Gorham American Legion post closes

GORHAM – The American Legion Smith-Wagner Post 60 in Gorham has closed.

A letter from Gregory Yahm, commander of the Smith-Wagner Post, informed its members on Feb. 11 of the post closing. It was one of the state’s smallest legion posts.

Yahm, who had been commander about six years, cited a sagging membership and meeting attendance as reasons for the closure.

“I’ve been fighting to keep it open,” Yahm said Tuesday. “We just couldn’t get members out. It’s a shame to see this.”

The American Legion is a veterans’ advocacy organization with duty that includes assisting veterans with obtaining medical care and other benefits, in addition to lobbying for better pay for active-duty military. Among local activities, legion posts sponsor Boys State and their auxiliaries sponsor Girls State, programs with citizenship and government instruction for high school juniors.

Congress chartered and incorporated the non-partisan and nonprofit legion in 1919.

According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the country has 22 million veterans, but not all are eligible to join the American Legion. Present active-duty military personnel serving honorably or veterans who served honorably only during specific dates are eligible.

Although it has men and women members, American Legion numbers have dwindled in recent years. Its national headquarters reports 2.4 million members now. John Raughter, a spokesman for the legion’s national headquarters, reported this week it had 2.6 million in 2007.

The legion’s membership decline is reflected at local posts. The Department of Maine last week reported 19,996 legion members, down slightly from a year ago, according to Lloyd Woods, adjutant for the legion’s Department of Maine, headquartered in Waterville. It had 25,085 members on Feb. 27, 2007. But the department is now “holding our own,” he said. There are 176 posts in Maine, which represents a gain of a few in recent years, said Woods.

According to the Department of Maine, the Smith Wagner Post 60 had 29 members recently, falling from 41 five years ago.

When it closed, the post hadn’t met for six months. “No one ever shows up,” Kenneth Mains of Gorham, the former post adjutant, said.

As for finances, Yahm, who didn’t have a specific figure, said Tuesday it had a few dollars left over, with some contributions going to local charities and the rest to be sent to the legion’s national headquarters.

The closing of the post means an American Legion baseball team will have to find another sponsor. The post in the past had adopted a Gorham family for Thanksgiving and for Christmas. But, it has been a number of years since the post sent a Gorham High School student to the legion’s Boys State.

Several years ago, the post surrendered its headquarters – the former Robie School in Little Falls – to the town.

In announcing its closing, a list of other area American Legion posts was provided to Smith-Wagner Post 60 members.

“We’d be glad to take them,” Robert Barton, a former commander and spokesman at the Stephen W. Manchester Post 62 in Westbrook, said last week.

“We welcome them with open arms,” said Ed Tyler, adjutant at the Stewart P. Morrill Post 35 in South Portland. He added that he had received a couple of inquiries.

“I’ll take all I can get,” Dave Martin, adjutant of Westbrook Memorial Post 197 in Westbrook, said. He had one transfer request from a Smith-Wagner member so far.

Westbrook once had just one legion post, which was named for Manchester, a World War I soldier who died from wounds on a battlefield in France. But a post riff reportedly between World War I and World War II members led to a split.

Both Westbrook posts have seen their ranks shrink in recent years. Martin said Post 197 has 384 members, down from 800 some five years ago.

Barton said Post 62 has 168 members, from 180 members five years ago. It once had 244 members, he said.

Tyler reported Post 35 has 88 members, down 10 from five years ago.

Martin attributed deaths of World War II and Korean War members, along with transfers and some members who dropped out, as impacting its membership rolls.

“The younger people aren’t joining,” Martin said.

“They have a mindset it’s their grandfather’s organization,” said Tyler, 61, one of the youngest members at Post 35.

Gregory Yahm, commander of the Smith-Wagner Post 60 of the American Legion, stands Wednesday in front of Robie School, once post headquarters in Little Falls. Yahm announced the post closed in February. (Staff photo by Robert Lowell)