This 6-inch-shell from World War II was manufactured in the Butler Shell Shop. The shell would have been used by the Navy during the war.

CHICORA — Walking up the dark, drafty stairwell of the American Legion Post 642 museum, visitors may feel a chill come over them.

The musty smell of uniforms and faded pictures mirror the image of the times, hinting at the dedication and determination of soldiers who risked their lives for their country.

Those memories are on display at the museum, which opened in August 1996.

The museum is on the second floor of the Legion on Main Street.Joe Roudebush, 69, of Chicora said the members spent hundreds of hours refurbishing the old building. Everything from the memorabilia to the carpet was donated. And they still had to put in electricity and a furnace.Roudebush said the museum is home to the tombstone of Frank Mills, a Civil War Congressional Medal of Honor recipient; a 6-inch shell made at Butler Shell Shop, which would have been used on a Navy ship during World War II, and a 15-star flag from the War of 1812. The museum also has a World War II Japanese flag and a handkerchief from Nazi Germany. Roudebush said even though there are some rare items in the museum, their most prized possessions are their photographs."Some of these pictures from over the years are what I'm amazed with,"Roudebush said. "Some of these men are deceased now, and when you look at them, it just makes you feel sad."<BR></BR><BR></BR>

Through the years, more than 1,000 people have visited the museum. Some people move away and visit when they come back. Other residents like to bring their grandchildren.Students also visit the museum every year, he said."Kids don't realize what World War II was,"Roudebush said. "They can't realize the sacrifices that we made. We try to promote to the kids what their grandparents sacrificed to keep this country free."Al Dunlap, 82, of Chicora was the commander when the museum opened. He said before World War II, the building was occupied by a National Rifle Association shooting range. The post was founded in 1930, and members paid for the building by holding penny bingo.Today, the Legion has two fundraisers per year. For Veterans Day, it raffles off 25 turkeys, and for Memorial Day it sells tickets for prize drawings. Legionnaires also visit schools the week before Veterans Day to talk to students.Dunlap said all of the memorabilia in the museum was donated. However, the museum doesn't always get to keep everything that was given to them, he said."We used to have a lot more stuff in the museum, but when people die, their families sometimes ask for their stuff back,"he said.<BR></BR><BR></BR>

The Legion has about 140 members, but it has been on the decline in recent years."New membership is rare, but we do have a few new members,"Dunlap said. "It's not continuous and without a liquor license, you don't get many new ones."Roudebush said as long as the members are willing to keep going, the Legion is in Chicora to stay.He said he enjoys having people visit the museum to learn about the history and share his stories with."Each item in there means something to somebody,"Roudebush said. "You have to take your time and look through everything."

A World War II Marine corporal's uniform is on display in American Legion Post 642's museum in Chicora.

Past post commander Alfred Dunlap, 82, an Army veteran of World War II, stands next to a uniform from that conflict. The American Legion post in Chicora houses many artifacts from that war.

Past post commander Joe Roudebush, 70, looks over photographs from various Legion activities. Roudebush is an Army veteran of the Korean War. In addition to the photographs, various artifacts like uniforms, medals and even artillery shells fill the halls of the post's museum.