American Legion Post 401

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WHO WE ARE

Lieutenant John Farnkopf American Legion Post 401 was chartered on May 12, 1948, but organizers had signed and submitted the application a good two years before that. The post is named for Monmouth Junction native and Army Air Force World War II pilot John Farnkopf.

John Farnkopf was born in Monmouth Junction, NJ, on June 27, 1923, and lived there for most of his life in a duplex on Major Rd, owned by his grandfather. John graduated from Dayton Grammar School, and attended Middlesex County Vocational School to learn the electrical trade. After four years of schooling he received his diploma and went to work for Personal Products in Milltown as an electrician. Following the outbreak of World War II in 1942, John joined the Army in January 1943. He joined the Army Air Force and was sent to Butler University, Indiana. After transitional training at different schools and airfields, he graduated as a second lieutenant from Foster Field, Victoria, Texas. He was then sent to Richmond, Virginia’s Norfolk Airfield for P47 Fighter training.

On November 11, 1944, on a return escort mission from Brux, Czechoslovakia, John’s mission leader lost radio contact with John. He was declared missing-in-action. A few days after, a telegram was sent to Pop Farnkopf informing him of John’s status. The bad news fell upon the shoulders of his mother and sister, Florence, because Pop had died of a heart attack on November 12. John’s remains were found in the Ausbach region of the Austrian Alps by three Austrian Nationals in 1953. (Submitted to Facebook by Doris Graf as further clarification: Mitteregg (district) in 4421 Aschach an der Steyr (not Ausbach), Upper Austria. Aschach lays on the foothills of the Alps and Steyr (the town) was a target of the American Bomber in the WWK and Steyr is also a river in Aschach. Here are the official details from the Austrian military: Operator: United States Army Air Forces (USAAF); Type: Marke P-51 Mustang; Flgzg. Kennnr.: 44-13263; Absturzdatum: 11.11.1944; 15th USAAF 52nd Fighter Group; Geboren am 27. Jun. 1923 in Monmouth, New Jersey, USA.) John’s status was changed from MIA to officially declared killed-in-action and the facts about where he was shot down amended. John’s remains were sent home at his mother’s request, and burial and services were held at the family plot in the Dayton Cemetery in July 1954, with American Legion Post 401 taking part in the service. The Farnkopf Family donated the property on Major Road for the American Legion Post that bears the name of this fallen hero. The members of Post 401 not only thank the Farnkopf family, but honor the memory of their son, Lieutenant John Farnkopf, who so valiantly gave his life in defense of his country.

The American Legion was chartered by Congress in 1919 as a patriotic, mutual-help, war-time veterans organization.

National Commander: Daniel J. Seehafer

Department of New Jersey Commander: Larry Bishop

Middlesex County Commander: Joel Bloom

Post 401 Commander: Gary Cooper

Preamble to the Constitution of the American Legion

FOR GOD AND COUNTRY WE ASSOCIATE OURSELVES TOGETHER FOR THE FOLLOWING PURPOSES:
To uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States of America;
To maintain law and order;
To foster and perpetuate a one hundred percent Americanism;
To preserve the memories and incidents of our associations in all Wars;
To inculcate a sense of individual obligation to the community, state and nation;
To combat the autocracy of both the classes and the masses;
To make right the master of might;
To promote peace and goodwill on earth;
To safeguard and transmit to posterity the principles of justice, freedom and democracy;
To consecrate and sanctify our comradeship by our devotion to mutual helpfulness.

UPCOMING EVENTS

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LINKS (click on name or icon)

NATIONAL EMERGENCY FUND INFORMATION & FORMS for Legionnaires & SAL Members.(must have Adobe PDF Reader)

DD214 Online Access

VA Health Care Application Information

Resource Guide for Military, Veterans & Families (must have Adobe PDF Reader)

Adopted Constitution (Adobe PDF) & Adopted Bylaws (Adobe PDF)

Property Tax Deduction Form (Adobe PDF)

Snowbird Form (Adobe PDF)

Virtual Vietnam Wall

OFFICERS & PROGRAM CHAIRS

MEMBERSHIP

NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS

STATE HEADQUARTERS

AUXILIARY

S.A.L.

UPCOMING POST EVENTS

POST PICTURES

HALL RENTALS & DIRECTIONS

BLUE STAR FLAG & MOTHERS

VETERANS ENTITLEMENTS & BENEFITS

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©2008 American Legion Post 401 Last updated 12/23/2023


Webmaster: Gary Cooper