Welcome to the internet home of the Gilbert C. Grafton American Legion Post 2 of Fargo, North Dakota.  Here, you will find all the latest information on the happenings of Post 2.  The post is alive and well and contributing to the community!

DON'T MISS THIS!!!!

At our November 4, 2025 Post meeting we will have a very special guest and would love to see you there!  Scott has an amazing story to tell and it will be well worth your time to hear his story.  This will be a joint meeting with our Legion Family; The Auxiliary and the Sons of the American Legion. NOTE:  Our meeting will begin at 6:30 rather than the usual 7:00.

Meet the newly installed officers of Post 2 for the 25-26 membership year

Past Department Commander and currently serving Department Adjutant, Don Herrly swearing in all the new officers for the 25-26 membership year. 

Commander Koshney and Adjutant Kraushaar conducting the Post Everlasting Ceremony 

Membership Award Presented

Commander Cathy Keogh and Adjutant Virginia Kraushaar proudly presented Gerald Lorz a milestone membership award on May 27th over at St. Catherine North.  Gerald has been a member of the American Legion for 70 years!

Post 2 Member Honored

Congratulations to Post 2 member James Landman on the occasion of him being awarded the Meritorious Service Medal.  James, a Chief Warrant Officer 3 in the Army National Guard, received the award during a musical performance in Bismarck on May 14th.  James is currently assigned as the Commander of the 188th Army Band, a National Guard unit stationed in Fargo.

ROTC and JROTC Awards

Congratulations to three recipients of JROTC and ROTC awards which were presented in the month of May.

Post 2 Commander (Elect) Dave Johnston presented the American Legion Post 2 Outstanding Cadet Saber to Cadet Grant Schafer on the Bison Battalion Commissioning Ceremony at North Dakota State University on May 14th.

Post 2 First Vice Commander (Elect) Michele Olson presented awards at the Fargo Public School District Air Force JROTC awards banquet at Fargo South High School on May 7th.  Cadet Luke Johnson was the recipient of the American Legion Military Excellence Medal while Cadet Michelle Bent received the American Legion Scholastic Excellence Medal.

The James M. Roche Spirit of Volunteerism Awards

Congratulations to Post 2 Vice Commander David Johnson on the occasion of receiving the James M. Roche Spirit of Volunteerism Award. The award, given by the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR), was presented by Delton Steele, the North Dakota State Chair of ESGR, on May 14th. Recipients of this award are ESGR volunteers nominated by their respective ESGR State Committee Chairs for their exceptional contributions to ESGR’s mission over a sustained period of time.

The Roche award is named for James M. Roche, who served several years as the ESGR National Chair after retiring as Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board at General Motors Corporation, and other senior leadership roles at PepsiCo, Jack Eckerd Corporation, and the New York Stock Exchange. A past quote attributed Roche reads: "Anybody who achieves a top position in an organization owes a debt of some kind. If you have a talent and you have your health, you should help others."

Congratulations, Dave!

American Legion Post 2  Honors 50, 70, and 75 Year Members

American Legion Post 2 honored members of their Post who have been continuous members of the organization for 50, 70, and 75 consecutive years in membership year 2021.  The awards were presented during their May Post Meeting.

Post 2 members who as of the 2021 membership year reached their 50, 70, or 75 year landmark were honored with a certificate.  Award recipients included the following Post 2 members: 50 Year Members- Peter Bilstad, Lee Graf, Robert Gross, Ken Jensen, David Lee, Larry Lein, Dale Lundeen, Gerald Maczkowicz, Dennis Resendahl, Raymond Svobodny, Mervyn Tvinnereim, Howard Zinck; 70 Year Members- Edwin Hafner, Donald Schur; 75 Year Members- George Bogan, Frederick Quam

St. Patrick's Day Parade

Thanks to the American Legion Post 2 Color Guard for their participation in the 2021 St. Patrick's Day Parade on Saturday, March 20th!

The Fargo Vet Center

The Fargo Vet Center is a fantastic resource for veterans in the Fargo-Moorhead area.  Above is a brief summary of services that the Fargo Vet Center provides and some answers to frequently asked questions.  To learn more about what the Fargo Vet Center can do for you, contact them at:

Fargo Vet Center

5622 34th Avenue South

Fargo, North Dakota 58104

(701) 237-0942

Post 2 Member in The American Legion Magazine...

