Samuel D. Ribak, Awleop, Robert W. Pickens, W.P. Nicholson, James G. Snead, William P. Pickens, Jack B. Edens, H.E. Dacus, C.M. Hester, William T. Field, J. Ellin Crawford, U.J. McCall, S.R.F. Durham, G. Tom Owens, George D. Smith, M.W. Waldrop, Ben H. Martin, Joe S. Suddeth, G.H. Griffith, J.R. Houston, G.D. Putham, R.N. Bolt, Jim Duvall, Ben T. Day, P.R. Gentry, J.C. Hayes, Bunyoun Hendricks, Bobby Durham, and John A. Thompson.
A picture hangs in the American Legion Post home on Pope Field Road (Legion Street) showing the surrender of the Japanese aboard the Battleship Missouri on September 2, 1945.
A charter was presented to the Legion on January 24, 1946 for the American Legion Auxiliary and signed by the National President.
The American Legion Auxiliary received a charter dated February 4, 1946 signed by the President and Secretary of the Department of South Carolina.
A Special Certificate of Most Distinguished Service dated November 27, 1945 was received for placing all 1945 members in good standing for 1946.
In 1955 American Legion officials choose uniforms and equipment for the Legion Junior Baseball Team.
In 1957 The Easley American Legion Post was given a gift of land to develop a recreation site and consturct a building there. This was given by W. Taylor Stewart of Pickens. The property was valued at $4,000. and located seven miles above Pickens at a section of the river known as Birches Ford. It ws part of a development of some four hundred lots available to the public. In addition to the outright gift of land, Mr. Stewart also donated enough timber from the adjoining properties to construct the picnic style structure to be built on the property.
In 1958 a 90 mm anti aircraft gun formerly used by the Easley National Guard Unit was added to the grounds of the American Legion in Easley.
Legion Post 52 introducted Baseball to Easley in 1960 after not having one for many years.
During 1961-1962 year the Post received the Annual Americanism Citation by the Amerian Legion National Americanism Commission. The post was cited for worthwhile and outstanding service to the community
In 1962 Congressman W.J. Bryan Dorn was the featured speaker at a Goodwill Supper sponsored by the County American Legion Posts at the Country Club. He spoke on Communism and the Cuban Threat.
Legion posts of Pickens County in cooperation with their auxiliary units honored the County war dead of the Vietnam War on August 6, 1967 at the new Pickens County Shrine Club. U.S. Representative W.J. Bryan Dorn of Greenwood gave the principal address and presented American Legion citations to the nearest of kin of the men to be honored.
In 1972 Easley Post #52 was a double leader in state-wide American Legion competition. They achieved signal honors of listing among the top ten members and percentages of quota among nearly 200 American Posts.
In 1976 the memorial to the United States war dead was moved from the old post office to the new one on East First Avenue where Legion Post 52 sponsored a Veteran's Day service.
Palmetto Boys State was held at the Citadel in Charleston, S.C. on June 6-12, 1982 sponsored by the American Legion.
During 1982-1983 the post received a speical children and youth citation Category II issued to Post 52 from the National Committee on Children and Youth for dedicated service to our nations children and youth.
A Service to God and Country Award dated September 26, 1983 was given to the post for outstanding participation in the Service to God and Country Program.
The Certificate of Meritous Service Category I was presented to Pickens County Post #52 for having conducted the most outstanding Post Children and Youth Program.