Post Everlasting ceremony salutes Windham American Legion members

By David Tanguay

Special to The Windham Eagle

During a solemn ceremony with the lights dimmed at the Windham Veterans Center, American Legion Field Allen Post 148 in Windham held a special tribute and farewell to post members lost this past year in a special “Post Everlasting Ceremony” on Aug. 4. 

John Hill, left, an American Legion Post 148
Honor Guard member, presents the name of a
Post 148 comrade to Post 149 Chaplain Dick
Drapeau during the Post Everlasting ceremony
at the Windham Veterans Center on Aug. 4.
PHOTO BY DAVID TANGUAY 

According to American Legion customs, when a comrade passes, the Post Everlasting moment is one of honor. The memory of the departed Legion member is enrolled for perpetuity and sustained by their pride in their service to the nation.

Post Everlasting is the last destination for members of The American Legion, where departed comrades are called for duty by the Supreme Commander. The ceremony remembers deceased post members and gratitude for their contribution and service to our country, community, and the post, and their transfer of their membership to the Post Everlasting.

Each American Legion Post conducts a solemn Post Everlasting Ceremony once each year.

Presiding over the ceremony in this year was the Post 148 Chaplain Dick Drapeau. 

Members of the Post 148 Honor Guard brought up the names of the departed comrades for placement in a symbolic fire representing eternity.

Those remembered this year at the Post everlasting ceremony were:

** Daniel Pettengill, U.S. Army, Vietnam

** Norman Devonshire, U.S. Navy, Vietnam

** William Fredrick Douglas, U.S. Air Force, World War II and Korea

** Alden Whittemore, U.S. World War II

** William Johnson, U.S. Navy, Vietnam

** Allen Laurence, U.S. Army, Vietnam

** William Chipman, U.S. Navy, Vietnam

** David Watts, U.S. Navy, Vietnam

** Bernard Purgako, U.S. Navy, Vietnam

The ceremony ended with the playing of taps by Post Bugler Linwood Bailey. <