Congratulations!

Congratulations to Jacob Schulz, the winner of the Department of North Dakota American Legion Oratorical Contest!  Jacob competed in the Department competition in Dickinson on January 30th.  

We wish Jacob, who is representing Post 2, the best of luck as he moves on to the National Finals in Indianapolis, Indiana.  The competition is scheduled to take place April 9-11, 2021.  

Supporting Service Members at Christmastime

Wreaths Across America at Fargo National Cemetery

Thank you to everyone who participated in the National Wreaths Across America Day on Saturday, December 19th at the Fargo National Cemetery.  A total of 280 wreaths were laid at the cemetery that morning.

Congratulations!

Congratulations to Post 2 Second Vice Commander, Dave Johnston, on the occasion of him receiving the SSgt. Andrew P. Nelson Award for Outstanding Leadership and Service at the Scouts of America Northern Lights Council's second annual Heroes and Leaders Gala on December 10th.  The award recognizes "every day heroes who quietly make a difference in our community in the way that we work, volunteer, and make life better for others."  Dave was one of five recipients of the award this year.

American Legion 100 Miles for Hope

Commander Larry Lein, First Vice Commander Cathy Keogh, and Second Vice Commander Dave Johnston proudly participated in the American Legion 100 Miles for Hope virtual 100-mile walk event!  CLICK HERE to learn more about this wonderful event that supports the American Legion Veterans & Children Foundation!

Congratulations!

Congratulations to Post 2 First Vice Commander Cathy Holm Keogh on the occasion of being awarded the 2020 Sanford Veteran Employee of the Year! Pictured with Cathy is fellow Sanford employee and current member of the North Dakota Army National Guard Master Sgt. Bradley Reed.

David Johnston Receives an Award

Congratulations to Post 2 Second Vice Commander and Retired Navy Capt. Dave Johnston on the occasion of receiving the Seven Seals Award on June 23rd by the North Dakota Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) for his 16 years of service to the ND ESGR committee, working with service members, veterans and employers.  CLICK HERE to read more in an article in The Minot Daily News.

Portraits of Veterans in America Project

Thank you to our very own Post 2 member, Jeff Hett, who provided us with a very interesting program at our February Post Meeting!  Jeff spoke to us about his experiences being a part of the "WE THE PEOPLE: Portraits of Veterans in America" project.  He brought in a copy of print that was painted of him for the project and also shared a copy of the actual book with us.

CLICK HERE to learn more about this project.  The website belongs to the artist who painted all of the picutres, Mary Whyte.

Thank you to Jeff for this awesome presentation!

Thank You!

Thank you to Command Sgt. Maj. Gabriel Gietzen who gave us a wonderful presentation on his Annual Training experience with the North Dakota Army National Guard overseas in Romania this past summer. Command Sgt. Maj. Gietzen is the Senior Enlisted Leader of the 231st Brigade Support Battalion in Valley City.  The 231st BSB took part in the training exercise with their upper command, the 141st Maneuver Enhancement Brigade.  Thanks to Command Sgt. Maj. Gietzen for an in-depth and incredibly interesting presentation at our January Post Meeting!

Thank You!

Thank you so much to the American Legion Auxiliary Unit 2 and their leader, President Shauna Dubuque for a wonderful Christmas Party on Monday, December 9th!  Also, thank you to the The Red River Valley Veterans Concert Band, Inc. and their conductor, Bernard McKigney for their great concert!  It was a wonderful night for all in attendance!

Boys and Girls State Attendees Give Testimonials!

Thank you to all of the young men and women who attended American Legion North Dakota Boys State and American Legion Auxiliary North Dakota Girls State representing Post and Unit 2 this past summer!  We were excited to host one of each during our October Post Meeting as they gave testimonials about their experiences!

Thanks to Christopher Wagner and Sara Smith for being present to speak about their experiences!

American Legion Post 2 Centennial Celebration May 21, 2019

Veterans Day Thanks!

Thank you to everyone who helped us with the Veterans Day Stew Feed!  We served around 150 people who enjoyed conversation, a meal, and a patriotic concert!

Thanks to all of the Legion and Auxiliary members who helped prep and cook the stew!  And thanks to everyone who helped with serving the stew, helped with setup and teardown of the rooms, and helped with cleanup of the kitchen.

