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AMERICAN LEGION DEPARTMENT OF MONTANA Non-Profit Org. ARMED FORCES RESERVE CENTER U.S. Postage P.O. BOX 6075 HELENA, MT 59604-6075 PAID Permit No. 66 Great Falls, MT 59403 Volume 95, No. 4 May — July 2018 Important Mervin G. Gunderson ~ 1947 – 2018 Upcoming Dates May 1 ... Certification of Post Officers Past National Vice Commander and due to Dept. HQ May 8-11 ............................. Nat’l Spring Meetings – Indianapolis, IN Past Department Commander May 8 . Certification Form, Top Recruiter due to Department Headquarters Past Department Commander tana State University to obtain a May 10 ....................... 100%Target Date Merv Gunderson was born in bachelor’s degree. While attending May 13 ..............................Mother’s Day Malta Montana. The family moved the University, he worked for the May 15 ...Peace Officers’ Memorial Day to Great Falls, headquarters for .......Consolidated Post Report (CPR) University police as a building Due to Dept. HQ Montana Elevator Company, and monitor and on December 17, 1973, May 15 ......... Dept. Officers Convention built a home that remains there he was hired as a police officer on Report due to Dept. Headquarters today. Merv attended Franklin campus until his retirement on May 19 ..................... Armed Forces Day Elementary School, West Junior December 31, 1997. May 24 .............Department Convention Delegates Strength date High School, and Great Falls Merv became a charter member May 28 .............Memorial Day observed High School. Merv was in the first of The American Legion Post 30 May 30 ............................Memorial Day graduating class of newly con- in Belgrade and was the finance Jun 1 ..................... National Convention structed CM Russell High School officer for his Post since its incep- Registrations due to Department Jun 4 -9 ... American Legion Boys State in 1966. During his youth Merv tion until 2016. He held the offices Carroll College, Helena participated in Cub Scouts and of Post Commander and Adjutant, Jun 10-16 ..........AL Auxiliary Girls State Boy Scouts obtaining the rank of District 7 Vice Commander and Jun 14 ......................................Flag Day Life Scout and membership in the District 7 Commander twice. Jun 14 ....................... US Army Birthday Order of the Arrow. In school, he Jun 15 ........ Dept. Convention Delegate Merv served on the Department Form due to Department participated in band, track, foot- Public Relations Committee, Jun 20-25 ....Department Headquarters ball, and choir. He was active in the Finance Committee, Americanism Closed (Department Convention) Lutheran church where he served Chairman, Membership and Post Jun 21 ...........Dept. Finance Committee as an altar boy and received his meeting, Billings Activities chairman. Merv was Jun 21-22 ............. Dept. Legion College confirmation. chairperson for the Department Jun 22 ................ Department Executive Following high school, Merv Convention in 2002 and 2009 and a Committee Meeting, Billings went to work for the Anaconda graduate of The American Legion Jun 23-25 .... Dept. Convention, Billings Copper and Mining Company in Great Falls working in the Training Institute. He was also a member of the Sons of Jul 1 ...... 2018 Membership Year begins zinc casting refinery. He attended Great Falls Commercial The American Legion Squadron 30 and held the office of Jul 1 ......2018 Big K Membership opens Jul 4 .......................................4th of July College during the day and worked nights. On April 2, 1968, Detachment Adjutant for Montana. He was Chef de Train of Aug 2 -6 .......American Legion Baseball Merv was drafted into the United States Army and set off the Montana 40&8 and also served as Chef de Gare. Merv Regional Tournaments for basic training at Fort Lewis, Washington, Helicopter eventually moved up to serve on the National Children Aug 10-15 ....American Legion Baseball Advanced Individual Training at Fort Rucker, Alabama and and Youth Commission for The American Legion and was World Series Aug 18-24 ............ National Convention, On the Job Training at Hunter Army Airfield, in Savannah, the Western Regional Chairman of that committee. Merv Cincinnati, OH Georgia. served as Alternate NEC for two years prior to National Sep 4 ....................Labor Day Observed Merv served the remainder of his military obligation in Vice Commander for the 2011–2012 year and was elected South Korea with the 8th Army’s 55th Aviation Company as National Executive Committeeman at the 2013 Convention a crew chief on UH-1B and UH-1D helicopters. He obtained where he continued service until his passing. He also served In this issue on the National Legion’s 40&8 History ................................12 the rank of Specialist E-5 AL Patriot 2018 Award ....................9 and was honorably dis- Resolution Committee and Below photos were taken during The American Legion 2018 ANAVICUS Scholarship ................13 charged in 1970. as Legislative Liaison for Auxiliary Service Star ...................10 Following his release Washington Conference (25 Feb-1 Mar) discussing legisla- Senator Jon Tester. BIG K Winners & Form ..................15 Buddy Ads ...................................16 from the military, Merv tive issues and asking for support. Right photo is the weekly Merv passed away at his Call to Convention ..........................7 went back to work at his Montana Coffee (Wednesdays) sponsored by Montana’s Con- home just outside of Boz- Call to Legion College .....................7 old job with the Anaconda eman, Saturday, March 31, Chaplain’s Corner ...........................3 gressional delegation and left photo is visiting Representative Dept. Convention Registration company remaining there 2018, and his memorial .........7 Greg Gianforte on Capitol Hill. Dept. Convention Schedule .............7 until 1971 when he used service was held April 10, Dept. Officer’s Reports ...................2 his GI bill to attend Mon- in Bozeman, Montana. Disaster Response: Flooding.........12 His final resting place is at Montana State Veterans Cem- Dist. 4 Oratorical ............................8 Dist. 4-Healing Wall Wreath ............ 13 etery in Helena, Montana. GI Bill Exhibit .................................8 Goal Rosters & Standings ...............6 Important Dates .............................1 Jr Shooting Sports-Montana Results 4 Jr Shooting Sports-Post 138 ..........14 Legion night-Centene Stadium-GF .15 LIEAP & Energy Share ....................4 LIT Form .......................................6 Nat’l Convention Form ..................15 Oratorical Awards ........................8,9 PNC Helm Convention Speaker .......7 Post 15 .................................. 4,9,14 Post 16 ..........................................4 Post 23 ..........................................4 Post 42 ..........................................4 Post 72 ..........................................9 Post 76 ..........................................4 Post 94 ..........................................5 Post 138 .....................................4,8 Post Everlasting & Memorials ..........3 Publication Deadline .......................2 Quilts for Caring .............................5 Representatives in Washington......14 Roger A. Hagan, Vice-Chairman, Legislative Council repre- Service Officer ...............................5 senting Montana Department of The American Legion; Bill Roger A. Hagan, Vice-Chairman, Legislative Council rep- Submarine Mont. Command Team .15 White, VA Hospital Volunteer Representative, Ft. Harrison; resenting Montana Department of The American Legion; Submitting articles/photos .............15 Patty Gunderson (Merv's Wife); Representative Gianforte; NEC Representative Gianforte; NEC Merv Gunderson & his wife TFA helps Gt Falls family.................3 Merv Gunderson; Dept of MT Service Officer Kelly Ackerman. Patty; Bill White, VA Hospital Volunteer Representative, Ft. West Point Appointee .....................5 Feb. 27, 2018. Harrison; and Senator Steve Daines. Women Veterans ..........................13 Page 2 Montana Legionnaire — May – July 2018 ICE As I sit down to writeC thisOMMANDER article, I am notD seenOBB in the past three years. This is V shocked by the death of our National Exec- outstanding. Congratulations to the District utive Committeeman Merv Gunderson this Commanders for contacting their Posts COMMANDER past Saturday, [March 31, 2018]. I just saw and having them represented and to the him that past Wednesday [March 28, 2018] Post Officers and members who attended. KLOSE evening at the opening of the GI Bill exhibit I was also very pleased to see some young at the Military Museum at Fort Harrison, energetic members at these meetings. By now everyone should have heard of the passing Mont. He was a friend and a mentor to not In my opening paragraph, I mentioned of our NEC Merv Gunderson. Merv was a true just me, but to many individuals across the the GI Bill exhibit at Fort Harrison. This Legionnaire. He looked Department of Montana and Nationally. was a very nice event with media and out for the good of The Even after his serious accident and being representatives from National. There were American Legion as confined to a wheelchair, he traveled widely a lot of American Legion members in well as all veterans. on behalf of the American Legion and did Dept. CDR Larry Dobb attendance, primarily from the Helena, But most of all he was more actual work then many others that are healthy. Townsend and Great Falls area.

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