On August 15, 1945, after nearly four years of war in the Pacific, Imperial Japan announced its surrender. American Legion Post 38 in Floresville, Texas, marks the 81st anniversary of that Victory over Japan — V-J Day — as both a historical milestone and a living duty to remember those who served.
The war in Europe had ended in May. In the Pacific, fighting continued through the summer of 1945. On August 6 and 9, atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The Soviet Union entered the war against Japan. On August 15 — August 14 in the United States, across the International Date Line — Emperor Hirohito announced acceptance of the Allied terms. President Harry S. Truman told the nation the war was over. Formal surrender was signed on September 2, 1945, aboard the battleship USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay. World War II, the deadliest conflict in human history, had ended.
Americans poured into streets and town squares. In Wilson County, as in towns across Texas, families waited for telegrams, for ships, and for sons and daughters who had been gone for years. The American Legion, already more than a quarter-century old, opened its doors to a new generation of veterans — men and women who would raise families, build Posts, and teach what the war had cost.
Post 38 will not invent local World War II names for this page. Many of that generation have passed. Their example has not. Veterans of Korea, Vietnam, the Persian Gulf, Afghanistan, Iraq, and later operations sit in our Hall. They know, as the World War II generation knew, that victory is not the end of the story. Coming home, caring for the wounded, and teaching history to the young are work that never clocks out.
That teaching is part of Post life in Floresville. Scout Troop 114 meets at the Hall every Sunday from 4 to 5 p.m. Flag education, respect for the colors, and the story of those who served are not extras; they are the point. Our second-Thursday General Membership Meetings and third-Thursday Veteran's Tailgates give Wilson County veterans a place to belong. The flag collection box at 1412 4th Street offers neighbors a dignified way to retire worn flags — a small civic act that ties this generation to the one that came home in 1945.
Eighty-one years on, V-J Day asks more of us than a date on a calendar. It asks that we keep faith with those who fought across the Pacific and with every veteran who has worn the uniform since. We encourage members to share family stories of the war's end, to bring a younger relative to a meeting or tailgate, and to visit txlegion38.org for Post news. The guns of 1945 fell silent. The duty to remember did not.
After the surrender, millions of Americans came home to towns like Floresville. The American Legion's doors opened to that generation, and they have not closed.
Post 38 – Preserving the Memory of Victory and the Cost of Peace.
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On August 15, 1945, after nearly four years of war in the Pacific, Imperial Japan announced its surrender. American Legion Post 38 in Floresville, Texas, marks the 81st anniversary of that Victory over Japan — V-J Day — as both a historical milestone and a living duty to remember those who served.
The war in Europe had ended in May. In the Pacific, fighting continued through the summer of 1945. On August 6 and 9, atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The Soviet Union entered the war against Japan. On August 15 — August 14 in the United States, across the International Date Line — Emperor Hirohito announced acceptance of the Allied terms. President Harry S. Truman told the nation the war was over. Formal surrender was signed on September 2, 1945, aboard the battleship USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay. World War II, the deadliest conflict in human history, had ended.
Americans poured into streets and town squares. In Wilson County, as in towns across Texas, families waited for telegrams, for ships, and for sons and daughters who had been gone for years. The American Legion, already more than a quarter-century old, opened its doors to a new generation of veterans — men and women who would raise families, build Posts, and teach what the war had cost.
Post 38 will not invent local World War II names for this page. Many of that generation have passed. Their example has not. Veterans of Korea, Vietnam, the Persian Gulf, Afghanistan, Iraq, and later operations sit in our Hall. They know, as the World War II generation knew, that victory is not the end of the story. Coming home, caring for the wounded, and teaching history to the young are work that never clocks out.
That teaching is part of Post life in Floresville. Scout Troop 114 meets at the Hall every Sunday from 4 to 5 p.m. Flag education, respect for the colors, and the story of those who served are not extras; they are the point. Our second-Thursday General Membership Meetings and third-Thursday Veteran's Tailgates give Wilson County veterans a place to belong. The flag collection box at 1412 4th Street offers neighbors a dignified way to retire worn flags — a small civic act that ties this generation to the one that came home in 1945.
