Post History
On November 5, 1930, the decision to organize an American Legion Post resulted from the conclusion of 16 local veterans that the American Legion was the representative Veterans' organization in this country.
FOUNDING MEMBERS
Ira Jerome Gehringer - (1896 – 1984) Ira Jerome “Jack” Gehringer was born in Chicago on July 18, 1896. He joined the US Army Air Service on February 20, 1918 and became a Sergeant First Class. He was discharged on March 21, 1919.
Jack and his wife, Frankie, moved into a home at 314 S. Hi-Lusi (Mount Prospect) in 1927. They had two children: Jack Jr. and Billie-Jean. Jack Jr. served in the Marines during World War II. Interestingly, the siblings married their spouses in a double ceremony at South Church in September 1946.
As a civilian, Jack worked as a building contractor and in the Electromotive Division of General Motors. His civilian work was important enough for him to receive a gas ration card during World War II. He also ran a repair shop for nearly 20 years. Over that time, he earned the nickname “Mr. Fix-It.”
Jack and Frankie were both very active in Mount Prospect organizations. Jack was an early member of Mount Prospect’s Chamber of Commerce and was a charter member of Mount Prospect’s American Legion Post 525. Newspaper accounts note that Jack was one of the key organizers of the post. He served as the post’s first Senior Vice Commander. Later in life he enjoyed painting with acrylics and even displayed his work in local art shows.
The American Legion was clearly important to the Gehringer family because the social columns in newspapers often report that the Gehringers were spending time with other American Legion couples and families. Frankie was involved in the American Legion Auxiliary, and often hosted meetings in their home on Hi-Lusi. She was also active in the Mount Prospect Woman’s Club and helped that organization establish the Mount Prospect Public Library in 1930. She served as a librarian before it became a tax-supported institution. In 1931, Frankie ran for a seat on the District 57 school board too.
Jack passed away on December 18, 1981 at the age of 84.
Raymond Wilfred Fenton
Wyman Lahtinen
Ernest M. Luckner
I.E. Besander - (1893 – 1951) Inge Emil Besander was born in Summitt, Michigan on October 30, 1893. He grew up in Marquette, Michigan and married Lydia Hartvigh there on December 26, 1921. Lydia was working as a nurse at the time of her marriage, and Inge was an accountant.
In 1929, Inge and Lydia moved their family to a home they built at 123 S. Albert Street in Mount Prospect. In the following years they added a garage and an enclosed porch. Together they had three children: Donald, Florence, and James.
Besander enlisted in the US Army on August 29, 1918. He served as a private in the 41st Field Artillery, Battery C until he was discharged on January 16, 1919.
After Besander’s time in the Army, he became a real estate agent for many years. Throughout the 1920s he worked for the H. Roy Berry Company and Busse Realty, which were both influential agencies in Mount Prospect at the time. In 1931 he opened his own real estate office on Northwest Highway.
Inge was elected as Mount Prospect’s third mayor in 1937, serving until 1945. He initiated many changes that modernized the Village, including combining the offices of Village collector, water collector, and treasurer, and starting a tax-supported garbage collection program. Building codes and zoning ordinances were reworked too. Importantly, Besander secured funds from the federal New Deal’s Works Progress Administration to pave streets.
Outside of Besander’s work, he was very active in local organizations, including the Lions Club, the Shriners, and the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1337. He was one of the founding members of American Legion Post 525. He and Robert Hilliard served as assistants to the post’s Service Officer, A. C. Wallentin.
Inge Besander passed away on February 21, 1951 at the age of 57. He was buried in Marquette, Michigan, where he had often returned to visit family.
Valentine F. Weber
R.E. Gray
Elmer C. Hauptly
Robert J. Hilliard
Stanley G. Kent - (1893 – 1963) Stanley George Kent was born on August 24, 1893. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy on April 6, 1917, and achieved the rank of Chief Yeoman before his honorable discharge on January 9, 1920.
Stanley married Rosine Leonhardt (1896 – 1975) some time after he returned from military service. They moved to 312 S. Wille Street in Mount Prospect, and Rosine’s brother, sister, and mother also lived with them.
During the 1930s Stanley worked as an accountant at a lumber company, and Rosine owned and operated Rosine’s Beauty Parlor. Newspaper social columns report that Rosine underwent a serious operation in 1933 and was ill in 1934. By 1935 Rosine and Stanley had moved to Park Ridge. Although their reasons for moving are unclear, it is possible that their decision may have been motivated by Rosine’s health issues. By 1940 the couple was living in Chicago, by 1942 they were living in Des Plaines, and they were back in Chicago by the 1950 census. Over those years Stanley was an auditor for a wholesale lumber company and an accountant at an orchestra hall.
Both Stanley and Rosine were active in the American Legion and American Legion Auxiliary, frequently hosting meetings in their home on Wille Street. Stanley was a charter member of Post 525 but initially did not serve on the executive board. In 1932 a newspaper article listed him as the contact person for new members, and in 1933 he was elected as the 9th District delegate.
Stanley was also active in the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1337. He was elected Junior Vice in 1931 and helped establish the clubhouse in the former Katz farmhouse at the corner of Elmhurst Avenue and Memory Lane.
Stanley passed away in December 1963 and is buried in Ridgewood Cemetery with Rosine.
Albert C. Haake
Paul J. Jonas
Joseph F. Bernhard
James N. Sime
A.C. Wallentin
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.
Patriotic Days
MEMORIAL DAY has always been an outstanding occasion in this community. In addition to memorial events throughout the Mount Prospect community, the goal of every Veteran to it's last man is to keep MEMORIAL DAY sacred to the memory of our war dead of all of the wars of the country; and all graves are decorated on this National Holiday.
ARMISTICE DAY, now called VETERANS' DAY, originally marked the end of fighting in World War I. It is an important holiday on the calendar of Legionnaires everywhere and in the hearts of all Veterans. It has been in Mount Prospect. Annually the Post sponsors Veterans Day activities for the local schools. An important tradition was established when the Post led in the memorial exercises at 11 o'clock on the morning of November 11, marking the exact hour of the cessation of hostility on the war fronts.
Grave Decoration
Since it's inception American Legion Post 525 has been a leader in this community in the area of grave decoration; Each year, active members place a flag on each American Legion and VFW members graves.
Scholarships and Community Projects
American LegionPost 525 sponsors various scholarships for the further education of our children. We also sponsor and financially assist many worthy community projects and programs initiated by the National American Legion.
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