The following distinguished legionnaires from Virginia have held the high office of Department Commander and have held National Offices in the American Legion.
PAST NATIONAL COMMANDERS | |
Year | Name |
1956-1957 | * + Dan Daniel (1097), Washington, DC |
1965-1966 | * + L. Eldon James (31), Hampton |
1998-1999 | * Harold “Butch” Miller (364), Woodbridge |
2013-2014 | * Daniel “Dan” Dellinger (180), Vienna |
2018-2019 | * Brett Reistad (270), McLean |
* = Past Department Commander + = Deceased
PAST NATIONAL VICE COMMANDERS | |
Year | Name |
1935-1936 | + E. Whitney Godwin (57), Suffolk |
1938-1939 | * + Charles W. Crush(59), Christiansburg |
1946-1947 | + Ernest H. Dervishian (1) , Richmond |
1952-1953 | * + Dan Daniel (1097), Washington, DC |
1976-1977 | * + Wilbur Walker (137), Richmond |
1987-1988 | * + Paul Phifer, Jr. (38), Richmond |
1996-1997 | * + Robert L. Bowen (364), Woodbridge |
2005-2006 | * Michael E. Harris (42), Martinsville |
2014-2015 | * William R. Bryant (28), Triangle |
* = Past Department Commander + = Deceased
PAST NATIONAL SGT-AT-ARMS | |
Year | Name |
1998-1999 | * George C. Lussier, Jr. (28), Dumfries |
2013-2014 | * Ron Miluszewski (139), Arlington |
2018-2019 | Willie Ransom (186), Midlothian |
* = Past Department Commander + = Deceased
PAST NATIONAL CHAPLAINS | |
Year | Name |
1963-1964 | * + Rev. John J. Howard (137), Richmond |
1981-1982 | + Rev. George R. M. Rumney (325), Danville |
2001-2002 | Dr. David Russell (320), Spotsylvania |
* = Past Department Commander + = Deceased
PAST NATIONAL HISTORIAN | |
Year | Name |
1986-1987 | + J. Ruffin Apperson (137), Chesterfield |
* = Past Department Commander + = Deceased
PAST NATIONAL MEMBERSHIP CHAIRMAN | |
Year | Name |
2000-2002 | * Dan Dellinger (180), Vienna |
* = Past Department Commander + = Deceased
PAST NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEEMEN | |
Year | Name |
1919-1920 | * + John J. Wicker, Jr. (38), Richmond |
1920-1922 | * + Robert T. Barton (21), Richmond |
1922-1923 | * + Junius F. Lynch (36), Norfolk |
1923-1924 | + E. E. Goodwyn (46), Emporia |
1924-1927 | * + John J. Wicker, Jr. (38), Richmond |
1927-1929 | * + Henry M. Taylor (38), Richmond |
1929-1931 | * + Nelson C. Overton (25), Newport News |
1931-1933 | * + Roby C. Thompson (12), Abingdon |
1933-1935 | * + E. Whitney Godwin (57), Suffolk |
1935-1937 | * + Robert B. Crawford (32), Farmville |
1937-1939 | * + Wilmer L. O’Flaherty (38), Richmond |
1939-1941 | * + Gates R. Richardson (54), Bedford |
1941-1943 | + Randolph H. Perry (74), Charlottesville |
1943-1944 | + W. Catsby Jones (1), Richmond |
1944-1945 | + C. K. Hunter (104), Appomattox |
1945-1947 | + Fred C. Buck (12), Abingdon |
1947-1949 | * + F. Clinton Knight (24), Alexandria |
1949 | + Fred C. Higgason (36), Norfolk |
1949-1951 | * + Lemuel W. Houston (55), Fredericksburg |
1951 | + W. Marshall Geoghegan (102), Victoria |
1951-1953 | + G. Hunter Wolfe (12), Abingdon |
1953-1957 | * + Lemuel W. Houston (55), Fredericksburg |
1957-1965 | * + L. Eldon James (31), Hampton |
1965-1967 | * + Thomas S. Ely M.D. (185), Jonesville |
1967-1968 | * + Sam T. Crawford (177), Fairfax |
1969-1981 | * + Thomas J. Gear (48), Hampton |
1981-1989 | * + Emmett B. Burley (16), Lynchburg |
1990-1993 | * + Edwin J. Dentz (176), Springfield |
1993-1997 | * + Roger N. Messier (273) Poquoson |
1997-2001 | * Bill Bryant (28), Dumfries |
2001-2005 | * + George Blume (182), Blacksburg |
2005-2008 | * + R Gordon (284), Colonial Heights |
2008-2013 | * George C. Lussier, Jr. (28) Dumfries |
2013-2017 | * Thomas Saunders (29) Danville |
2017-2021 | * Mike Mitrione (55) Fredericksburg |
* = Past Department Commander + = Deceased
PAST DEPARTMENT COMMANDERS | |||
YEAR | NAME | YEAR | NAME |
1919 | + C. Francis Cocke (3) | 1972-1973 | + Claude V. Swanson (232) |
1919-1920 | + Wlliam A Stuart (12) | 1973-1974 | + Emmett B. Burley (16) |