Eighty-one years on, V-J Day asks more of us than a date on a calendar. It asks that we keep faith with those who fought across the Pacific and with every veteran who has worn the uniform since. We encourage members to share family stories of the war's end, to bring a younger relative to a meeting or tailgate, and to visit txlegion38.org for Post news. The guns of 1945 fell silent. The duty to remember did not.
After the surrender, millions of Americans came home to towns like Floresville. The American Legion's doors opened to that generation, and they have not closed.
Post 38 – Preserving the Memory of Victory and the Cost of Peace.
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- Written by: Johnathon Farrell
- Category: News
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On August 7, American Legion Post 38 in Floresville, Texas, joins the Legion Family nationwide in observing Purple Heart Day, the anniversary of the Badge of Military Merit. General George Washington established that badge on August 7, 1782, at his headquarters in Newburgh, New York — a purple, heart-shaped piece of cloth or silk, edged with narrow lace, worn over the left breast. It was among the first American decorations open to enlisted soldiers as well as officers.
Washington meant the badge to honor unusual gallantry, extraordinary fidelity, and essential service. After the Revolution it fell into disuse. In 1932, on the 200th anniversary of Washington's birth, the War Department revived the decoration as the Purple Heart, with Washington's profile at its center. The criteria were later refined so that the medal is awarded to those wounded or killed by enemy action, and to those who suffer as prisoners of war.
Only three soldiers of the Revolutionary War are known to have received Washington's Badge of Military Merit: Sgts. Elijah Churchill, William Brown, and Daniel Bissell. The original cloth heart was worn over the left breast. Today the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor in New Windsor, New York — a short distance from Washington's Newburgh headquarters — keeps the names and stories of those who have earned the modern medal.
The Purple Heart is not a campaign ribbon and not a mark of longevity. It records a wound received in action against an enemy of the United States, or death from such a wound. It has been awarded across every service and every conflict from the First World War to the present. Oak leaf clusters or gold stars mark additional awards. That is why the medal sits at the center of Purple Heart Day: it is a public accounting of what war costs a human body.
Post 38 does not publish a roster of members who have earned the Purple Heart, and we will not invent names here. We know, all the same, that among the Legion Family in Floresville and Wilson County are men and women who wear the medal and many more whose households have been reshaped by a wound, a recovery, or a loss. Purple Heart Day belongs to them, and to the families who learned the long work of care.
The American Legion was founded by veterans of the First World War. That charge continues at 1412 4th Street. When we gather for General Membership Meetings on the second Thursday of each month from 7 to 9 p.m., and when we welcome veterans to Tailgates on the third Thursday from 6:30 to 8 p.m., we do more than share a meal. A Buddy Check — a call, a visit, a simple question honestly asked — is one of the most practical honors we can pay to those who came home wounded in body or in spirit.
We encourage members and neighbors to make this observance useful. Bring a worn flag to the collection box at the Hall. Look in on a veteran you have not seen at a meeting. Share the story of the Badge of Military Merit with the Scouts of Troop 114, who meet at the Hall each Sunday from 4 to 5 p.m. Visit txlegion38.org for Post news. If you or a veteran you know is in crisis, dial 988 and press 1 for the Veterans Crisis Line.
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Plus Tips for Beating the Texas Heat
In the ongoing fight against veteran suicide, American Legion Post 38 in Floresville, Texas, emphasizes the simple but powerful practice of the Buddy Check. This straightforward act of reaching out to a fellow veteran — asking "How are you doing?" and truly listening — can save lives. As part of the American Legion's Be the One initiative, the Buddy Check reminds us that no veteran should ever feel alone in their struggles.