Thanks to the Red River Valley Veterans Concert Band for a wonderful concert!

Thanks to Ameriacn Heritage Girls for aiding with bussing tables, working on the serving line, and taking care of coffee and water refills.

And thanks to everyone who came out and enjoyed the afternoon with us!

Congratulations!

Congratulations to Brad Aune, member of Post 2, on the occasion of his appointment to the American Legion Veterans Employment and Education Council!  Brad has accepted this invitation which was issued on behalf of National Commander Brett Reistad by the National Executive Committee of the American Legion!  

Brad currently serves on the Executive Board of Post 2 and is a two-time Past Commander of Post 2.

"Flag and Officer Down" Campaign

Thank you to Officer Michael Clower, Fargo Police Department, for being our guest at our September Post Meeting. Officer Clower dropped off nearly 50 American flags which will be retired on a later date. The flags were dropped off with Fargo Police Department officers during a month-long campaign earlier this summer called "Flag an Officer Down".

The program offered a way for Fargo citizens to retire their worn or frayed American flags in a proper way. The Fargo Police Department accepted flags from May 16th to June 14th. People simply “flagged down an officer” and gave them the flags, or they brought them in to the Fargo Police Department.

Thank you to the Fargo Police Department for putting on this wonderful campaign! And thank you to Officer Clower for coming by our meeting and speaking with us!

American Legion Post 2 was proud to host the 100th Annual Department Convention from June 20-24, 2018 at the Holiday Inn Convention Center in Fargo!  Thanks to everyone from Post 2 who volunteered to help out at the Convention!

The 164th Infantry Regiment World War II Memorial Rededicated on Flag Day

American Legion Post 2 performed a rededication ceremony for the 164th Infantry Regiment World War II Memorial on Flag Day at Lindenwood Park.  Post 2 Commander, Christopher Hanson of Fargo officiated over the ceremony.  The event featured remarks by Dave Piepkorn (Fargo City Commissioner), Sylvan Melroe (Memorial Relocation Lead), Joel Vettel (Fargo Parks Director), and Vern Fetch (President of the 164th Infantry Association).  Speeches were followed by a rededication of the monument and honors to all 164th Infantry Soldiers who have passed over the years.

The 164th Infantry Monument was originally erected on the northeast corner of 3rd Avenue and 5th Street in Fargo on a plot provided by Gilbert C. Grafton American Legion Post 2, in front of their building in downtown Fargo.  The granite monument recognized 216 men who were called to active duty in 1941.  The men were assigned to Bravo Company and Headquarters and Headquarters Company of the 164th Infantry Regiment, North Dakota National Guard.  During over four and a half years of activation, these Soldiers proved that on the fields of international conflict, a citizen Soldier could excel and could meet the best the enemy had to offer and could prevail.  They served North Dakota and the United States with distinction and honor.  And they provided North Dakota and its military with an unequaled record of accomplishment.

The 164th Infantry Regiment was an outstanding military organization that accumulated over 600 days of jungle combat in numerous locations and battles, most notably Guadalcanal in October of 1942.  Among their many decorations were five Distinguished Service Crosses and a Navy Cross.  They suffered an astounding 50% casualty rate including 325 who did not return.

The monument was originally dedicated by Major General Alexander P. McDonald, the North Dakota Adjutant General at that time, on October 24th of 1987.  The monument served as a reminder to the community of the young men who assembled in North Dakota on a cold February of 1941 and set off to serve in World War II.

After nearly 30 years calling the intersection of 3rd Avenue and 5th Street its home, a decision to move the monument was made.  Post 2 had sold their downtown building and was in the process of moving to their new home.  The choice was made to seek out a new appropriate home where all could continue to view and admire this beautiful monument.  Under the supervision of Adjutant Sylvan Melroe and with the cooperation of Fargo Parks, arrangements were made and agreed upon to move the monument to Lindenwood Park.  And through generous donations by L. Gnoinsky Concrete/Construction, Inc. Aggregate Industries of Fargo-Moorhead, and Dakota Moument Company with cooperation and coordination with the Fargo Park District, the monument was removed from downtown, given a good cleaning, and placed at Lindenwood Park in early November of 2016.