South Carolina Veterans Posts

About Veterans Organizations in South Carolina

A deep look at the history, oldest posts, membership process, and notable veterans connected to South Carolina.

History of Veterans Organizations in South Carolina

South Carolina's military heritage runs as deep as that of any state in the union. From the Revolutionary battles at Cowpens and Kings Mountain to the opening shots of the Civil War at Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor, from the trenches of France in 1918 to the beaches of Normandy and the jungles of Vietnam, South Carolinians have been on the front lines of American military service. The American Legion arrived in South Carolina in 1919, with the Department of South Carolina chartered the same year and the first state convention meeting in Columbia. Approximately 65,000 South Carolinians served in uniform during the First World War, and many returned home to organize Legion posts in cities including Charleston, Columbia, Greenville, Spartanburg, Florence, Anderson, and along the coast at Myrtle Beach and Beaufort.

The 30th Infantry Division 'Old Hickory,' which combined units from North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee, broke the Hindenburg Line in late 1918 and seeded the early Legion movement with hardened combat veterans. The interwar years saw substantial Legion growth in South Carolina, particularly in textile mill towns where Legion posts often shared social space with mill village churches and benevolent societies. The Second World War brought a transformation that would permanently reshape South Carolina's military and veteran communities. Parris Island, the Marine Corps Recruit Depot, expanded dramatically during the war and continues to train every East Coast Marine recruit to this day.

Fort Jackson near Columbia became and remains the largest Army basic combat training installation in the country. Shaw Air Force Base near Sumter, established in 1941, has been a fighter and air operations hub ever since. Charleston Naval Shipyard, the Charleston Air Force Base, and the Coast Guard installations along the coast all contributed to a vast active duty population whose veterans frequently settled in South Carolina after leaving service. The Korean War, Vietnam, and the post-9/11 wars each added their generations of South Carolina Legionnaires.

Today the Department of South Carolina American Legion is headquartered in Columbia and oversees a robust network of posts spread across the state.

Oldest and Most Historic Posts in South Carolina

American Legion Post 1 in Columbia, the Capital City Post, traces its charter to 1919 and remains one of the most prominent posts in the state. Post 6 in Charleston, also chartered in 1919, anchors Legion activity in the Lowcountry and has historically had substantial naval and Coast Guard membership reflecting Charleston's maritime character. Post 3 in Greenville and Post 7 in Spartanburg, both founded in 1919, serve the Upstate. American Legion Post 9 in Florence, Post 12 in Anderson, and Post 15 in Sumter all originated in the founding wave.

Post 49 in Myrtle Beach, Post 38 in Camden, and Post 22 in Beaufort are notable for their historic settings. American Legion Post 24 in Aiken has long had ties to the Savannah River Site veteran community. Post 57 in Hartsville, Post 71 in Rock Hill, and Post 96 in Conway are among the older textile and mill-town posts that anchored their communities through the 20th century. American Legion Post 175 in Hilton Head Island has grown rapidly in recent decades as the area has attracted retired military, particularly senior officers and Marines drawn by Parris Island connections.

Many South Carolina posts maintain particularly strong ties to Marine Corps recruiting and to Fort Jackson basic training graduations, and Memorial Day cemetery services across the state are notably well-attended.

VFW Posts in South Carolina: A Closer Look

The Veterans of Foreign Wars Department of South Carolina organized in the 1920s, with founding posts in Charleston, Columbia, Greenville, and Spartanburg. The state's foreign service combat eligibility population grew dramatically with each successive war, and South Carolina's location near multiple major military installations meant that VFW posts proliferated in communities adjacent to Parris Island, Fort Jackson, Shaw AFB, and the Charleston naval and air bases. After World War II, South Carolina's VFW department grew to operate hundreds of posts. Notable South Carolina VFW posts include Post 641 in Columbia, Post 445 in Greenville, and Post 3137 in Charleston.

The Department of South Carolina VFW maintains a state office in Columbia and runs vigorous Buddy Poppy, Voice of Democracy, and Patriot's Pen programs. South Carolina VFW members have been particularly active in Marine Corps veteran issues, given the state's strong Marine Corps recruiting heritage, and have advocated extensively for Camp Lejeune water contamination claims, burn pit registration, and Vietnam Agent Orange expansion.