1920-1921 | + Robert T Barton (21) | 1974-1975 | + Donald S. Houser (2) |
1921-1922 | + Junius F. Lynch (36) | 1975-1976 | + Sam T.A. Crawford (177) |
1922-1923 | + E. E. Goodwyn (46) | 1976-1977 | + Paul B. Phifer (38) |
1923-1924 | + John J. Wicker, Jr. (38) | 1977-1978 | J. Ray Edmundson, Jr. (2) |
1924-1925 | + T. J. Michie (74) | 1978-1979 | + Wirt Corrie (50) |
1925-1926 | + Frank M. Wray (74) | 1979-1980 | + Charles A. Wilson (42) |
1926-1927 | + Henry M. Taylor (38) | 1980 | + # Wilbur Walker |
1927-1928 | + Dr. Israel Brown (36) | 1980-1981 | + Rolfe C. Vanderberry (38) |
1928 | + F. Clinton Knight (24) | 1981-1982 | + Jack M. Rainey (79) |
1928-1929 | + Nelson C. Overton (25) | 1982-1983 | + Edwin J. Dentz (176) |
1929-1930 | + Brantz M. Roszel (21) | 1983-1984 | + James F. Draper (255) |
1930-1931 | + Roby C. Thompson (12) | 1984-1985 | + James W. Johnson (38) |
1931-1932 | + Adam T. Finch (43) | 1985 | + # Lemuel W. Houston (55) |
1932-1933 | + M. E. Bristow (1) | 1985-1986 | + Clyde C. Ferguson (28) |
1933-1934 | + Homer K. Bowen (18) | 1986-1987 | + Howard L. Evans (273) |
1934-1935 | + Robert L Insko (28) | 1987-1988 | William R. Bryant (330) |
1935-1936 | + Frank F. Rennie, Jr. (38) | 1988-1989 | + Upton J. Boivin (139) |
1936-1937 | + Charles W. Crush (59) | 1989-1990 | + Roger N. Messier (273) |
1937-1938 | + Ralph M. Felton (8) | 1990-1991 | Dale D. Chapman (325) |
1938-1939 | + Fed C. Parks (12) | 1991-1992 | + Robert L. Bowen (364) |
1939-1940 | + E. Ralph James (31) | 1992-1993 | + Clyde L. Siler (113) |
1940-1941 | + E. Emmett Warriner (40) | 1993-1994 | + George T. Blume (182) |
1941-1942 | + Fred E. Martin, Sr. (35) | 1994-1995 | Harold L. (Butch) Miller (364) |
1942-1943 | + Floyd W. Williams (145) | 1995-1996 | Gerald F. (Jerry) Wenditz (27) |
1944-1945 | + G. K. Linkous (10) | 1996-1997 | + N. Jack Peters (215) |
1945-1946 | + Morgan W. Strother (28) | 1997-1998 | + James L. LaShure (110) |
1946-1947 | + Robert B. Crawford (32) | 1998-1999 | + Roger L. Clevinger (164) |
1947-1948 | + John A. Blakemore (12) | 1999-2000 | Dan M. Dellinger (180) |
1948-1949 | + J. Westwood Smithers (84) | 2000 | + # Cornelius T. O’Neill (186) |
1949-1950 | + Ralph A. Johnson (197) | 2000-2001 | + Rob R. Gordon (284) |
1950-1951 | + Joseph L Hodges, Jr. (8) | 2001-2002 | Thomas E. Saunders (29) |
1951-1952 | + Dan Daniel (1097) | 2002-2003 | George C. Lussier, Jr. (28) |
1952-1953 | + William P. Kellam (113) | 2003-2004 | + Robert Hannon (49) |
1953-1954 | + Dr. Thomas S. Ely (185) | 2004-2005 | Michael E. Harris (42) |
1954-1955 | + L. Elson James (31) | 2005-2006 | Brett Reistad (270) |
1955-1956 | + Anderson M. Renick (3) | 2006-2007 | Jerry Howard (364) |
1956-1957 | + Wsly R. Cofer, Jr. (48) | 2007-2008 | Andy Robertson (83) |
1957-1958 | + Rev. John J. Howard (137) | 2008-2009 | Les Clevinger (164) |
1958-1959 | + G. E. Heller (54) | 2009-2010 | Ron Miluszewski (139) |
1959-1960 | + Phil A. Wilhite (84) | 2010-2011 | Mike Mitrione (55) |
1960-1961 | + Murray B. York (24) | 2011-2012 | + Doug Ramos (53) |
1961-1962 | + Henry L. Lam (113) | 2012-2013 | + Ike Kelley (2) |
1962 | + # Wilmer L. O’Flaharty (38) | 2013-2014 | Linden Dixon (139) |
1962-1963 | + Gates R. Richardson (54) | 2014-2015 | Gerald Rhoads (88) |
1963-1964 | + Nolan S. Cutler (25) | 2015-2016 | + James Chapman (56) |
1964-1965 | + Joseph B. Halloway (2) | 2016-2017 | David Stein (290) |
1965-1966 | + Ralph P. Mayo (84) | 2017-2018 | Tommy Lee (55) |
1966-1967 | + Wilbur L. Gray (290) | 2018-2019 | Thomas Queck (79) |
1967-1968 | + Thomas J. Gear (48) | 2019-2020 | A. B. Brown (74) |
1968-1969 | + Gordon M. Ragsdale (139) | 2020-2021 | Bill Feasenmyer (284) |
1969-1970 | + Robert E. Pope (53) | 2021-2022 | Frank Hillyard (77) |
1970-1971 | + Charles P. Powell, Jr. (25) | ||
1971-1972 | + John L. Gayle (1) |
# = Honorary + = Deceased