In 1918, an organization in the town of Weldon, NC was formed for men who had served in the Armed Forces. An old Virginia Electric Power Company (VEPCO) Plant building was procured as a meeting place by this group of men. This small group of men applied for a charter in The American Legion on October 20, 1920 with the following charter members: Elliot Clark, D.W. Seifert, C.C. Telghan, James Josephson, James Price, W.B. Grant, C.F. Rhem, W.G. Suiter, N. Smith, H.G. Rowe Jr., Mike Josephson, S.J. Fitzhugh, W.B. Josephson, and Gees Pappas.
A temporary charter was issued on October 24, 1919 with the permanent charter later issued on July 25, 1922. The new Post was called The American Legion Shaw Post 38. This Post was named after Captain William Shaw who was the first soldier to die in World War 1 from Halifax County, N.C.
In 1945, a group of men from Roanoke Rapids, NC applied for a Charter to form a new Post in The American Legion on June 15, 1945. This new Post was called The American Legion May Post 237. Their new Post was named after Robert E. May, Chief Petty Officer Coxswain Mate First Class, who was the first World II casualty from the Roanoke Rapids, NC area. The officers of the new Post were: Commander M.C. Newcom, Adjutant John Forest, and Finance Officer James Rogers.
The Shaw Post in Weldon and the May Post in Roanoke Rapids were merged into a single Post and called Shaw-May Post around 1960. The Post initially moved into a building on Washington Avenue in South Weldon. Around 1974, the American Legion Shaw-May Post 38 moved to a building on the American Legion road in Halifax County.
Hymns for each branch of service
https://youtu.be/QyKfr8G04Qc?t=7