Post History
Our History
Giles-Luce American Legion Post 364 has been a proud member of the Winneconne community for more than 100 years. The Post, first known as “Winneconne Post 364”, received its initial temporary charter on June 23, 1922. The permanent charter was later received on October 23, 1925.
The Post was incorporated on March 12, 1940 as the “Arthur E. Giles Post 364”, named after Private First Class Arthur E. Giles, a Winneconne native who was killed in action in WW-I.
On March 7, 1947, the name of the Post was changed to “Giles-Luce Post 364”, commemorating Staff Sergeant William E. Luce, a Winneconne native who went missing and declared dead in WW-II.
PFC Arthur E. Giles
Private First Class Arthur E. Giles was born on December 31, 1893 in Winneconne, WI. He served with honor in the United States Army and fought in World War I. On September 29, 1918, he was killed in action. PFC Giles was part of the 32th Division, 107th Ammunition Trains.
He received the Purple Heart and is buried in the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery, Romagne, France.
SSG William E. Luce
Staff Sergeant William E. Luce, a Winneconne, Wisconsin native who served his country with honor in the United States Army Air Forces.
SSG Luce was attached to the 13th Air Force, 307th Bombardment Group (H), 372nd Bomber Squadron (H) in World War II and was reported missing and ultimately declared dead on March 20, 1944. He had flown 44 combat missions as an assistant radio operator aerial gunner. The plane he was flying in was lost and, to this day, the wreckage has not yet been found.
SSG Luce was posthumously awarded numerous medals including the Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal, the American Campaign Medal and the Aerial Gunner Badge. He is memorialized at Tablets of the Missing at Manila American Cemetery, Manila, Philippines
