*District 4 - A Few Facts*

*District 4 - A Few Facts*
Compiled by Norman Scott (from Department & National records)

A brief history of Worcester County Legion - District 4

During the first four (4) Administrations, a preliminary measure of orginization, by Counties showed:

District 1 - Berkshire, Franklin and Hampshire
District 2 - Hampden
District 3 - Worcester
District 4 - Middlesex
District 5 - Norfolk
District 6 - Sulfolk
District 7 - Essex
District 8 - Bristol
District 9 - Plymouth, Barnstable, Dukes and Nantucket

In 1923 Districts 1, 2, and 3 were re-aligned to form four (4) Districts as follows:

District 1 - Berkshire
District 2 - Franklin and Hampshire
District 3 - Hampden
District 4 - Worcester

The remaining Districts were now numbered starting with 5 (Middlesex) on up creating the ten Districts that are currently still in existence.

District 4 has had many Legionnaires that have gone on to become Department (elected and appointed) and National officers.

(The information below was compiled from Department and National historical records by Norman E. Scott, when he was the District 4 Historian.)

DEPARTMENT OFFICERS

DEPARTMENT COMMANDERS

NAME	POST	YEARS SERVED
John F. J. Herbert	unknown	1919
James T. Duane	50	1920-21
Ralph Lavers	unknown	1939
Phillip G. Cashman	10	1948-49
Norman W. Stewart	319	1964-65
Robert W. Groccia	444	1972-73
Jospeh P. Genduso	319	1977-78
Bernard F. McCluskey	435	1990-91
James F. Army	414	2003-04
James E. Brehio	373	2005-06
Leland F. Plummer	102	2007-08
William R. (Bill) Barbour	279	2009-10

DEPARTMENT VICE COMMANDERS

NAME	POST	YEARS SERVED
George R. Wallace	10	1928-29
Phillip H. Cashman	10	1947-48
Joseph H. Ellinwood	102	1952-54
Norman W. Stewart	319	1961-63
Francis P. Shugrue	444	1966-67
Robert W. Groccia	444	1970-72
Norman L. Collette	138	1974-75
Joseph P. Genduso	319	1975-77
Mary M. Hinds	151	1976-77
Alfred G. Canale	429	1980-82
Amerigo "Mike" Simeone	414	1984-85
Theodore A. Caisse. Sr.	142	1985-87
Henry J. Curtis	129	1988-89
Bernard F. "Byron" McCluskey, Jr.	435	1989-90
Kenneth J. Lander	341	1992-94
Stewart M. Reed	2	1995-97
James F. Army	414	2000-03
James E. Brehio	373	2001-05
Leland F. Plummer	102	2002-07
William R. (Bill) Barbour	279	2005-09
Donald R. Temple	189	2010-12


DEPARTMENT CHAPLAINS

NAME	POST	YEARS SERVED
Rev. Willard O. Nuzman	288	1926-27
Rev. John St. Johnrathbun	151	1950-51
Rev. James Shea	435	1990-91


DEPARTMENT HISTORIANS

NAME	POST	YEARS SERVED
Phillip G. Cashman	10	1946-47
Bernard F. "Byron" McCluskey	435	1986-87
Kenneth J. Ladner	341	1988-92
Steven J. Gardner	288	1996-97

DEPARTMENT SGT-at-ARMS

NAME	POST	YEARS SERVED
Roger E. Braman	234	1960-61
Robert W. Groccia	444	1964-65
Francis P. Shugrue	444	1972-73
John F. Turcott	204	1977-78
James Hamilton, Jr.	50	1979-80
Bernard F. Hallinan	50	1990-91
Richard Croteau	414	2003-04
Scott A. Gauthier	193	2005-06
Norman W. Mezzanotti	429	2007-08
Donald R. Temple	189	2009-10

DEPARTMENT PHOTOGRAPHER

NAME	POST	YEARS SERVED
William A. Cass	244	1990-95
Lawrence Corbin	279	1999-60
David Peckham	279	1970-2002
Kenneth Parke	279	2003-05
Glenn Frenette	102	2005-06
Kenneth Parke	279	2006-09
Steve Higley	142	2009-10
Kenneth Parke	279	2010-13

DEPARTMENT COMMANDER'S AIDE

NAME	POST	YEARS SERVED
Nils Johnson	397	1960-61
Francis P. Shugrue	444	1964-65
John Mesale	323	1972-73
Edward Cove	435	1990-91
James F. Army	414	1996-97
Anthony Army	414	2003-04
Norman E. Scott	429	2007-08
Robert Temple	189	2009-10

NATIONAL OFFICERS

N. E. C.
NAME	POST	YEARS SERVED
James T. Duane	50	1920-21
Robert W. Groccia	444	1975-81
Alfred G. Canale	429	1999-2001
James F. Army	414	2007-2009


Alt. N. E. C.
NAME	POST	YEARS SERVED
Norman W. Stewart	31	1971-73
Robert W. Groccia	444	1973-75
Alfred G. Canale	429	1997-99
James F. Army	414	2005-07

DEPARTMENT CONVENTIONS HELD IN DISTRICT 4

YEAR	DATE	LOCATION	COMMANDER ELECTED
1926	August 11-13	Fitchburg - City Hall	John W. Reth
1938	August 18-20	Worcester - War Memorial Bldg.	John J. Maguire
1948	August 19-21	Worcester - War Memorial Bldg.	Phillip G. Cashman
1962	July 12-14	Worcester - Sheraton Hotel	William F. Hogan
1983	June 23-25	Worcester - Marriott Hotel	Dorothy M. Dickson
1988	July 7-9	Worcester - Marriott Hotel	Leo F. Bernier, Jr.
2003	June 12-14	Worcester - Holiday Inn	James F. Army
2004	June 10-12	Worcester - Holiday Inn	Milton L. Lashuas
2007	June 7-9	Sturbridge - Host Hotel	Leland F. Plummer
2008	June 5-7	Sturbridge - Host Hotel	George Gonsalves

SOME INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT VARIOUS DISTRICT 4 POSTS.

?From 1921-1933 there was a Post 141 (Baldwinsville). In 1947 another Post (Post 373) was chartered and named Baldwinville (note the spelling difference).

?Post 288 (Tatnuck) was originally called Rutland Heights.

?There was a Post 1493 (San Juan) in Leominster from 1972-1976. It appears that its membership consisted mainly of Hispanic veterans.

MEMBERSHIP

Membership records from 1963 until the present day show that the highest membership figure attained by the District was 12,750 in 1992 when the District was made up of 71 Posts.

Web page software from CitySlide.com