Legion Post 25’s 5th Annual 4th of July Picnic will be on the 6th

Greetings,
   American Legion Post 25 will be hosting a Happy 249th Birthday America Party and Picnic on Saturday, July 6, 2024, starting at Noon. This will be a free, open-to-the-public, Veterans, Police, 1st Responders, and families event. Post 25 would like to extend a special invitation to our senior World War II and Korean War Vets.

If you know a senior WW-II, Korea, or Vietnam Veteran, please bring them if you can!

Post 25’s Independence Day Celebration guest of honor will be Tomoka Heights resident and D-Day C-47 (the militarized version of the DC-3) paratrooper pilot, 101-year-old Chester Barber. On June 6, 2024, Post 25 honored Mr. Barber’s service and bravery on D-Day with a special event.

For the children, there will be a 25-foot outside water slide and face painting. There will also be a Watermelon Eating Contest for children of all ages.

Post 25’s newly refurbished barbecue grill will be cooking chicken quarters and hot dogs. Plus, there will be corn on the cob and hot brisket sandwiches. Everyone is invited to bring a cold or hot side dish or a dessert.

Inside fun will include Cornhole Games with prizes, $1 draft beers from 4-6 pm and a July 4th Special Drink Punch. Local rock band Calico will rock the house from 2-6 pm. And lastly, Post 25 Commander Fred Pierce will lead everyone in their traditional singalong of Lee Greenwood’s classic tribute to our nation, “Proud to Be An American”.

Coming up Friday, the Walker Smith Band will perform from 6-9 PM and Fried Fish on the menu. Menu Items will be available from 4:30 to 6:30 pm. On Saturday there will be Burgers & Dogs on the grille from Noon to 2 PM. Then on Sunday, A Lil’Mixed Up will perform from 5-8 PM.

See you at Post 25!

Ask an Officer!
We’ll find something for you to help with!

Legion Post 25’s D-Day Event Was in the Highlands News-Sun!

Greetings!
June 6th is an auspicious date in American history. It was “D-Day”, also known as “Operation Overlord”. Most of us know it as The Invasion of Normandy. It was the beginning of the end of WW II.

American Legion Post 25, Tomoka Heights, the Town of Lake Placid, Highlands County, and Florida were honored to have 101-year-old Chester Barber to celebrate the anniversary of this day this past June 6th. On D-Day, Chester was in the air, flying his P-37 (aka, DC-3) plane full of paratroopers to be dropped off behind German enemy lines to “take out” as many German soldiers as possible.

After dropping paratroopers, while being shot at by German anti-aircraft weapons, Chester returned to England and was loaded up with supplies to be air-dropped in France, behind enemy lines. Every flight could have been any pilot’s last. Chester flew many, many missions.

A big “THANKS” to Highlands News-Sun staff writer, Kim Moody for covering our D-Day event. And a bigger “THANKS” to Cindy Morrison for connecting with Post 25 and inspiring us to salute our local Hero and friend, Chester Barber.

Highlands News-Sun staff writer, Kim Moody, has extensively interviewed Chester Barber.

To read the BIG VERSION of the Wednesday, June 12, 2024 edition of The Highlands News-Sun “Lake Placid Section”, CLICK HERE.

See you all at Post 25!

 

Local historical re-enactor, Cindy Morrison (left) got our D-Day event started! Thanks, Cindy!
Tomoka Heights resident and neighbor friend Jack Murphy share a common interest; flying. Jack is a retired commercial pilot and a member of “The QBs” (Quiet Birds), an international flyers club.

 

Just ask any officer for info!

 

D-Day Celebration 6/6 at 2. D-Day Vet Chester Barber is Special Guest.

Chester’s 101st birthday was September 7, 2023.

Greetings,
   Yesterday we told you about our 80th Anniversary of D-Day event scheduled for tomorrow, June 6, 2024, at 2 PM. All of our members and the general public are invited. Arrive early and order lunch.

Our very special guest of honor will be Tomoka Heights resident, 101-year-old, Chester Barber. Chester was there! In the dark of night, behind enemy lines, with shots being fired at all of the unarmed C-47 planes, Chester dropped paratroopers as part of Operation Overlord.

Chester will be our guest at Post 25, along with a few speakers. We will be playing 1940s Big Band music, as well as a recording of Supreme Commander, Dwight D. Eisenhauser’s “Order of the Day Broadcast” recording.

 

 

The Post 25 Mess Hall Kitchen will be open for Daily Kitchen Menu items.

When Chester was approaching his 100th birthday, Tomoka Heights resident, Judy Dyer wrote the following brief essay that was distributed to the Tomoka residents.

Let’s make this a great showing, not just for Chester Barber, but for all those who fought, paid the ultimate price, and those who came home.

See you at Post 25!

“Chester Barber Has Nearly 102 Years in His Story” – by Judy Dyer

Chester Barber was born on September 7, 1922, out in the woods near Kissimmee, Florida. The doctor rode a horse to the house to deliver him. He was the fourth son in his family and fortunately, he had a horse to ride. He spent much of his childhood on a horse. He went to school in St. Cloud, Florida, and played football at high school.

Chester and his brothers all served and survived World War II. His mother had four flags with stars in the front window of the house until they all came home. Chester met his wife, Nancy when they were in the second grade. Three months before he enlisted in the Army Air Corps, they were married.

Chester went into the Army Air Corps as a sergeant and was later promoted to Lieutenant. On June 6, 1944, Chester piloted his C-47 dropping paratroopers behind enemy lines. Chester participated in every major drop in Europe except the last one. He also made paratrooper drops in North Africa.

When Chester came home, he was offered a pilot job with Eastern Airlines, but said that he didn’t want to, “… tax the Lord…”.

During the war, the government sent monthly $100 payments to Chester’s family. His father bought land, primarily Florida lakefront property, for his son. That started Chester’s career as a “Land Man”. Chester said, “The Lord took care of us.”

Later, Chester became a real estate broker. He said he learned from his Scottish Grandma Stratton, who was a horse trader. “I’ll sell anything!” After living in several different areas of Florida and Arizona, Chester continued his land trading in the Tomoka Heights community, in Lake Placid. To date, Chester has bought and sold seven houses in the community.

Chester was also a community leader. He served as Chairman of the Deacons at First Baptist Church of St. Cloud and served as Osceola County Commissioner four times. In his government capacity, he had the honor of meeting Walt Disney.

When asked for longevity tips, Chester offered this; “Be blessed enough to be born to two people with common sense, and to be smart enough to listen to what they say. My parents fed us vegetables and buttermilk. Don’t make a drunk out of yourself and no tobacco. Be lucky to have a wife like my Nancy and when she’s gone, to find someone like my housekeeper, Mercy to take care of you.”

Reminisced to Judy Dyer
Tomoka Heights, August 2022