This month, we’re looking at Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 473 just north of Cabool.
The Post meets at 6 p.m. on the fourth Thursday of each month at their Meeting Hall on Highway 63, and their mission is: “To foster camaraderie among United States veterans of overseas conflicts. To serve our veterans, the military and our communities. To advocate on behalf of all veterans. ”
On Nov. 5, a Flag Retirement Ceremony will be held on the grounds of the Post 473 Meeting Hall at 3 p.m., along with a chili supper and cornhole games. Houston’s American Legion Post 41 will also participate in the ceremony. This event is open to the public.
Post 473 presents bingo each Monday night; doors open at the Meeting Hall at 4:15 p.m. for early games and pull-tabs. The main games start at 6:15 p.m. The kitchen opens at 5 p.m. on bingo nights and it’s open to the public.
All funds not returned as prizes are used to benefit veterans.
On 11 a.m. Nov. 11 (Veterans Day), the Cabool VFW and Houston American Legion will conduct a Veterans Day Ceremony at the Veterans Park in Cabool. The POW-MIA Table will be on display.
MUSEUM NEWS
The director of the Texas County Historical and Military Museum in Houston reports that the museum has received a $1,000 donation from Licking’s VFW Post 6337. The funds will be used to improve and expand the historic displays.
One of those displays is a large array of embroidered military unit patches. If you have a military patch to donate, director Ron Jones would be glad to add it to the display.
The museum is located on Grand Avenue in Houston and is open 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. each Thursday.
Veterans organizations in Texas County:
•American Legion Post 41 meets at 6 p.m. on the second Thursday of each month at the meeting hall on the west end of Chilton Oil Company in Houston (just north of Pizza Hut). Changes to membership eligibility now allow U.S. veterans of all branches and periods of service to join the American Legion.
•Fleet Reserve Association Branch 364 meets at 2:30 p.m. on the fourth Sunday of each month at the American Legion Post 41 meeting hall in Houston. The FRA exists to serve all veterans and active-duty members of the U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Coast Guard.
•Veterans Of Foreign Wars Post 473 meets at 6 p.m. on the first Thursday of each month at its meeting mall on U.S. 63 north of Cabool.
•Veterans Of Foreign Wars Post 6337 in Licking meets at 5:30 p.m. on the third Monday of each month at the meeting hall on Main Street just south of Highway 32.
Houston resident Robert E. Simpson is a retired U.S. Navy chief electronics technician who served from 1969 to 1990. Email gfjjkaa@gmail.com.