American Legion Post #1

Front: This post, organized in May 1919 and chartered by national headquarters in June 1919, was the first American Legion post in S.C. Florence County veterans J.D. Smyser, R.B. Fulton, and N.S. Lachicotte represented S.C. at the first national caucus. The American Legion of S.C. held its first state caucus in Florence in July 1919. A monument to Florence County WWI veterans was erected here in 1928. Reverse: American Legion Post #1 is named for 2nd Lieutenant Fred H. Sexton (1890-1918), killed in France in World War I. Sexton, a native of Union, moved to Florence in 1911. He enlisted in the S.C. National Guard and was promoted to 2nd lt., 113th Infantry, 29th Division, in 1918. He was killed in the Meuse-Argonne in Oct. 1918 and posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, the second highest American military honor.