Mike O’Callaghan is a US Army Paratrooper Veteran and has been a member of the American Legion for over 23 years. He is the current Commander as well as a Past Commander of Post 8. Mike is also the Finance Officer for Post 8’s Sons of the American Legion and a founding member of Post 8’ American Legon Riders Chapter.
Cathy “P.I.T.A.” Smithmeyer is a US Navy Veteran and has been a member of the American Legion for over 4 years. She served in the Navy for 4 years, stationed at Commander Submarine Group Two in Groton, Connecticut. Cathy is the Post Adjutant as well as the Adjutant for Post 8’s American Legion Riders Chapter.
Ed McNulty is a US Navy Veteran and has been a member of the American Legion for over 10 years. He served in the US Navy from November 1959 – November 1961 on the USS Gyatt DDG1, the US Navy’s first Guided Missile Destroyer. He served as Finance Officer for 5 years at Post 8 and Past Post Commander. Ed is also Captain of Post 8’s Honor Guard.
Fred Knippenberg is a US Army Veteran and a US Navy Veteran, having spent 5 years in the Navy Reserves from 1955-1960 and Active Army for 3 years from 1960-1963. He played the trumpet for the 113th 2nd Army Band. Fred has been a member of the American Legion for over 32 years and is Paid Up For Life (PULF) and a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) for 32 years. He has been a member and the bugler of Post 8’s Honor Guard for over 13 years as well as serving as 1st Lieutenant the past 3 years. Fred served as a police officer for the city of Fairview Park, Ohio, for 28 years, retiring as a Sergeant Detective. Fred has played the trumpet for over 75 years toured with several Road Big Bands. He currently plays with Polk State College’s Chain of Lakes Big Band as well as the Bartow Adult Community Band.
George Wallace is a US Army Veteran and has been a member of the American Legion for over 5 years. He is retired from the Army after serving for 33 years from January 1986 – April 2019 and is the recipient of the Legion of Merit. His deployments include Operation Desert Shield/Storm, Operation Joint Forge, and Operation Enduring Freedom. George has served in Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Bosnia, and Germany. He has been the Post Service Officer for over two years and is the Director of Post 8’s American Legion Riders Chapter. George is also a member of the Sons of the American Legion and the American Legion Auxiliary.
Tommy Anderson is a US Army Veteran and has been a member of the American Legion for over 30 years
