Post 168 recently honored Marcel Chapuis for 70 years of Legion service at its installation of officers.

A native of Salinas, he was working as a machinist at the Mare Island shipyard when Pearl Harbor was attacked. After his discharge from the Army in 1944, he joined the Legion at the urging of his father-in-law, who was a Legion officer. After the family moved to Patterson, Chapuis became commander of the local post and served in the Patterson Police Reserves. He also built and flew his own airplane, operated amateur radio equipment, taught the machinist's trade to local schoolchildren, provided security for the high school football games with other Legion members, and helped hand-make most of the flagpoles at the local cemetery.

Chapuis received a certificate, a 70-year tack and a flag pin, as well as two rare World War I challenge coins from outgoing District 12 Commander Jodi Griffin and Sons of The American Legion commander David Smith (Atwater squadron).

See the linked article from the Patterson Irrigator for more information: http://pattersonirrigator.com/view/full_story/22935371/article-American-...?