POST HISTORY

American Legion JOSEPH ODOM Post 512

EARLY HISTORY

American Legion Post No. 512 had it temporary origin in a Meeting held in the auditorium of the Lee's Funeral Home. However, this place of meeting did not become permanent. There were other meetings held in Elliott's Funeral Auditorium and in the home of many perspective members. It was decided in one of the meeting that a plot of land would be purchased at the corner of Lee and Lippitt Streets and a one room building was built in which members held their meetings there after. In 1993 the Post sold it original Home and relocated to it's present Home at 815 Willie Pitts, Jr, Road, where it sits on nine (9) acreages of land.

The name given to this Post was in memory to honor a local soldier who was the first Black militiaman to die in action from Dougherty County, since the Spanish-American War of 1898. Private First Class (PFC) Joseph Odom, Jr. was killed in Asiatic-Pacific Theater during World War II.  PFC Joseph Odom, Jr. was assigned with Company "C", 24th Infantry, U.S. Army  and was serving as a Scout for his Company. It was he who gave warning of an enemy ambush, and therby enabled the remainder of the Patrol to take cover in March 1944.  The unit was awarded the Phillipine Presidential Unit Citation for their service. Street and Parks have been named in honor of PFC Joseph Odom in the City of Albany, Georgia and many family members remain as prominent city residents as of today.

"JOSEPH ODOM POST NO. 512"

THE CHARTER OF THE JOSEPH ODOM AMERICAN LEGION POST 512 WAS PRESENTED IN A SERVICE HELD IN THE AUDITORIUM OF THE ORIGINAL MADISON HIGH SCHOOL BUILDING IN LATE MARCH OF THE YEAR 1947. THE DATE ON THE CHARTER IS MARCH 3, 1947 AND WAS PRESENTED TO COMMANDER ELIJAH MARSHALL BY COMMANDER C.Q. WRIGHT OF POST NO. 30 .