POST HISTORY

  William H. Lansing was the first soldier from Waunakee to lose his life in actual Battle.

  William Lansing was born in Madison, Wisconsin, on July 16, 1894. Due to the death of his mother, he came to Waunakee at the age of three, to live with his grandparents, Mr and Mrs. Carl Wilke.

  William lived in the community until he was called to service in the April Draft, 1918. He actually reported for duty on May 26, to Camp Grant, Illinois, and then on to Camp Custer, Michigan, and finally to Camp Mills, Long Island, New York, where he entered the 337th Infantry, 32nd Division. This unit embarked at  Hoboken, New Jersey, July 13, 1918, and arrived in Liverpool, England, on July 26. Here Lansing was transferred to the 7th Infantry of the 3rd Division and was sent to a training camp called Gondre Court.

  On September 7, he was moved up to the St.Michael front for three days of fighting in the big drive, and then moved to Verdun Woods, where he took part in the Argonne offensive on September 26. He stayed in this sector and saw active fighting until October 20, when he lost his life under heavy shell fire. He was in active service seven months and was buried in Romange Cemetery, which is the largest American Cemetery in France.

  In his honor, American Legion Post 360 is called the William Lansing Post.

  The American Legion, William Lansing Post 360, Waunakee, was organized on October 26, 1933.

  A few Veterans of the community, who were members of the Middleton American Legion Post, created the necessary spark of interest among the rest of the veterans to form a Post in Waunakee.

  Allen Burr called a meeting in the old Village Hall where sixteen men signed the application for a temporary Charter.

  District Officers, Clayton and Spencer, conducted the meeting and the following officers were elected:

                                          Commander - A.R. Burr

                  1st Vice Commander - John Klingelhofer

                  Jr. Vice Commander - Martin Corcoran, Jr

Adjutant - Joseph prohaska

Finance Officer - Nick Hauser

Chaplain - Francis Gilles

Athletic Officer - O.A. Otteson

Historian - Ray Hohlstein

Sergeant-at-Arms - George Manthey

  Lyle T. Beggs installed these officers on January 16, 1934, at a public meeting held in the Men's Club auditorium.

  On October 18, 1934, a permanent charter was granted to the Post; the membership had increased to 31. In 1971 membership reached 181 and today membership is nearing 300.

  The Post was called William Lansing Post, in honor of William Lansing, the first Soldier from Waunakee to lose his life in actual  battle.