News & Events

American Legion Post Excellence Award

New Haven Legion Honored with Post Excellence Award

NEW HAVEN, CT (Sep. 19, 2019)–The American Legion national organization honored The American Legion New Haven Post 210 with the American Legion Post Excellence Award for 2019.

The national award recognizes post membership growth, exposure of American Legion values to the youth of the community, and increased visibility of the Legion Family through service projects.

Post Commander Charles M. Pickett said the award is testament of the “can do” attitude of Post-9/ll veterans, who largely started the new, New Haven post. Additionally, Pickett said it is a distinct honor to be recognized by the national organization in Post 210’s founding year.

Pickett said community service projects, such as the annual Unserviceable Flag Collection spearheaded by Post Vice Commander Thania Rivera, is evidence a new generation of veterans is continuing the proud American tradition of veterans helping each other, their communities, and our great nation.

The American Legion New Haven Post 210 chartered on Dec. 10, 2018. American Legion Connecticut Commander Tom Flowers presented the post officers, who are all GWOT veterans and mostly female, their permanent charter on the American Legions’ Centennial on March 15, 2019.

The new Elm City veterans service organization is open to all veterans who have honorably served at least one day of federal military service since December 7, 1941.

Post 210 Featured at 2019 American Legion Convention

INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana (August 28, 2019)0–Continuing to draw notice as a “new century” post, the American Legion New Haven Post 210 was featured at the 101 American Legion National Convention.

Post 210 was highlighted from the main convention stage during the general session for celebrating the American Legion’s 100th anniversary and for leading the organization into a strong second century by chartering a second-century post.

ABOUT POST 210: Chartered in 2018, the “new century” American Legion New Haven Post 210 of mostly Post-9/11 veterans formed to commemorate 100 years of Legion service, while continuing the mission of the largest veterans service organization in America.

Veteran Helpful Resources

“New Century” American Legion Post Announces Membership Sponsorship

NEW HAVEN, CONN. — The American Legion New Haven Post 210 has established a sponsorship program for student veterans interested in learning more about veteran service organizations.

The Student-Veterans Leadership Sponsorship is available to service members and military veterans who are enrolled at a Connecticut college or university and who are in a leadership position at their school. Eligible students will receive a free American Legion Post 210 membership and will be recognized by the post at a subsequent meeting. Because the program is a pilot, sponsorships are limited to one per institution.

Post Senior Vice Commander Thania Rivera, who is currently in the Master of Science In Cellular and Molecular Biology program at the University of New Haven, advocated for the creation of the sponsorship to foster closer ties between student veterans and the largely Post-9/11 veterans in American Legion New Haven Post 210.

Post Commander Charles M. Pickett said Post 210 will be reaching out to the three Student Veterans of America chapters at Yale University, Southern Connecticut State University, and the University of New Haven, and regional institutions including Quinnipiac University, Gateway Community College,  and Albertus Magnus College. 

Additionally, all student veterans are invited to the New Haven Harbor #VetHike, an easy 6.2 mile hike around the harbor on Saturday, September 14, 2019. Full hike details are at VetHike.Eventbrite.com

New Haven Harbor #VetHike

A low-key, brisk, but level 6.2 mile jaunt around historic New Haven Harbor with veterans and citizens.

Organized by the American Legion New Haven Post 210 and the VFW New Haven Post 12150, this marks the third year of this increasingly popular event designed to be a nice hike with new friends and veterans of all ages.

Hikers will assemble at the “V” war monument on Long Wharf no later than 0905. Hikers will carpool to the Lighthouse Point Park rally point (Amarante’s Sea Cliff is an alternate) and move by foot, crossing the Starting Point (SP) no later than 0930 (parking area) and returning to the Release Point (the V) NLT 1200. We will carpool back to Lighthouse Point Park to retrieve vehicles. Post-hike After Action Review (AAR) is at Trinity Bar & Restaruant (157 Orange St., New Haven, CT). Co-owner Shane is expecting us.

There is no service, medical, or straggler support. SOP: no drugs/alcohol, no angry dogs, no whining, no weapons, and no religious or partisan political stuff, please. Coffee, camaraderie, friendly pets, and student groups are welcome.

