American Legion San Dieguito Post 416

Memorial Day 2023. A Call to Honor, Reflect and Connect (5/29 @ 1 PM)

On this Memorial Day, a time of solemn remembrance and heartfelt gratitude, American Legion Post 416 invites you, your family, and friends to join us in honoring the men and women who paid the ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation.

American Legion Post 416, established in our community since 1919, has been an enduring beacon of camaraderie, support, and patriotic service. With a legacy built upon respect for our nation’s brave service members, we’re proud to stand tall as the custodians of their memory.

Our ceremony this year is set for Monday, May 29th. We have prepared an unforgettable flag unfolding ceremony.  We aspire to create an atmosphere where the community can come together, learn about, remember, and appreciate the countless sacrifices made by our military men and women.

When: Monday, May 29, 2023 – 1 PM
Where: 210 West F St., Encinitas, CA 92024

See last year’s news clip. (Encinitas Advocate)

What is Memorial Day? (See the History Channel)

Our Program

Quotes honoring courage and sacrifice.

Quote Number Quote Owner
1 “Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it.” Mark Twain
2 “Our flag does not fly because the wind moves it, it flies with the last breath of each soldier who died protecting it.” Unknown
3 “The patriot’s blood is the seed of freedom’s tree.” Thomas Campbell
4 “A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself.” Joseph Campbell
5 “We sleep safely at night because rough men stand ready to visit violence on those who would harm us.” Winston Churchill
6 “Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear – not absence of fear.” Mark Twain
7 “The price of freedom is eternal vigilance.” Thomas Jefferson
8 “In the End, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.” Martin Luther King Jr.
9 “The legacy of heroes is the memory of a great name and the inheritance of a great example.” Benjamin Disraeli
10 “We must dare to be great; and we must realize that greatness is the fruit of toil and sacrifice and high courage.” Theodore Roosevelt
11 “The bravest are surely those who have the clearest vision of what is before them, glory and danger alike, and yet notwithstanding, go out to meet it.” Thucydides
12 “The secret of happiness is freedom, and the secret of freedom, courage.” Thucydides
13 “It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived.” George S. Patton
14 “War must be, while we defend our lives against a destroyer who would devour all; but I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend.” J.R.R. Tolkien
15 “Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.” Winston Churchill

Please note that some of these quotes are attributed to individuals who weren’t strictly military personnel, but have made significant contributions to society or expressed valuable perspectives on themes related to Memorial Day, such as patriotism, courage, and sacrifice.

Dinner to honor Captain E. Royce Williams USN, Retired

San Dieguito American Legion Post 416 is honoring Captain E. Royce Williams USN, Retired, Navy Cross and American Legion Medal of Valor recipient.  Seventy years ago in the skies over North Korea, U.S. Navy fighter pilot Royce Williams bravely pulled off the greatest feats in aviation history. For 35 minutes, he engaged solo in an aerial dogfight with seven Soviet MiG-15 pilots, downing at least four jets before escaping to land his heavily damaged F9F-5 Panther jet on a U.S. aircraft carrier.

Join us to celebrate and honor Captain Williams. We expect this dinner to sell out fast so don’t delay!

Click Here to Purchase Tickets.

Date: February 26, 2023

Time: Cocktail Hour starts at 4 PM followed by 5 PM  Buffet Dinner

Location: Lomas Santa Fe Country Club

Attire: Formal encouraged, Business acceptable

Cost: $125 per person

 

Photo: Lt. Royce Williams observes some of the damage his F9F-5 Panther sustained in combat with 7 Soviet MiG-15s on November 18 1952. (Photo courtesy of U.S. Naval Institute)

American Legion Ball on the Rise

Post 416 is proud of our Commander Peter-Rolf Ohnstad “Pops” efforts with American Legion baseball. Read the whole story here: https://enewspaper.sandiegouniontribune.com/infinity/article_share.aspx?guid=aa0b673f-f70c-4356-ac2c-822ca720889c

“For decades, American Legion baseball was the dominant summer program for high school age players.

San Diego teams produced Hall of Famers Ted Williams and Alan Trammell along with World Series hero Don Larson.

Tony Gwynn, Trevor Hoffman, Randy Jones, Dave Winfield, Kris Bryant, Wil Myers and Padres manager Bob Melvin all played American Legion baseball.

However, with the advent of travel ball, American Legion baseball nearly went extinct, until Peter-Rolf Ohnstad and a dedicated band of San Diegans revived the “No-pay-to-play” program in 2018.”