Veterans often face unique challenges including transition stress, chronic pain, PTSD, and the lingering effects of service. The Buddy Check creates opportunities for early intervention and connection to resources. A quick phone call, a visit to a tailgate, or a conversation at a monthly meeting can make all the difference. Post 38 encourages every member to make Buddy Checks a regular habit, especially during the summer months when isolation can increase due to heat or travel.
If you or a veteran you know is in crisis, contact the Veterans Crisis Line: dial 988, then press 1, or text 838255. Support is available 24/7. Post 38 also stands ready to connect veterans with local support through our meetings, tailgates, and partnerships.
Staying Safe in the Texas Heat
Texas summers bring intense heat that can be particularly dangerous for veterans, many of whom are older or manage service-related health conditions. Here are practical tips to beat the heat while staying active and connected:
- Hydrate proactively — Drink plenty of water throughout the day, even if you don't feel thirsty. Avoid excessive caffeine or alcohol, which can dehydrate you.
- Stay in the shade or air conditioning during the hottest parts of the day (typically 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.). Post 38's Hall and events offer cool gathering spots.
- Dress appropriately — Wear lightweight, loose-fitting, light-colored clothing and a wide-brimmed hat.
- Recognize warning signs of heat exhaustion (heavy sweating, dizziness, nausea, weakness) and heat stroke (confusion, hot dry skin, rapid pulse). Move to a cooler place, loosen clothing, and seek medical help immediately if symptoms worsen.
- Check on buddies — Use your Buddy Check to also ask about heat safety. Elderly veterans or those with heart/lung conditions are at higher risk.
By combining the Buddy Check with smart heat safety practices, Post 38 members can look out for one another and enjoy the summer while protecting health and well-being. Our monthly tailgates and meetings provide perfect opportunities to connect safely indoors or during cooler evening hours.
Post 38 – Be the One for Your Buddy and Stay Safe in the Texas Heat.
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Post 38 Supports Comprehensive Benefits Package for Veterans
American Legion Post 38 in Floresville, Texas, is closely following and strongly supporting major veterans' benefits legislation currently advancing in Congress — the Take Care of America's Veterans Act (H.R. 9237 / S. 4744). This comprehensive bipartisan package combines more than 60 individual bills addressing critical needs in benefits, healthcare, caregiver support, education, and survivor programs. It represents a significant opportunity to deliver long-overdue improvements for veterans, families, and caregivers across the nation, including right here in Wilson County.
Key provisions in the package include the Major Richard Star Act, which would finally allow combat-injured veterans receiving VA disability compensation to also receive their full military retired pay without offset — ending a long-standing inequity for those who sacrificed the most. The legislation also incorporates the Sharri Briley and Eric Edmundson Veterans Benefits Expansion Act, providing meaningful increases for catastrophically disabled veterans needing aid and attendance and boosting Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) for surviving Gold Star families.
Additional measures focus on expanding mental health and substance abuse services, improving access to care in rural and urban areas, strengthening caregiver support programs, enhancing transition assistance, and addressing other priority issues identified by veterans service organizations. The American Legion and a broad coalition of VSOs have voiced strong support, viewing the bill as a practical path forward to deliver results for veterans while protecting and expanding essential benefits.
Post 38 recognizes that strong advocacy at the national level directly impacts local veterans. Many of our members and their families stand to benefit from these reforms, whether through improved compensation for severe disabilities, better support for caregivers who sacrifice careers to provide in-home care, or enhanced resources for mental health. We encourage all Post members, veterans, and community supporters to contact their representatives in Congress to urge swift passage of this important package.
The American Legion has long championed these issues through resolutions and direct advocacy. By combining multiple bipartisan priorities into one comprehensive bill, the Take Care of America's Veterans Act offers the best chance to achieve meaningful progress this session. Post 38 will continue monitoring developments and keeping our members informed through meetings, tailgates, and future newsletter updates.
For more details on the legislation or how to contact your elected officials, visit txlegion38.org or the national American Legion website. Together, we can help ensure that promises made to those who served are promises kept.
Post 38 – Advocating for Stronger Veterans Benefits Today and Tomorrow.
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