POST NO. 10256

 

Forty three (43) veterans having served honorably in the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, or Air Force, of the United States of America, were authorized to organize and constitute a Post in the City of Goose Creek in the State of South Carolina to be known as the Goose Creek Post No. 10256, Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States.  The National Commander-in-Chief and the Adjutant-General set their hands and the official seal of the association to the Charter of Post 10256 on the 23rd day of February 1972.

 

The Charter Members, and those who followed, met in various homes in Berkeley County until the early 80's when a rental property was located. The location was formerly a gas station and "mom and pop" store owned by the Rozier family in Strawberry Community on Old Highway 52 next to Whispering Pines Memorial Gardens.  The Post members decided it would satisfy the requirements of a Post Home.  For about a decade, Post members and Ladies Auxiliary members met, conducted VFW business, and socialized at the "Strawberry Post".

 

Whispering Pines Memorial Gardens became the site for the Post's annual Memorial Day Service which is still being used for that purpose to this day. 

 

After a number of  years at the Strawberry Community location, Post 10256 moved to its present location at 104 Stephanie Drive in the Beverly Hills sub-division of Goose Creek in July of 1992.  The official Grand Opening of our new Post Home was held in November 1992 with a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony.  Cutting the ribbon on a rainy evening were Berkeley County Supervisor Jim Rozier, South Carolina Representative Henry H. Brown, Jr., now a United States Representative, and Post Commander Gerald T. Pothier. 

 

Post 10256 has 333 members, over 70% of whom are Life Members. 

 

 

LADIES AUXILIARY

 

In 1979 the comrades of Post 10256 at a regular meeting, by a two-thirds vote, approved the formation of a Ladies Auxiliary. 

 

Eighteen (18) women being the Mothers, Wives, Widows, Sisters, Daughters, Grandmothers, and Granddaughters of men who served in the Armed Forces of the United States entitling them to membership in the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States; and women members of the Armed Forces of the United States who had service entitling them to a campaign medal service badge, were authorized to organize and constitute an Auxiliary, to be known as Goose Creek Auxiliary of Post No.10256 stationed at Goose Creek, South Carolina. 

 

The Ladies Auxiliary Charter was signed on 30 January 1980 by the National Secretary and the National President of the Ladies Auxiliary to the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States.

 

 

Sons of the VFW

 

Sometime in the late 70s to early 80s a unit of the Sons of the Veterans of Foreign Wars was established and chartered in Post 10256.  The Sons of the VFW was meant for boys under sixteen (16) years of age.  It met with varying degrees of success probably due to the interest and time availability of the adult leader(s) and of the Sons themselves.  By the mid to late 80s the Sons of the VFW 10256 ceased to be a viable organization.  When the Post moved from the Strawberry location to the new Post Home in Goose Creek, an effort was made to reorganize the Sons of the VFW.  A Post member volunteered to be the adult leader of the Sons.  After less than a year the effort proved futile.  A serious lack of interest by both the adult leader and the Sons resulted in the Sons of the VFW 10256 going defunct.  Dates referred to, above, are estimates because no documentation of the unit can be found. 

 

 

Men's Auxiliary

 

In late 2003 the members of Post 10256 at a regular meeting, by a two-thirds vote, approved the formation of a Men's Auxiliary.  On 17 May 2004 a charter was signed by the South Carolina VFW State Commander and the State Adjutant authorizing the thirty-one (31) Charter Members to operate as a unit to be known as Men's Auxiliary to the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States Goose Creek Post 10256.