St. Juvin Post 1336 Veterans of Foreign Wars presented Coal City Middle School with a new American flag.
The flag will hang on the east wall of the middle school gymnasium, as will a POW flag and banner denoting the veteran organization’s gift to the school. Members of the school’s student council accepted the flags during an all-school assembly on Sept. 15.
The Post was established 98 years ago by veterans of World War I and one individual—John Herron—who served in the Spanish American War. Herron was the first commander of the post that was named for St. Juvin, a small village located in northeastern France. For 10 days in October 1918, there was a fierce battle between the US 82nd and 77th Infantry Divisions and the retreating German Army in the area of St. Juvin.
According to a written history of the Post, “on October 14 the 82nd Division’s 326th Infantry Regiment crossed the Arie River and attacked the village from the southeast while the 325th Regiment attacked from the southwest and after a pitched battle, which nearly flattened the town, they forced the Germans out and captured 540 prisoners.”
It’s unclear how many of the founding members of Post 1336 served in St. Juvin, however it appears there were enough to select the name for the post that will observe its 100th anniversary on March 21, 2025.
Current members of the post are veterans of the Korean and Vietnam Wars.
Bill Bomba, chaplain of Post 1336, said the number of US war veterans is shrinking and that means fewer VFW members.
“We wanted to put our mark on the school for you to remember us,” Bomba said.
Post 1336 has also collaborated on a project with Coal City HIgh School to enhance the Military Service Wall located in the administrative wing of the school.
VFW members participating in the presentation with Bomba were commander James ‘Hoppy’ Phillips, junior vice commander James Richards, adjutant/quartermaster Keith Roseland and member Earl ‘Shorty’ Fatlan.