The American Legion, an organization devoted to America's veterans and veterans services, has its own 84 year history. During that time, the American Legion has fought for veterans' rights and has been successful. One of its most notable achievements was getting the G.I. Bill, which was a major initiative for veterans' rights. One of nearly 15,000 American Legion Posts, the Cathedral Post 1087 of West Hempstead has its own rich history. The post recently celebrated its 70th anniversary as 119 members continue the tradition that began on March 6, 1933 when the post was granted a temporary charter.

Past post commander and current post historian Roger Eastman, a Navy veteran of World War II, is well versed in the post's history. Eastman has been busy preserving and chronicling the post's history in 18 scrapbooks, each complete with an index and table of contents.

Eastman as well as post commander Jim Gibbons are aware that there aren't many posts that have an historical collection that equals the Cathedral Post's.

After receiving its temporary charter, the post was granted a permanent one on April 9, 1934. Cathedral was chosen as the name of the post because many of the members came from the Cathedral Gardens section of West Hempstead and because of the spire of the Cathedral of the Incarnation in Garden City as well as several other churches could be seen from practically anywhere in the community.

Early meetings were held in homes of members, in storefronts and even in barns belonging to some of the members. The post became active in community affairs. It established a memorial consisting of a large boulder with a bronze plaque mounted on it. The plaque was designed and sculpted by noted sculptor Edward T. Howell, a member of the post. The memorial, located in American Legion Square, site of the former Long Island Railroad Station, between Hemsptead Turnpike and Hempstead Avenue, was dedicated on June 4, 1939, with a crowd of 2,000 people in attendance. The plaque is now mounted on the face of the post building, located at 233 Woodlawn Road.

During World War II, the post dedicated an honor roll containing the named of 85 service men and women from West Hempstead who were serving in the armed forces. The post members conducted blood drives, civil defense drives and scrap drives. A cannon, which had been obtained earlier and which had been decorating the Plaza at the Railroad Station, was cut up and donated to the scrap metal drive.

With increased membership, there was a need for a post home or "dugout" of its own. In November, 1942 the Bacon estate at the southeast corner of Hempstead Avenue and Woodlawn Road was purchased for $6,700. The members had worked hard to provide a clubhouse for the returning veterans.

As the veterans returned, membership increased and the returning veterans took an active part in the post and its many activities. A need to expand the facilities resulted in the construction of the present building, which was completed in 1955. The cost of maintaining two buildings, however, proved too much and in early 1958, the property north of the building was sold to the Nassau Community Temple.

In 1966 the post saw fit to expand its building. Several years later the interior of the building was renovated. Improvements continue to be made, the latest being a new sprinkler system and repaving of the driveways and parking fields. Other work has been done in the kitchen and the "blue room" or club room.

On December 7, 1969, Pearl Harbor Day, the post dedicated a memorial stone, which was located in front of the flagpole on the lawn of the post's property. It was dedicated "In honor of the men and women of West Hempstead who served their country in all wars and in memory of those who made the supreme sacrifice."

In 1973, a committee composed of the three veterans organizations in West Hempstead, the Cathedral Post 1087 of the American Legion, the Robert Van Cott Post 1139 and the VFW Post 325, conducted a door-to-door campaign to raise funds for a monument in the Echo Park complex. Thee granite shaft stands 16 feet high. The inscription, composed by David Tedesco, a West Hemsptead High School student , reads as follows, "We , the people of West Hempstead, dedicated this memorial in remembrance of those who fought for the life, liberty and happiness of this great nation."

The post, which at its height had 213 members after World War II, has 119 right now, the most in 11 or 12 years. It remains active in the support of veteran affairs and in community service. Members visit hospitalized veterans in the VA Medical Center at Northport with gifts and entertainment, and bring veterans from the New York State Veterans Home in St. Albans to the post for dinners. The post also sponsors a high school junior to the Boys State program and continues to participate in Memorial and Homecoming parades. It also makes its facilities available to other organizations.

The members of the post have greatly contributed to its history. Several of the members have been active in the Nassau County American Legion. Past commander Joseph Devine was elected County Commander for the Legion Year 1965-1966. The post also has an active Ladies Auxiliary Unit, which celebrated its 58th anniversary on March 20. Two of the auxiliary's past presidents, Marianne Orlando and Joan Klopfer, went on to become Nassau County Auxiliary Presidents and Orlando became 10th District President.

Like all posts, membership is extremely important to the Cathedral Post 1087. In the early 1940s, the post received the National Special Certificate of Most Distinguished Service for posts who equaled or exceeded its previous years membership by November 11 five years in a row. In the late '70s, the post won the award again for five consecutive years.

The post is proud of its long history and looks forward to continuing to be active in the community.

(Note: The history for the American Legion Cathedral Post 1087 was written by past post commander and current post historian Roger Eastman.)