Doylestown VFW Celebrates 80th Anniversary

At the July regular monthly meeting recently, Doylestown Post 175 Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States celebrated its 80th anniversary. 

A small celebration was held for the attending members and included newly elected commander, Jim McComb and past commanders, Richard Scott and Matt Fisher.  

Matt currently serves as the Post Quartermaster and Rich was the driving force in spearheading the erection of the Global War on Terror Monument which stands in the Doylestown Courtyard and was dedicated in May of this year (2014).  Many thanks go to Mac Taws for coordinating the food for tonight’s celebration. 

Members of Post 175 include those who have participated in all conflicts from World War II to the present day. All of the armed forces are represented and some members are in their 90s. Some members are still on active duty. Ranks from enlisted to Colonel are represented. Membership stands at over 150.

The objectives of the organization include:

Ensuring the national security through maximum military strength.

Speeding the rehabilitation of the nation's disabled and needy veterans.

Assisting the widows and orphans and the dependents of disabled and needy veterans.

Promoting Americanism through education in patriotism and constructive service to the communities in which we live.

The VFW in Doylestown not only helps Veterans and their families but has also financially helped:

Bucks County Association of the Blind and Visually Impaired

The Arthritis Foundation

Delaware Valley Historical Aircraft Association

Patches Kids Inc.

Diabetes Fund

Toys for Tots

Have a Heart Foundation

Plumstead Township Community Care Fund

Doylestown 5K Run

Bucks for Kids

Bucks County 4H

Liberty Bell Squadron - Sea Cadets

Young Marines

Intelligencer Give-A-Christmas

Kim Long Orphanage - Hue, Vietnam (a post about this orphanage will be made in the near future)

Coatesville Fire Victims

Socks for Soldiers

And many more

So as you can see, the Doylestown of Foreign Wars Post 175 is not just a group of Veterans sitting around a bar telling war stories. Our members attend and participate in many community functions. We can be seen at schools around Veterans' Day talking to the children and sharing experiences, answering questions and just putting a face to what they have read about or seen on television. Our group also promotes awareness in the schools by promoting and supporting annual essay contests and also providing a scholarship to one member of each Central Bucks East and Central Bucks West High School. Post 175 has supported a teacher of the year award and in one case had a Holicong Middle school teacher named National teacher of the year.

Members also can be seen distributing poppies, standing outside during the warm spring days of May and the cold late fall days of November to collect funds to be used totally for our Veterans. 

The post was chartered on July 1, 1934. It is a non-profit service organization supporting the community, veterans and their families. The main objectives of the VFW are “to be fraternal, patriotic, historical and educational; to preserve and strengthen comradeship among its members; to assist worthy comrades; to perpetuate the memory and history of our dead and to assist their widows and orphans.”

The fundamental differences between the VFW and other veterans' organizations are its eligibility qualifications. There are three primary requisites for membership in the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States: (1) Citizenship, (2) Honorable service in the Armed Forces of the United States, (3) Service entitling the applicant to the award of a recognized campaign medal. The membership of Doylestown Post 175 includes veterans of all conflicts from World War II through today’s conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The VFW depends on community support through poppy sales throughout the year.  Members collect funds at various locations throughout Central Bucks County. Funds collected through poppy sales are used only for veterans or their memory including: Semper Fi Families, Operation Uplink, the Bucks County Veterans Van, The Bucks County Global War on Terrorism Memorial and many others. Other support has gone to sponsoring the Doylestown Memorial Day Parade, replacing flags at local cemeteries for Memorial Day and local Scout troops. It has also supported an orphanage in Vietnam and the Central Bucks High School East Wall of Honor.  Recently the Post has undertaken an active role in visiting fellow veterans in nursing homes and rehabilitation centers.  The service of these older veterans should never be forgotten.

Educational activities are also supported through the Voice of Democracy and Patriots Pen annual essay contests. These contests are held each fall and all Central Bucks schools grades 6-12 are urged to participate.  All area schools as well as those in home school and charter school programs are urged to participate.

The motto of the Veterans of Foreign Wars is “Honor the dead by helping the living” and Doylestown Post 175 has been doing just that since 1934. From school programs to supporting veterans and our community Post 175 has no peer.

Membership information can be found at www.dtownpost175.org.

The current commander is Jim McComb and he can be reached at:

PO Box 1533, Doylestown, PA 18901

267 247 6431 or by e-mail at vfwpost175@verizon.net