Eugene “Bugs” and Rainy Hill proudly show off the cake marking his 73 years of membership with American Legion Evans Child Post 87. The cake was presented to Hill by the local post, while the “Continuous Member Certificate” was given to him by 5th District Commander Frank Falbee last Wednesday night. Hill joined the American Legion following his discharge in 1945 from the U.S. Army, following the end of World War II. See additional photos on Page 14.
Eugene “Bugs” and Rainy Hill proudly show off the cake marking his 73 years of membership with American Legion Evans Child Post 87. The cake was presented to Hill by the local post, while the “Continuous Member Certificate” was given to him by 5th District Commander Frank Falbee last Wednesday night. Hill joined the American Legion following his discharge in 1945 from the U.S. Army, following the end of World War II. See additional photos on Page 14.
American Legion District and Area Commanders visited White Salmon’s Evans Child Post 87 last Wednesday night to honor the post’s oldest continuous member – Eugene “Bugs” Hill.
According to the certificate presented to him by Frank A. Falbee, 5th District Commander from Vancouver, “Be it known that proper attestation has been provided to the effect that Eugene Hill has been a member in good standing of the American Legion continuously for the period of 73 years and be it further known that such record of consistent loyalty to the American Legion merits the honor of being cited as an outstanding contributor to the accomplishment of the programs of the American Legion.”
Falbee also presented Hill with a baseball cap created specifically for him and his years of membership during the ceremony held at the Mt., Adams Elks Lodge.
Area II Commander Terry Bryant offered Hill a commemorative coin, one of a limited number minted specifically for the American Legion in recognition of its 100th anniversary being celebrated this year. And, finally, the local Evans Child Post honored one of their own with a cake decorated with the American Legion logo.
The Trout Lake resident joined the American Legion in 1945. In order to become a member, one must have served active duty in the United States Armed Forces during a war era. In Hill’s case, that was World War II.
Hill graduated from Columbia Union High School in June of 1941. In November 1942, he entered the Army. Following basic training, he was assigned to a Military Police detail to guard the Boeing Plant in Seattle.
After a year, he was transferred to the 393rd Special Combat Engineers and following a short stay in London, was stationed in France. He was in France during the Battle of the Bulge, and his duties included the building of roads and construction of prisoner of war detention camps.
As the war ended in Europe, Hill was to be transferred to the Pacific theater for the building up of forces for the Japanese mainland invasion.
Hill was on a ship heading to the fighting in the Pacific when it was announced that the Japanese had surrendered. The ship changed course to the United States, where Hill was discharged in December 1945.
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