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Thomas Crago: Remembering Carmichaels native, first VFW commander

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Congress chartered the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States in 1936, but the beginning of the organization dates back even earlier.

According to VFW Post 12024’s website, based in Texas, veterans of the Spanish-American and the Philippine Wars organized the American Veterans of Foreign Service in Ohio and the National Society of the Army of the Philippines in Colorado to support veterans.

The year was 1899.

In 1914, the two agencies came together to create the VFW organization we know today. The name VFW was decided during the first Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States convention, which took place in Pittsburgh. That same year, the first VFW commander in chief was elected: Thomas Crago, a U.S. congressman from Pennsylvania, who served on the floor as Republican intermittently from 1911 to 1924.

Crago, according to his U.S. Congress biography page, was born in Carmichaels on Aug. 8, 1966. He attended Greene Academy and Waynesburg College, before going to Princeton College to study law. In 1894, he was admitted to the Greene County Bar Association and started practicing law.

According to local U.S. Navy veteran Rick Black, Crago lived for many years on the corner of West Franklin and North West streets. The congressman died in Waynesburg on Sept. 12, 1925, and is buried not far from his former home at Green Mount Cemetery.

During his military career, Crago was captain of Company K in the 10th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry in the Spanish-American War and the Philippine Insurrection. He also helped reorganize the Pennsylvania National Guard after the war. Crago held the titles of major and lieutenant colonel of the 10th Infantry.

According to VFW Post 12024’s website, the commander in chief was responsible for a great VFW victory: He authored and defended a pension bill that provided benefits for widows of Spanish War veterans.

“Through Crago and others like him, the organization learned how and when to apply its influence to gain the legislation necessary to accomplish its goals,” the VFW’s website reads.

This year marks 120 years since the agencies that would later join to form the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States were created. To celebrate the occasion, VFW posts in Greene County are hosting events during National VFW Day: Sept. 29.

Post 3491, 500 W. George St. in Carmichaels, will have a district meeting at 2 p.m. According to Cmdr. Skip Black, all District 24 VFW posts will be present at the afternoon event. For more information, call 724-966-5965.

At 5 p.m., a ceremony will take place at Post 4739, 445 E. Lincoln St. in Waynesburg. Former Pennsylvania State Cmdr. Thomas Hanzes will be present at the event, which will be followed by a dinner. Call 724-627-3720 for details.

Post 6303, 110 Diamond St. in Greensboro, won’t have any events on Sept. 29. However, the VFW Post is having a cornhole tournament on Saturday, Sept. 28. Registration starts at noon and costs $20 for a team.

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