Even in Uncertain Times, Post 176 Continues to Serve

Former Post Commander John "Al" Savolaine likes to describe American Legion Matawan Post 176 as "small, but mighty."

This statement has been especially evident during the COVID-19 pandemic, as several members of the 32-member post were active in a number of community events, including food drives for those impacted by the pandemic, winter clothing drives for homeless veterans and commemoration ceremonies on Memorial Day and Veterans Day. These actions are a direct reflection of a tradition of obligation to community that Legionnaires have demonstrated in their actions over the last 100 years.

American Legion Matawan Post 176 is composed of veterans from all branches of the military, who served in conflicts dating back to the Korean War. The post, which was chartered in 1920 by a group of World War I veterans, has been a force for charitable acts in the community for over 100 years. Its members, past and present, include a number of community-minded men and women, such as World War I veteran, former Matawan mayor and six term Congressman William Sutphin.

Despite a brief period of inactivity leading up to the post's reactivation in 2013, Post 176 members have recently organized and oversaw numerous community events and veterans commemoration ceremonies. In 2019, Post 176 members worked with Uras Monuments in Middletown to install the Matawan World War II Killed in Action Memorial in historic Rose Hill Cemetery.

In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, post commander and U.S. Army veteran, Robert Meyer, was active in collecting food with members of the Matawan Masonic Lodge for families hit hard by pandemic-related issues, such as unemployment. When asked why he got involved in these collection efforts, Meyer told Patch, "Many people just go about their lives never thinking of anyone but themselves. I've always believed it's what we do for other people that make us who we are."

Meyer and other volunteers collected over 3,200 pounds of food items and raised $1,400 to help those in need in Matawan and surrounding communities.

This year's Veterans Day ceremony looked different than those in past years. The most noticeable difference was that all events were held outdoors, including the annual Veterans Day history talks presented by former Post 176 Commander and Matawan Historian, Al Savolaine. This year's history talk was included in the annual Veterans Day commemoration ceremony at Rose Hill Cemetery, a cemetery that is the final resting place of numerous area veterans.

Savolaine's annual history talks focus on broad and historically significant wartime events, such as this year's 75th anniversary of the end of World War II, and he relates the event to the experiences of veterans from the Matawan area. Savolaine's talk focused on the perspectives of those involved in the war effort, both at home and abroad. "It took great courage for military members and their families in the final days, as no one knew about the atomic bomb or whether a weapon like that would work. We must honor all of these brave and patriotic citizens on Veterans Day." Savolaine told those in attendance.

In addition to Rose Hill Cemetery, Post 176 members also visited St. James A.M.E. Zion Church (Johnson Avenue) Cemetery and the Matawan Memorial Park, where they placed wreaths in honor of those from the community who served in the nation's wars and conflicts dating back to the American Revolution. At least four veterans of the American Civil War are buried at Johnson Avenue Cemetery. Matawan Memorial Park, located on Main Street, has monuments dedicated to veterans, firefighters, victims of the 1916 Matawan Shark Attacks and those lost during the 9/11 Attacks.

Immediately after Veterans Day, Post 176 set their sights on supporting a winter clothing drive hosted by the Woman's Club of Matawan. At the time of this article's publication, Post 176 has donated hundreds of dollars worth of items and money to this collection for OPERATION CHILLOUT, a mobile outreach for homeless veterans.

This past year, Post 176, much like the rest of the world, was forced to adapt to the challenges that emerged from the COVID-19 pandemic, challenges that the post met head-on and overcame. "Community-based organizations like Post 176 play a vital role in maintaining communal morale and cohesion. However with the pandemic we could no longer do business as usual and had to adapt in order to keep our members and the community safe. Our focus will always be on staying safe while achieving the mission of the American Legion," Post Adjutant Anthony Mapp told Patch.

For more information on American Legion Matawan Post 176, visit the official Facebook page and website.