LOOKING BACK

Young Chang

Bill McKay, a first vice commander of membership for the American

Legion Post 291 in Newport Beach, boasts that the post is the largest in

California.

The Newport Beach charter is the only one in the world that has a

yacht club and a marina, McKay said.

He, like the 2600 members that make up the post, are proud to be part

of the nonprofit group. Everyone involved has had a taste of serving

their country, whether it’s directly or through husbands, fathers and

grandfathers.

“Our mission is to support the veterans organizations and the needy

veterans in the area,” said David Lambert, American Legionnaire and

finance officer. “We’re a community service organization generally.”

With Memorial Day coming up Monday, we thought we’d take a look back

at Newport Beach’s American Legion post.

It was chartered in 1924 and first located on 9th Street and Bay

Avenue. A dozen years later, the post relocated to 15th Street, where it

is now. In 1950, the Great Hall was added to the facilities. During the

tail end of the 1970s, the space was ravaged by fire.

Just a year later, legion members rebuilt the Great Hall and the

legion still stands in the 200 block of 15th street today. In recent

years, members battled everything from lease situations to a developer’s

proposal to build a hotel on their site. That developer abandoned the

idea earlier this year and it looks like the legion isn’t moving

anywhere.

Members are made up of American Legionnaires - men that served in

active duty through any of the major wars, the Womens Auxiliary -- women

who joined through fathers, grandfathers or husbands who had served, and

the Sons of American Legionnaires.

“Our fund-raising consists of everything we do,” said Linda

Christensian, office manager at Post 291. “We have parties, we have

barbecues, everything we do to make money goes to the charities and

upkeep and maintenance of our facilities.”

Charities supported by the legion include Boys State, Girls State,

High School Oratoricals, veterans and children’s hospitals, a leukemia

foundation and area law-enforcement agencies.”Last year, we donated

probably $40,000 to charitable activities,” Lambert said.

* Do you know of a person, place or event that deserves a historical

Look Back? Let us know. Contact Young Chang by fax at (949) 646-4170;

e-mail at young.chang@latimes.com; or mail her at c/o Daily Pilot, 330 W.

Bay St., Costa Mesa, CA 92627.