Austin Reedy Post 97 American Legion honors Libby veterans
Judy Holzer, foreground, and Darlene Briggs, place flags on the graves of Libby residents who served in the U.S. Armed Forces Saturday afternoon at Libby Cemetery in preparation for Memorial Day. (Scott Shindledecker/The Western News)
Randy Dempewolf, left, and Jerry Berreman place flags on the graves of Libby residents who served in the U.S. Armed Forces Saturday afternoon at Libby Cemetery in preparation for Memorial Day. (Scott Shindledecker/The Western News)
Libby Unit 97 American Legion Ladies Auxiliary hosted a Memorial Day event Sunday honoring those who served in the U.S. Armed Forces and the 101st birthday of the “Angel” watching over the graves of its beloved veterans at the Libby Cemetery.
Saturday afternoon, members of the auxiliary and Austin Reedy Post 97 placed U.S. flags and flowers on veterans' graves.
Legion member Randy Dempewolf explained that Post 97 places 100 new vases at each veteran's grave annually for flowers to be placed in.
According to information on https://centennial.legion.org/montana/post97?p=about, Post 97 namesake Austin F. Reedy was just 22 years old when he was killed in World War I in action at Chateau-Thierry, France, on July 31, 1918, by a bullet from an enemy airplane machine gun. He had joined the Army in October 1917.
Reedy, who served in Company H, 163rd Infantry, 41st Division and Company H, 127th Infantry 32nd Division, was the first Libby citizen to give his life in the service of his country.
Reedy was buried in France before he was returned to New York on July 3, 1922. The body of Reedy arrived from Portland under military escort on Saturday, July 15. The funeral took place at the Catholic church on Monday and all businesses in the town were closed for that day. Austin Reedy Post Number 97, of the American Legion provided the military honors and grave-side services.
He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. John Reedy. He was survived by five sisters and three brothers.