 

 

Encinitas Mayoral Debate video

Encinitas American Legion Post 416 held its first Encinitas Mayoral Debate Thursday, June 23 from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM between Jeff Morris, Tony Kranz and Michael Blove. American Legion Post 416 is committed to civil responsibility and has remained so since it’s founding in 1932. This live debate gave the candidates the personal opportunity, beyond social media, to explain their positions on the current challenges and opportunities facing Encinitas as well as answer audience questions in a civil venue. Post membership was not required to attend and we had a fabulous showing from our community. Please stay engaged with our Post for other community focused events!!!

Read coverage in the local news here:

https://thecoastnews.com/american-legion-hosts-first-encinitas-mayoral-candidate-debate/

https://www.encinitasadvocate.com/news/story/2022-06-28/three-encinitas-mayoral-candidates-participate-in-american-legion-debate

If you missed visiting us at the Post watch the debate here:

Tom Rice Returns to Post 416!

Tom Rice to Post 416 after D-Day re-enactment in Normandy, France

July 10, 2019 ENCINITAS CA World War II veteran, Tom Rice, who parachutted into Normandy on D-Day, returned to Post 416 after successfully re-enacting his jump for the 50th Anniversary of that historic event, at age 98. Tom had previously been the featured speaker at the Post in celebrating the American Legion Centenial, where he detailed his adventures during the war.

Fellow WWII veteran Admiral Don Shelton, also 98, was on hand to present Rice with a framed commemorative photo of the hero. Local television host Dave Scott of KUSI News was on hand to capture the presentation, and interview the two veterans.

The PostLine: Comments from Commander Ohnstad

SEASONS GREETINGS TO ALL AMERICAN LEGION POST 416 FAMILY

December 12th 2020 was a magnificent day in the long and distinguished history of our very special ‘Post on the Coast’. The American Legion Medal of Valor is the highest honor the Legion can bestow on one of its members. Post 416 was proud to present this Medal & Honor to our member Captain E. Royce Williams USN (ret). As many of us know this prestigious award is very richly deserved and belatedly more than 68 years after Royce merited the recognition. To all of our members who worked so diligently over the years to recognize our fellow veteran, I want to offer my deepest thanks. The potential for a Medal of Honor, with the full endorsement of the National American Legion, remains an undertaking in process as that award resides with the Congress and the President. Please visit our website at post416ca.org often to view the award program and follow the progress of this Great American Legion veteran.

As we move forward into 2021, we are well aware of the difficulties the Covid pandemic has imposed on the American Legion; specifically, our Posts financial health, our operations and our goals. To keep a bright future for our 90-year-old Post, we developed and approved a program to ensure we are able to meet our Post obligations to the American Legion Mission of the 4 Pillars. This program is being introduced to our members as the MOM/DAD program (Monthly Obligated Money / Dollar A Day). The intent of this program is to provide a more stable revenue during an unstable pandemic in order to meet our obligations. Please review this program, and if able please consider the dollar a day as a down payment on our POST’s future and the health of the Pillars it supports. Sign-ups will be available on our website and at the Post where we are open (with restriction that seem to change weekly).

Now is the time that we all wish each other the Merriest of Christmases and the Happiest of New Year’s knowing that we can put the year 2020 behind us. I extend those wishes to all of you, and look forward to 2021 when we can return to those great Post annual events and traditions that serve our veterans, Legion family and our local communities so well. Next year’s events will all be very special; Memorial Day, Veterans Day, Army-Navy game, Christmas parade, and most importantly the Marine Corps Birthday celebration (they were holding me hostage when I wrote this).

Feliz Navidad to all of our Post homies and to our fellow veterans in VFW Post 5431.

Humbly,

Deeds not words,

Peter-Rolf Ohnstad

Memorial Day Walk for the Fallen

Post 416 Remembers the Fallen, Memorial Day 2019

ENCINITAS CA

American Legion San Dieguito Post 416 marked Memorial Day this year with the first annual Walk for the Fallen honoring those who have served, fought, and died for our country. Commander Matt Shillingburg led off the event with words of remembrance, followed by the Posting of the Colors by Boy Scout Troup 777 and Cub Scout Pack 772, both of Encinitas, for the singing of the National Anthem. The program included talks by several dignitaries, including U.S. Congressman Mike Levin, California State Assemblymember Tasha Boerner Horvath, Encinitas Mayor Catherine Blakespear, and Elks Lodge 2243 Exalted Ruler, Ron Rodriguez. The ceremony concluded with a trumpet rendition of Taps.

Immediately following the program, walkers assembled to embark on the Walk for the Fallen on 1/2 mile or 2 mile courses through the quiet streets of Encinitas circling Post 416.

Attendees spent the remainder of the afternoon enjoying BBQ, and a “Battle of the Bands”.

Proceeds from the event will benefit Post 416’s Building Fund.