The Rollo-Calcaterra American Legion Post 15 of St. Louis, Missouri has reached a significant goal of preserving a vital piece of St. Louis history. In the early 1920’s, at the same time that Post 15 was being formed, the Gold Star Mothers of St. Louis were creating a memorial to honor the sons and daughters of St. Louis who had lost their lives serving their country in World War I. The Memorial included 1185 bronze plaques that were then set into the boulevard of Kingshighway with sycamore trees planted by the City of St. Louis. In the 1980’s, significant changes were made to Kingshighway and the bronze plaques were in jeopardy of being thrown away.

Rollo-Calcaterra American Legion Post 15 saved 752 of the bronze plaques and documented those that were lost forever. Since that time, the Post has had a single mission to find an appropriate home for the plaques and, as of September 30, 2012, their mission has been fulfilled. That Sunday, which was also National Gold Star Mothers’ Day, is the day the WWI Court of Honor Memorial was officially dedicated at the Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis, Missouri.