Reviving VFW post

GLADYS SHAY / For the Hungry Horse News

Interest in reviving William Murphy Post No. 5650, VFW, in Columbia Falls is underway.

Hope is to also obtain more members for the Ladies Auxiliary to Post No. 5650.

Those interested are invited to attend a meeting Monday, March 8, to learn more about the organizations and their work assisting America's veterans and families. Session begins at 6:30 p.m. at North Valley Eagles Club, 1640 Ninth Street West, Columbia Falls.

Troy McClenahan has undertaken quartermaster duties for VFW Post No. 5650. His wife, Danielle, is assisting with arrangements for the March 8 meeting.

The Post, although retaining memberships, has not held regular meetings for several years. National VFW controls charter actions for all posts and can recommend disbanding for posts.

Meanwhile, Ladies Auxiliary to Post No. 5650 has continued as an active organization. Mary Parkhill is president conducting meetings second Mondays of each month. Projects include donating hundreds pounds of food worth hundreds of dollars to the Northwest Montana Veterans Food Pantry, Montana

Veterans' Home assistance, cancer aid and research, varied projects for area students, participating in Veterans Day program at Columbia Falls High School by providing emblematic red poppies to all.

Ladies Auxiliary to a disbanded post shall be cancelled by the National president and shall be allowed sixty (60) days to finalize its business.

World War II veterans met together 64 years ago in Columbia Falls to start a VFW post Their efforts were successful and William Murphy Post No. 5650 was chartered Feb. 11, 1946.

Bob Jordan was elected first commander of the new post. Veterans honored another Columbia Falls native, William Murphy, when Dick Walsh suggested his name for the post. Walsh later became a state commander.

Murphy died in the Bataan March attempting to escape for the third time.

He had enlisted in the Army about 1938 and was stationed in the Philippines when World War II started.

Willard Anderson, another Columbia Falls resident, was also on the Bataan Death March.

Ladies Auxiliary to William Murphy Post 5650 was chartered just two months later, April 8, 1946. Mercedes Jordan, Bob's wife, was named as first president of the new Columbia Falls organization.

More information concerning the March 8 meeting may be obtained by contacting Troy McClenahan at 755-7676 or Mary Beth Arnold at 892-1017.

Gladys Shay is a longtime resident of Columbia Falls and a Hungry Horse News columnist.