[Page 31] Pictured above are the members of A Company, Mason City National Guard, who went to war with Spain. The picture was taken in the horse barns of the Iowa State Fairgrounds in 1898.

From left they are: Front row - Lew Wheeler, Charles Van Note, Con Helbig, Bert Gunning, Roy Harris, Lt. Lee Long, Elmer Johansen, Fred Turnure, Walter Paul and Lew Cole.

Second row - Bert Russell, Bert Wood, Frank Cole, Ed Loomer, Ed Toinbee.

Third row - Reuben Senior, Wallace Nutting, Art Ikenberry, Starr Parker, Orin Stanley, Howard Moon, Roy Garrison, Ed Fleming, Wiley Rankin.

Fourth row - Perry Dexter, Charles Leeds, George Thompson, Chan Gaylord, Frank Broderick, Frank Haas, Ora Gorman, Art White and George White.

[Page 32] The American Veterans of World War II, or Amvets as the organization is known, was organized in Mason City in June 1947. It was the 92nd post of that organization to be formed in Iowa.

Charter members of the post numbered 118 the first year and the membership at present stands at 548.

Out of the Mason City post has come much of the leadership for the Iowa department. Since 1948 the post has had a member on the state executive committee and at present is Robert Douglas of Mason City is the department commander, the head of 10,000 Iowa Amvets.

The Mason City post has taken a prominent part in civic enterprises. For three years it sponsored the insect control program until that activity was included in the city budget.

Another program sponsored by the local post was Amvets Operation Korea, providing for the sending of packages to the fighting men in Korea from Cerro Gordo County.

To raise money for this project the post sponsored a circus at the Roosevelt Fieldhouse. Another money raising effort was the sponsoring of midget auto racing, which the post initiated in 1947. It also brought the Harlem Globe-Trotters to Mason City.

The post maintains its headquarters in the clubrooms at 1308 N. Federal, which it purchased in 1949.

[Page 39] In the early years of its existence Clausen Worden Post of the American Legion was known for its drum and bugle corps. At one time it had three - The Senegalese Corp., shown above, the regular American Legion Drum and Bugle Corps and the Legion Junior Drum and Bugle Corps.

  [Page 42] The 100-year-old Rockley Whipple is shown casting his ballot at the presidential election in November, 1940. Last of a one time large and active group of veterans of the Civil War, Whipple died the following April.

  Photographs courtesy of Globe-Gazette

Transcriptions by Sharon R. Becker, November of 2014