Uniform is weather and hiking appropriate gear and military-themed outwear is encouraged for service members and veterans. POC is Pickett. Monitor @NewHavenLegion210 on Facebook for updates.

The hike may detour into Fort Nathan Hale and Black Rock Fort (36 Woodward Ave. New Haven, CT) and at Dunkin’ (189 Forbes Rd.) for a pit-stop.

ROUTE: Lighthouse Road, Townsend Ave. Woodward Ave. East Shore Park, Connecticut Ave., Alabama St., Waterfront St., Forbes Ave., Water St. East St., Long Wharf Dr. (keep water on your left).

Ridgefield students dig into World War I history

Updated 3:59 pm EDT, Monday, August 5, 2019

https://www.theridgefieldpress.com/news/article/Ridgefield-students-dig-into-World-War-I-history-14281855.php#photo-18031319

Ridgefield students Aaron Cohen and Mairead Lacey have returned from the Connecticut State Library’s “Digging Into History: WWI Trench Restoration” program in Seicheprey, France.

The three-week innovative experiential learning program brought fifteen Connecticut high school students to the site of the first German offensive against American troops to restore a section of trench once occupied by Connecticut’s 102d Infantry Regiment.

“This program, the only one of its kind in the United States, was a spectacular success and resulted in a life changing experience for students and chaperones alike,” said Christine Pittsley, project director of the state library’s “Remembering World War One: Sharing History and Preserving Memories” program.

The trench restoration work, led by local military historians Phillipe Dourthe and Denis Meyer, resulted in more than 100 meters of trench restored; two wattle walls built and a shelter rebuilt. A number of artifacts were found, including an American boot, a French spoon with a bullet hole and even a Napoleon III coin dating to the 1850s.

Students cataloged the finds and documented their work through photos and video that will become part of the Connecticut State Library’s permanent archives.

The Connecticut students lived and work side by side with sixteen French students from villages within the Communauté de Communes Mad et Moselle, the French administrative organization that funded this portion of the journey. Just as the doughboys formed bonds with the village 100 years ago, our students formed lifelong friendships with their French peers as they worked to clear rubble from the trenches, relaxed at Lake Madine or performed in a talent show at the lodge in Beaumont where the group stayed.

“While most experiences abroad expand one’s own mindset and worldview, our trip to France brought about not only personal growth, but state and national growth as well,” said Aaron Cohen, a student from Ridgefield High School who took part in this program.

“In an project which, on day one, I thought unlikely or impossible, our group restored a trench from World War One: a crucial piece of history, and the missing link between different places across the world from one another. All in all, the trip taught me that reaching back and reconnecting is imperative- after all, you might find friends you didn’t even know existed.”

Next summer Connecticut will welcome and host the French students, who will step back in time to learn about the French contributions to the American Revolution and visit sites along the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route.

To learn more about this trip, or to make a donation for future activities please visit https://ctinworldwar1.org/trenchproject.

More info

The Digging Into History program was supported by the American Legion National Charities, American Legion Department of Connecticut, American Legion Post 96, Connecticut Council for the Social Studies, New Haven Museum, Friends of the State Archaeologist, Drum Hill DAR, Windsor Historical Society, Pandion LLC, the Meritom Group, BP Products, Paul Schiff Studio and numerous individual donors. The 102d Infantry Association, New Alliance Foundation, VFW Post 511, Newington Fire Department, Keeler Tavern and Museum, Vet’s Explosives Inc., Torrington Historical Society, Divine Providence Parish, and numerous individual donors provided support for individual students.

About the State Library: The Connecticut State Library is an Executive Branch agency of the State of Connecticut. The State Library provides a variety of library, information, archival, public records, museum, and administrative services to citizens of Connecticut, as well as the employees and officials of all three branches of State government. The Connecticut State Archives and the Museum of Connecticut History are components of the State Library. Visit the State Library at http://ctstatelibrary.org | http://www.museumofcthistory.org/ | http://twitter.com/LibraryofCT | http://www.facebook.com/CTStateLibrary

About the Connecticut Heritage Foundation: The Connecticut Heritage Foundation was established to support the programs and purposes of the Connecticut State Library and Museum of Connecticut History. To learn more visit connecticutheritagefoundation.org/