Our Post was listed as "American Legion – Ira Cochran – Post 82 – Ellijay, GA" by the American Legion on January 23rd, 1968. Post 82's name-sake is "Private Ira Cochran." It is believed that Private Cochran was the first soldier from Gilmer County to die for his Country during WWI. He was killed in action on May 22,1918. He was just 17 years, 9 months and 18 days old. We honor him, and all Veteran
s who give their life for our Country. In contrast to other veterans organizations, the Legion offers a number of local programs and activities to strengthen its commitment to our nation’s grass roots and the people we serve. American Legion Baseball is one of the nation’s most successful amateur athletic programs; it continues to educate youths on the importance of sportsmanship and develops the quality of our country’s citizenship. The Heroes to Hometowns program is the only nationwide reintegration assistance service for wounded veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan. Additionally, millions of dollars in donations have been given to fellow veterans and their families in times of grief, and various scholarship opportunities ensure the future success of our youth.
