[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 98 (Wednesday, June 12, 2019)]
[House]
[Pages H4438-H4439]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    CHARLES A. CONKLIN AMERICAN LEGION POST 28 CELEBRATES 100 YEARS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Michigan (Mr. Huizenga) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. HUIZENGA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in celebration of the first 
100 years of the Charles A. Conklin American Legion Post 28 in Grand 
Haven, Michigan.
  But before I talk more extensively about Post 28, I do want to 
acknowledge this past week that very auspicious ceremony and 
anniversary that was recognized--D-Day.
  I joined the bipartisan group, led by the Speaker of the House and 
the minority leader, to the beaches of Normandy. To talk with those 
family members, those veterans who served there on those beaches was an 
incredibly moving thing, especially for me, the son of a disabled World 
War II veteran who nearly perished in a B-24 crash in southern Italy, 
and to just recognize and remember the sacrifices that not only those 
men that stormed the beaches, but their families, endured in the years 
after that.
  I want to just highlight some of the connections that we have had in 
west Michigan to those efforts. Whether it was the city of Grand Haven, 
which is where Post 28 lies, which, upon the sinking of a merchant 
marine ship, the Coast Guard cutter Escanaba, raised public funds 
locally to literally build another Escanaba ship, one that has 
continued that very special tie with Grand Haven and with those members 
of VFW Post 28; the Silversides, a submarine that saw action in the 
South Pacific; the LST that resides in Muskegon, that took 31 trips 
back and forth during that D-Day invasion over those days, that history 
that we have is rich.
  And the history that Post 28 has is a history that comes out of World 
War I, something that we had just celebrated the armistice of last 
November, the 100-year anniversary. My namesake, Bill Huizenga, had the 
privilege of fighting in that conflict and in that war as well.

[[Page H4439]]

  I have, in my mind, this connection that all of those men at that 
time over 100 years ago, that they were coming together as a community, 
and they were going off to fight for their country. And for 100 years 
now, this particular American Legion Post 28 had selflessly, admirably, 
and honorably served the Grand Haven community with a special focus on 
veterans and their families.
  On June 12, 1919, how this came about was 35 local veterans returning 
from this Great War gathered at the Grand Haven Armory and signed a 
petition to become chartered as the Grand Haven American Legion Post 
28.
  They chose as their namesake, Charles A. Conklin, who was Grand 
Haven's first fallen soldier of that war to end all wars. Well, shortly 
after graduating high school, Charles joined the National Guard as a 
machine gunner and was part of the prestigious 42nd ``Rainbow'' 
Division.
  After ferocious fighting on the front line, Charles was wounded in 
combat and died on May 7, 1918. He now rests in peace at Grand Haven's 
Lake Forest Cemetery, where his courageous spirit continues to inspire 
local veterans and all of our citizens to carry on his legacy of duty, 
service, and valor.
  After witnessing the positive impacts across west Michigan, more 
veterans and their families wanted to join Post 28. The Post 28 family 
first expanded April 9, 1920, when the Women's Auxiliary Unit 28 
organized and was chartered; and then, for over a century, as they 
continued to grow, the Sons of the American Legion Squadron 28 was 
chartered in 1937 and again in 1990. Finally, the American Legion 
Squadron 28 was organized in 2007, completing the Post 28 family.
  The American Legion Post 28's steadfast commitment to serving 
veterans, their families, and the Grand Haven community shines in every 
act of service that they perform. The long list of charitable and 
educational programs, including the annual Poppy Sale, the Boys State 
and Girls State programs that they support, the Good Fellows Committee 
for volunteerism, the food drives, and their famous Salmon Dinner Night 
at Grand Haven's annual Salmon Festival--not to mention the thousands 
of diners that they serve at the post's home on Harbor Drive in Grand 
Haven--really has underscored their commitment to the community.
  Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Second District of Michigan, we thank 
the members of the Charles A. Conklin American Legion Post 28 in Grand 
Haven for their service to our community over the past century, and I 
look forward to working with them in the years to come.

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