The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States is a nonprofit veteran’s service organization composed of eligible veterans and military service members from the active, guard and reserve forces.
Photo provided by John F. Blake
VFW Post 9544
We trace our roots back to 1899 when veterans of the Spanish-American War (1898) and the Philippine Insurrection (1899-1902) founded local organizations to secure rights and benefits for their service. Many arrived home wounded or sick, and at that time, there was no medical care or veterans’ pension for them, and they were left to care for themselves.
In their misery, some of these veterans banded together and formed organizations that would eventually become known as the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States. After chapters were formed in Ohio, Colorado, and Pennsylvania, the movement quickly gained momentum. Today, membership stands at more than 1.3 million members of the VFW and its Auxiliary.
The Landry-Sic Post 9544 Veterans of Foreign Wars Suffield Post was chartered on the 6th day of August 1947, with a total of ninety-one veterans from WWII. The Post is named in honor of the two Suffield natives, the first to be killed in action in the two major theaters of World War II: In the Pacific theater; Seaman Second Class Fred Landry US Navy, KIA 13 Nov 1942 at Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, on the USS Barton; and in the European theater; Private First Class Edward A. Sic, US Army, KIA 18 Feb 1944, in Anzio, Italy, with the 81st Armored Reconnaissance Battalion. Two other founding members of note were Chester Sic and Amiel P. Zak.
The Post building was constructed in 1951 and has been a place where veterans know that they can depend on support, fellowship, and advocacy, or simply gather to share conversation and camaraderie, as well as a meeting place for civic groups, and at one time held the Suffield kindergarten school in 1958-59.
Post 9544 also takes pride in our community involvement, working together to support various town activities and fundraisers. The Post is very active in providing support for the Memorial Day parade and providing the program at the Veterans Memorial. Each May, Post volunteers, along with students in the Suffield Agriscience program, place nearly one thousand American Flags and geraniums on veterans’ graves in Suffield cemeteries.
Each Memorial Day, VFW members lead the Suffield Memorial Day Parade, conduct a service honoring our fallen comrades, and for Veterans Day, the Post conducts the ceremony at the Veterans Memorial. Following each holiday program, the Post hosts a luncheon reception open to all.
This year, the VFW 9544 Landry-Sic Post hosted the Freedom 250 Museum Truck, which contained exhibits of our struggle to obtain freedom from the British Crown and establish the United States. The exhibit was a success, with over 1,600 visitors from Suffield and surrounding communities attending, many traveling from Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and New Jersey.
On the first Saturday of each month, the Post serves a full, free breakfast for all veterans. This fine feast is sponsored by generous local merchants, families, individuals, and occasionally an anonymous donor. If necessary, the Post can provide transportation for any veteran in need, if requested.
The Post also raises money through semi-annual Poppy Drives to provide relief funding for veterans in need of financial assistance. Donations can also be made at any time to our Relief Fund by mail (P.O. Box 366, West Suffield, CT 06093).
The Post has been very fortunate in receiving significant financial assistance from a Mr. Michael Zak, himself Marine Corps veteran and native of Suffield whose father Amiel Zak was our Post’s third commander and key player in the establishment and chartering of our Post. With the goal of setting the Post up for future generations, Mr. Zak’s generosity has updated the facility’s utilities with more modern, energy-efficient, and environmentally conscious equipment and fixtures, as well as improved handicap accessibility. Other private donors; such as the Suffield Woman’s Club, as well as a grant from the American Rescue Plan Act have also aided in refurbishing the interior and exterior of the facility. Along with the upgraded infrastructure, many aesthetic improvements were made to create a brighter and more appealing atmosphere for veterans, their families, and friends to gather to socialize, share a meal, or celebrate a birthday, anniversary, retirement or celebration of life.
Looking to the future, the Post has a few projects still in the planning and funding stages. Such as a new floor in Duke’s Canteen, kitchen renovation, an outdoor patio area and ultimately a paved parking lot.
The purpose of all these projects is to create a safe, enjoyable meeting and gathering place for veterans, families, private groups and charitable organizations to foster support amongst each other and to promote patriotism and community service.