- Mattituck American Legion -

By Danny McCarthy

Paris, France was where a meeting was held with “representatives of various outfits of the American of World War I” between March 15 and March 17, 1919 – and the American Legion was founded!
In doing the research for the Griswold-Terry-Glover Post #803, I located material by Sam Sander who wrote that Peconic auto-dealer owner Carl Vail was Commander of the Raymond Cleaves American Legion Post in Mattituck. It seems that Mr. Vail was attending the August 14th, 1922 meeting at the Southold Engine House to help organize the Griswold-Terry-Glover Post #803 AND Mr. Sander stated that Carl Vail was Commander of the Raymond Cleaves American Legion Post in Mattituck.
I also compiled an item about the Burton Potter Post {Greenport American Legion}which happens to be one of my northforkpatch posts.:
https://patch.com/new-york/nor...

I’ve been intrigued to learn about the Mattituck American Legion Post that got its name associated with Private Raymond Cleaves.

In the March 23, 1961 One Thing Or Another column by Donald R. Gildersleeve, I was readily able to see just how Raymond Cleaves Post got its name.:
“ … When World War I first broke out, one of the first volunteers from Mattituck was this name, Raymond Cleaves, a tall and skinny boy loved by all, who had attained the nickname of Slim. In one of the important battles {of World War I}, a burning shell wounded him terribly. His body, they said, was filled with shrapnel, and there was little hope for him to . But he never gave up. He was determined to go back to Mattituck. Then one day New York newspapers carried a first page story about him. Slim was on his way . In fact, he had arrived in New York. Doctors had told him he could never survive the ocean trip but {they} finally gave way to his pleadings and sent him on. Only his amazing grit, they said, kept him alive through the ordeal. He spent his days in the Greenhut store that had been converted into a war hospital, where a number of the Mattituck friends used to visit him, always finding him in good spirits and desirous of returning home. He died there. When his body was brought to Mattituck, his funeral services were attended by one of the largest gatherings ever seen at a Mattituck burial. Later when Mattituck {V}eterans organized an American Legion Post, there was no delay in selecting a fitting name {-} Raymond Cleaves Post 861, a tribute to a typical American soldier, personifying courage and grit.”
The book Boroughs of Brooklyn & Queens Counties of Nassau and Suffolk, Long Island Vol. 2 has it that “Cleaves, Raymond, Died from wounds received in action.”
On May 18th, 2019 Mattituck American Legion along with the North Fork Girl Scouts placed Flags on the graves of Veterans in local cemeteries in Mattituck and Cutchogue honoring these Veterans who have served our country. It started at 10 a.m. with a brief ceremony at the American Legion Hall 600 Wickham Avenue, Mattituck. The public was invited and encouraged to join this event. A light lunch was to be served at the Mattituck Legion Hall following the Flag placements.
Mattituck American Legion (631) 298-7825 or Legion861@gmail.com
What A True Pleasure!
Meeting Raymond Cleaves Post 861 Volunteer Ronald Breuer was so beneficial. He is a Vietnam War Veteran who truly goes about reaching-out to assist the Post. I was also proud to learn that WLNG’s Lisa Dabrowski is the Public Information Officer for the Post and the group’s newsletter editor.
Next year {2020} will mark the 100th Anniversary of the Raymond Cleaves Post 861 and citizens are invited to join that Legion. The June 2017 Touch of Venice dinner “brought out about 15 new members.” {That was in the Letter to the Editor by Art Tillman, acting adjutant, Raymond J. Cleaves Post 861 that was in The Suffolk Times dated 07/10/2017.} Enrollment is something, this organization yearns.
It’s Wonderful To Have Participated
I have been attempting to give proper and dutiful credit to the Raymond Cleaves Post 861 and I am honored to have shared.
Now Here’s Something TOO That Is Definitely Not That Far From A Missing link:
http://mattituckamlegionpost86...