In August of 1930, a group of Spanish American and WWI veterans met at the "Mechanics Hall" in Port Washington to hold the first meeting of their VFW post.  The "Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States" granted these Port Washington men a charter as Post 1819.

 The VFW was organized in 1899 to represent veterans of the United States forces who had fought in foreign lands, particularly in the Spanish American war and the Phillipine Insurrection.  With the large number of returning WWI overseas veterans, Port Washington chartered its own post to accommodate all the old and new veterans.  It is likely that a number of charter members were veterans of the Boxer Rebellion, Spanish American War, and the Philippine Insurrection.  It must be noted that the VFW was given the blessing of the G.A.R. (Grand Army of the Republic) the large veterans organization of the time which consisted of Civil War veterans.

Deference was given to two Port Washington families who had lost sons in service in Europe fighting the Germans of Kaiser Wilhelm's army.  Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States Post 1819 would be named in honor of those two boys lost overseas, PVT. John Michael Marino and PVT. William E. Henderson.    

After WWII, The Korean War, Viet Nam War, Desert Shield/Storm, and subsequent overseas combat actions, including Iraq and Afghanistan, Post 1819 gladly accepted the returnees as comrades.

Post 1819 serves the communities of the Port Washington Peninsula by organizing the Memorial Day Parade and Veterans Day services here in Port.  Post 1819 has a scholarship fund and post members speak at schools and churches etc., regarding our services to our beloved country.  Post 1819 is available to assist area veterans who are in need as well as the widows and orphans thereof.  Post 1819 also memorializes deceased members by performing funeral ceremonies at post members' wakes, etc.  Post 1819 also recognizes Eagle Scouts with a certificate when a Boy Scout achieves that rank.  As a group, the post advocates for the recognition and support that veterans righteously deserve.  There are many other services Post 1819 has provided over the years which are too numerous to recall and mention.

As of January 1, 2012; Post 1819 continues to serve the communities of the Port Washington Peninsula.  

OVER 80 YEARS OF UNSELFISH SERVICE TO OUR COMRADES AND COMMUNITY WITH LOYALTY AND FORTITUDE!    

Memorialized Soldiers 

PVT. JOHN MICHAEL MARINO

Private John Michael Marino, son of James and Stella, lived in the big stone house on Port Blvd. between Marino Ave. and Neulist Ave.  Pvt. Marino served in Company C, 112th Field Signal Battalion, 37th Infantry Division. Arriving in France in June 1918, Pvt. Marino endured 150 days of intense combat which included assaults, gas attacks, artillery, machine gun and small arms fire.  All the while Pvt. Marino showed heroism and gallantry as he fought the enemy and constructed lines of communication for attacking American forces.  His combat ended November 4, 1918; when his unit was relieved near the Lys and Escaut Rivers and he marched back to Thielt Belgium.  He was suffering pneumonia and was placed in Evacuation Hospital #5 and died November 9, 1918 just 2 days before the Armistice was signed.  Pvt. Marino was the first Italian-American from Port Washington to die in WWI.  The local Sons of Italy Lodge #1389 is named in his honor.

 

 

PVT. WILLIAM E. HENDERSON

Private William E. Henderson, son of Mr. & Mrs. William Henderson lived at 26 Avenue B, in the Terrace section.  It is said William took care of horses for August Belmont where the Methodist Church now stands on Middle Neck Rd.  Pvt. Henderson served in Company L, 2nd Battalion, 307th Infantry Regiment.  He was an Orderly for a certain Lieutenant Earl Felter, who was a summer resident of Port Washington.  Pvt. Henderson also survived about 150 days of combat from April 1918 until September 1918.  No small feat for a private in a rifle company in 1918!  While the record of Pvt. Henderson's service isn't as complete as Pvt. Marino's we must assume he showed the same courage and gallantry in combat.  He was last heard from September 2, 1918 and by November was carried as M.I.A. (Missing-in-action).  Finally, in May 1919, Mr. & Mrs. Henderson learned their son, Pvt. Henderson, and his leader, Lt. Felter, were killed-in-action along the Vesle River, France on September 14, 1918.

 

The 1930 Charter Members		1930 Womens Auxiliary Charter Members
Alfred C. Angus	Charles G. Muro	Anna K. Angus	Anna Marino
William Biggs	Tony Piazza	Lulu M. Angus	Caroline Marino
Victor Bingel	L. Rothsteen	Julia Baldwin	Stella Marino
Wesley Birkel	M.L. Rice	Clara Biggs	Mildred Muro
Edward A. Birkel	L.J. Sorenson	Louise Birkel	Victoria Piazza
Harry Brennan	John Singleton	Anna Curtin	Lavinia Rice
John F. Bryant	S. Santurnniello	Bessie Dempsey	Margaret E. Rice
Martin J. Cocks	Alex J. Smith	Eleanor Epp	Ruth Rice
F. H. Curtin	John W. Snyder	Rosina Epp	Beatrice Singleton
Wesley de Paw	Michael Sullivan	Dorothy Ford	Lily Smith
Peter Epp	G.C. Seeber	Lucy Henderson	Ann G. Synder
James P. Ford	Frank Teta	Ruth Jack	Jennie Sullivan
Ralph Favoli	J. Villani	Julia Kelly
A. F. Kehoe	Henry R. Rice (Honorary)
Daniel Kelly	Charles Marino (Honorary)
W.F. Morgan