Sons of the American Legion - Squadron 62, Colebrook, NH

06/06/2026

Remembering those who fought to preserve the spirit of freedom around the world…

05/25/2026

Remembering all that paid the ultimate price.

05/25/2026

Colebrook's Memorial Day Parade kicks off at 11am. Bring an umbrella...

05/18/2026

Join us on Monday as we Salute our Veterans who died in Service for their Country!

04/17/2026

Join us next Saturday and find out what the American Legion Post is about...

04/03/2026

For all of our Vietnam Veterans, here is a wonderful event taking place locally, Gilman VT is just across the river from Dalton, NH, in a very historic location.

03/01/2026

With deep sorrow and heavy hearts that we mourn the passing of Donald M. McPherson, the last surviving American fighter ace of WWII, who has taken his final flight at the age of 103. With his passing, a living bridge to the greatest aerial conflict in human history has been closes.🕊️🇺🇸✈️

He was born in Adams, Nebraska, and would go on to live 103 years, a lifespan that bridged the era of piston-engine dogfights to the jet age. McPherson enlisted in the U.S. Navy on January 5, 1943 after the service waived its two-year college requirement for aviation cadets. He earned his pilot wings and was commissioned as an ensign on August 12, 1944, at Corpus Christi, Texas.

He was assigned to Fighter Squadron 83 (VF-83), flying Grumman F6F Hellcat fighters aboard the aircraft carrier USS Essex.

In 1945, a young McPherson climbed into the cockpit of his Hellcat on the deck of the Essex. He wasn’t chasing glory—just a kid from Nebraska doing his duty. But in the crucible of the Battle of Okinawa, he proved himself among the Navy’s most skilled and determined fighter pilots.

In the span of just a few months, he recorded five confirmed aerial victories, officially earning the title of "Ace." An “ace” in military aviation is a pilot credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft in aerial combat. On one single, chaotic day—May 4, 1945—he downed multiple Japanese aircraft, cemented his place in history, and earned the first of three Distinguished Flying Crosses.

At 102 years old, Don did the unthinkable: he climbed back into a Hellcat. Strapped into the seat of a restored bird in 2024, he felt the rumble of the engine one last time. When asked about his survival during the war—specifically a time he returned to the carrier with a bullet hole in his seat—he simply said, "Maybe God is not done with me."

Today, we mourn not only a hero, but the final living echo of a generation forged in sacrifice. His wings are folded. His watch is over. His final flight complete.

You will never be forgotten.

03/01/2026

01/29/2026

01/29/2026