Bossier City's First VFW Post

The announcement came a few days after the Second World War ended. The first local chapter of the "Gold Stripe" veteran's fraternity, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, would be chartered in Bossier City. A representative from the VFW national headquarters, Jack Dillard, came to assist the local committee in rounding up the necessary quota of members required to obtain a charter.

In an interview, Dillard mentioned that "As there are now a great many Bossier veterans of both World War I and II who have had overseas military service the prospects for a large list of charter members are very good." The all-veteran committee included Hoffman L. Fuller, Raymond C. Sergeant, and Harry L. Clark.

Commander Morris G. Vascoe
1st Commander of the Gandy-Brown
VFW Post, Bossier City

Their first meeting was at the Bossier City Municipal building on Sep. 12, 1945. They elected Morris G. Vascoe as commander; Harry L. Clark, vice commander; Norman W. Culbertson, junior vice commander; Hoffman L. Fuller, judge advocate; Arte J. Mangum, chaplain, Paul Spears, Charlie Ford, and James G. Glasgow, trustees. At the first meeting, they had 27 charter members. The hopes were to reach a membership between 200-400 members for the Bossier City Chapter.

Commander Vascoe made the following statement in an article he wrote concerning the need for veteran welfare services. "Predicting that public interest in the welfare of the veterans will virtually disappear in the post war area, and that the rehabilitation of returning veterans will become primarily a responsibility for established veteran organizations, representatives of the new Bossier City Post of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, states that these worries had promoted the idea of organizing this local V.F.W. unit."

The following month, the post was named. In a report appearing in "The Planter Press," written by Post Commander Vascoe explains, "The name of a comrade of the first World War and World War 2, who paid the supreme sacrifice, were elected."

The comrade of World War I was Guy Ira Gandy, a resident of Bossier City for several years before he went into active service in the Army. He served in France as a Private in Co. "3" 306 Infantry, 81st Division Supply and Ammunition train, and died of pneumonia after being mortally wounded at a little town of Chatillion Ser Seine in France Oct. 5, 1918.

"The second name was submitted for a Bossier City boy who is widely known throughout Bossier for his winning smile and charming personality. He was employed by the City of Bossier water dept., and a fireman of Bossier City before his entry into active service. His name was James Francis Brown, known to almost everyone as Frank."

Brown enlisted in the Marine Corps on Feb. 10, 1942, and worked his way up through the ranks and became a Sergeant. He served with the famed "Fourth Marine Raider Battalion," a member of Company "F" 2nd Batallion. Brown was killed in action on May 20, 1945, in the battle of Okinawa in the South Pacific. Sarah Richlar, Brown's Grandmother, was chosen as "Post Mother."

When the Gandy-Brown VFW Post No. 4588 was officially chartered, 69 veterans from World Wars I and II were listed on the official charter roster. The Post's membership doubled over the next two years. Today, it is still a vital part of our community for our veterans and their families.

Each year on this day, Sep. 29th, National VFW Day is celebrated at Posts and in communities around the world. We can celebrate National VFW Day by remembering our troops, donating to veteran-support organizations, and promoting groups that help with post-military careers and medical treatment. 

To learn more about the history of VFW Posts in Bossier Parish, visit the Bossier Parish Libraries History Center at 2206 Beckett Street, Bossier City. Can't come in, call 318-746-7717 or email history-center@bossierlibrary.org with your request. Follow us @BPLHistoryCenter on FB, @bplhistorycenter on Tiktok, and check out our blog, http://bpl-hc.blogspot.com/.