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Walter S. Chears Post #106

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Post History

Walter S. Chears

January 6th, 1897 to March 30th, 1918                                                                                                                              

Walter S. Chears was born in Scott City, Kansas on January 6th, 1897, the son of Ray E. Chears and Amanda Belle Kane. He graduate from Larned High School May 24th, 1917 and was a member of the First Methodist Episcopal church in Larned, Kansas. He enlisted in Co. F. 137th Infantry, July 29, 1917, and received his appointment as Corporal, November 4, 1917.

Walter Chears was every inch a man, and every ounce a soldier. He was ambitious, clean, progressive, determined and courageous. His superior officers all testified to the manly qualities of the lad in khaki from Pawnee county.                   

The community was shocked when the news came bearing the sad message, "Corporal Walter Scott Chears is dead." His school chums stood in groups and with bowed heads and weeping eyes, they wondered why he had to go. The business and professional men, aye, all the patriots of Larned, spoke his name with reverence, tenderness and grief, telling the story of honor to one of Larned's respected sons.

The wheels of industry move on, the air of April contiunes to send its thrilling force across the Kansas prairies. The morning frost silvers the landscape, the horizon shines with sky-blue beauty, the children throng to the school room, and the old world goes on.

Dear hearts, our boy has gone, he cannot fight the opposing armies that bitterly contest on fields of carnage and blood, but through our tears we can believe that the Great Commander will find better employment, in the enrollment with the angelic company of God.

He fought hard to overcome the dread disease that caused his death, he had the best of medical attention. For five long weeks his mother, the idol of his life, was with him daily, but he had to go.

A kingly hero has swept into the land of perpetual sunshine and happiness, where sorrow, sickness, pain and death are unknown. A loving son, a real brother, a self-sacrificing hero, a courageous soldier, has gone to his reward.

He leaves to mourn their loss, his father and mother and sister, Hazel, besides a host of friends that no man can number.

The funeral was held from the Methodist church, and was military in all its phases. The members of the G. A. R. and the Home Guard, led by the Woodman Band, assisted by Dr. J. W. Waldron in the service. 

Interment took place in the Larned cemetery, and floral designs and hosts of people, too many for any building in Larned, testified to the esteem and honor he had built for himself in the hearts of Larned people.

(courtesy of the Larned Tiller and Toiler)

On September 29th, 1919, thirty-two former servicemen came together. Existing at the time in Larned was an informal community consisting of former World War I Veterans. The decision to organize an American Legion Post resulted from the conclusion of these Veterans that the American Legion was the representative Veterans' organization in this country. That conclusion has been proven true as today the American Legion is the largest wartime Veterans' organization with nearly 13,000 American Legion Posts worldwide. Current national membership is over 2 million and combined with the American Legion Auxiliary and Sons of The American Legion, membership in what is known as The American Legion Family, exceeds 3 million who care about America, Veterans, their families and our nation's youth. 

Permanent organization was affected and the Post was named "Walter S. Chears American Legion Post 106, Department of Kansas”.

 

Scholarships and Community Projects

 

Walter S. Chears Post 106 sponsors various scholarships for the further education of our children. We are working toward being able to also sponsor and financially assist many worthy community projects and programs initiated by the National American Legion thanks to the generousity of our own sponsors.

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