Clinton, MN Legionnaire Among First American Legion Members

Clinton, MN

The late Mansford Wennblom, right, was the seventh name on the list of the original list of American Legion members according to records. A longtime member of the Campbell-Williams American Legion Post of Clinton, Minnesota, was stationed in France in March 1919 and was in attendance at the historic Paris Caucus. He also attended the first Convention of the American Legion in Minneapolis in 1919. In the attached photo he is pictured with Donald Williams many years ago at a Memorial Day service in Clinton. Donald Williams, 86, pictured at the left, just passed away March 7, 2013 in Clinton. He was a member and longtime adjutant of the Campbell-Williams Legion Pos 258, and a brother of the WWII veteran for whom the Post is named. The picture and story are submitted to this site by David E. Torgerson, Past Commander of the Campbell-Williams Post, Clinton, MN.

THE AMERICAN LEGION was organized as the result of a meeting of U.S. troops still stationed in France in March 1919 at the conclusion of World War I. Their meeting, held to boost morale, turned into the historic Paris Caucus that established the framework for what would become The American Legion. One of the soldiers at that first assembly in Paris was the late Manford Wennblom of Clinton. He is pictured above with Don Williams of Clinton at a Memorial Day Program in Clinton several years ago. Manford also attended the first Convention of the American Legion in Minneapolis in 1919. His name was the seventh name on the original list of members. Manford was the father of the late Robert Wennblom of Graceville. Manford and his wife, Ida, were very loyal members of the Campbell-Williams American Legion Post and Auxiliary.

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