AMVETS, DAV, and Other Veterans Organizations in South Carolina

AMVETS in South Carolina organized in the late 1940s and grew steadily as World War II veterans pushed for benefits expansion. The South Carolina AMVETS department maintains active posts across the state with concentrations in the Columbia, Charleston, and Greenville metropolitan areas. The Disabled American Veterans organization maintains a robust South Carolina department headquartered in Columbia, with chapters across the state operating transportation networks to VA medical centers in Columbia and Charleston, plus outpatient clinics in Greenville, Florence, Myrtle Beach, and elsewhere. South Carolina DAV service officers are particularly experienced with Camp Lejeune contamination claims given the state's heavy Marine Corps veteran population, and with PACT Act burn pit claims for the state's substantial post-9/11 veteran community.

South Carolina Veterans Posts by the Numbers

South Carolina is home to approximately 380,000 to 410,000 veterans, ranking it among the more substantial veteran populations relative to its overall size. The state hosts Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, where every East Coast Marine begins their service; Fort Jackson, the largest Army basic combat training installation in the country; Shaw Air Force Base near Sumter, home to the 20th Fighter Wing and Ninth Air Force; Joint Base Charleston, combining the former Charleston AFB and Charleston Naval Weapons Station; the Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort; and various Coast Guard installations along the coast. The American Legion Department of South Carolina maintains approximately 175 to 200 chartered posts and reports active membership in the range of 30,000 to 40,000. The VFW Department of South Carolina operates approximately 100 posts.

AMVETS maintains a smaller but active footprint of about 30 posts.

How to Join a Veterans Post in South Carolina

Joining the American Legion in South Carolina follows national eligibility rules. A veteran with at least one day of honorable federal active duty since December 7, 1941 qualifies, as does any honorably serving member. National Guard and Reserve members federally activated qualify. The South Carolina Army and Air National Guard have substantial deployment history from Iraq, Afghanistan, the Sinai, and Kosovo.

Annual dues at South Carolina posts typically run from $30 to $55, with paid-up-for-life options widely available. The Sons of The American Legion in South Carolina is active across the state with squadrons attached to most parent posts. The American Legion Auxiliary maintains units throughout South Carolina, sponsors Palmetto Girls State each summer, and runs an active poppy program. South Carolina has a particularly strong Legion Riders presence, with chapters that perform funeral honor missions and ride in patriotic parades.

The state's combination of warm weather and concentrated military population makes for high participation in outdoor Legion events. Veterans interested in joining can find a post through legionfinder.com or by contacting the Department of South Carolina office in Columbia.

Notable South Carolina Veterans in History

South Carolina's roster of notable veterans is extensive. General William C. Westmoreland, who commanded U.S. forces in Vietnam from 1964 to 1968, was born in Spartanburg County, South Carolina, and is buried at West Point.

General Robert E. Lee's father, Henry 'Light-Horse Harry' Lee, fought in the South Carolina Revolutionary campaigns, and Francis Marion 'the Swamp Fox' was a South Carolina partisan whose tactics influenced American irregular warfare doctrine for centuries. The 30th Infantry Division produced numerous Medal of Honor recipients, and South Carolina contributed disproportionately to its ranks. Senator Strom Thurmond, a paratrooper who landed in Normandy with the 17th Airborne Division, served South Carolina in the Senate for 48 years.

Senator Lindsey Graham, a longtime Air Force JAG officer in the Reserve, has been a prominent advocate for veteran issues. Numerous Marine Corps generals trained at Parris Island and many maintain South Carolina ties. Modern Medal of Honor recipients with South Carolina connections include figures honored at posts and memorials across the state. The Citadel, the Military College of South Carolina in Charleston, has produced generations of officers including World War II generals, Vietnam-era commanders, and modern flag officers.

Frequently Asked Questions: South Carolina Veterans Posts

Sources & Further Reading

• https://www.scarolinalegion.org/
• https://www.legion.org/
• https://www.vfw.org/
• https://www.amvets.org/
• https://www.dav.org/
• https://www.va.gov/vetdata/
• https://va.sc.gov/
• https://www.trngcmd.marines.mil/Units/East/MCRD-Parris-Island/
• https://jackson.armymwr.com/