Post History
A charter member of Post 5, Victor Hungerford, attended the Paris Caucus in March 1919, the meetings at which the American Legion was formed. Victor had been ordered to attend and was put on the convention committee in the U.S. after the troops had returned from “Over There”. John Carruthers was chosen to be the acting commander of Post 5 while waiting on the charter from national and became the first official commander on August 7, 1919. Post 5 kept its charter rolls open until November 11, 1919, ending up with 413 members. The first couple of years’ meetings were held at the Soldiers and Sailors Club at 18 E. Bijou St. On its first anniversary, Post 5 was presented with the U.S. Flag that Colorado’s National Guard Battery C from Colorado Springs flew while the unit was in France during the Great War.
By their fourth year, Post 5 decided they needed their own building. After a couple of hot meetings, the membership voted to build a place like the War Huts they saw in England. Construction started in October 1923, and the “Hut” opened its doors two months later. In 1927, the Post 5 Hut got expanded, and then again in 1955. Many people might think an American Legion building is just floors, walls, and ceilings, but, in truth, these buildings help veterans feel at home. Starting early on, the members of Post 5 wanted to show they would carry on the memories of the fallen in WWI. Colorado Springs pledged to place their names on the door frames of City Council, but that never came to be. So, to help Gold Star families, Post 5 organized the effort to plant trees at Boulder Park. They also halted the effort to change the city auditorium into a Memorial Hall, reasoning that so many different acts may be highlighted that might not properly honor fallen veterans. In 1968, Post 5 led the charge to build the Veterans Memorial (not to be called a War Memorial) in Memorial Park. Post 5 also paid for and continues to maintain the flagpole at the Memorial.
Post 5 began advocating for a strong national defense by working to get Camp Carson, Ent Air Force Base, Peterson Air Force Base, and the Air Force Academy located in Colorado Springs. Members such as H. Chase Stone, J.D. Ackerman, and Douglas Jardine were leaders in the effort to bring these military bases to the area.
Since its beginning, the Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo was greatly helped by Post 5’s efforts. In the Rodeo’s second year, Post 5 began its efforts in sponsorship and promotion. Now, post members volunteer as ushers and ticket takers, helping the Rodeo raise funds for military and veteran causes. In addition to the Rodeo, Post 5 has helped The Grand Army of the Republic, Disabled American Veterans, the VFW, and the Colorado Freedom Memorial in this region.
Leading up to its centennial anniversary in 2019, American Legion Post 5 celebrated the milestone by hosting many community events. From the unveiling of the USPS World War I commemorative stamp to renaming the Post as PFC Floyd K. Lindstrom Post No. 5 in honor of the only person to date from Colorado Springs to receive the Medal of Honor. Since 2008, Post 5’s membership has been working hard to preserve and honor PFC Lindstrom’s memory.