L-R Steven Moriyama Post 814, Michael Flannagna-Cdr. SAL Squadron 184, Kenneth Scruggs - Cdr. Post 184, Ralph Scott - Post 184, Howard Hermes-Past Cdr. Post 184, Darryl Staab- Vice Cdr. Post 184, Dean Willey- Exec. Committee Post 184, Christopher Meyers - Post 1000. [click on image for higher res]
Members honored Redondo Beach resident at the 2009 June General Meeting for his 60 years of membership in the American Legion. Ralph joined the Legion in 1949 after serving in the US Navy. His WW 2 duties included a tour of the South Pacific aboard the Mine Warfare Vessel YMS-283. His 60 years membership include Pacific Palisades Post 283, and Smith River American Legion Post 712 . He joined Post 184 in 1986.
Comrade Scott joined the SAL's [Sons of American Legion] in 1933 at the age of 13 and served as State Captain 1940-41. He was on the American Legion District 4 Drill Team and won the Drill Team competition at the 1941 San Francisco State Convention.
Although joining the American Legion was a watershed moment for Legionnaires a few other notable events worth mentioning occurred during 1949.
•Twelve nations sign the North Atlantic Treaty establishing NATO (Apr. 4).
•German Federal Republic (West Germany) established (Sept. 21).
•Communist People's Republic of China formally proclaimed by Chairman Mao Zedong (Oct. 1).
•Britain recognizes the independence of the Republic of Ireland. Northern Ireland remains a part of the United Kingdom.
•US GDP (1998 dollars): $267.8 billion•Federal spending: $38.84 billion
•Federal debt: $252.6 billion
•Dow Jones High/Low: 200/161
•Consumer Price Index: 23.8
•Unemployment: 3.8%
•Cost of a first-class stamp: $0.03
•Sam Snead wins The Masters and the PGA Championship. At The Masters, Snead is the first champion to wear the now-traditional green jacket.
•Cary Middlecoff wins five times on the PGA Tour, including the U.S. Open.
•World Series
NY Yankees d. Brooklyn Dodgers (4-1)
•NBA Championship
Minneapolis Lakers d. Washington Capitols (4-2)
•Stanley Cup
Toronto d. Detroit (4-0)
•Wimbledon
Women: Louise Brough d. M. duPont (10-8 1-6 10-8)
Men: Ted Schroeder d. J. Drobny (3-6 6-0 6-3 4-6 6-4)
•Kentucky Derby Champion
Ponder
•NCAA Basketball Championship
Kentucky d. Oklahoma A&M (46-36)
•NCAA Football Champions
Notre Dame (10-0-0)
•The first Emmy Awards are handed out on January 25, with Pantomime Quiz Time earning top honor as the Most Popular Television Program.
•Cable television debuts, bringing better reception to rural areas where the conventional television signal is weak.
•Milton Berle hosts the first telethon, which benefits cancer research.
•45 rpm records are sold in the US