Welcome!

Kent Vanhorn, Commander, American Legion Post 552
Kent Vanhorn, Commander, American Legion Post 552

We are American Legion Post 552, located in the Pacific Beach area of San Diego, California.

Our Pacific Beach American Legion family also includes American Legion Auxiliary Unit 552 and the Sons of the American Legion Squadron 552.

We do not have an American Legion Riders program, but we are interested. A total of eight is required to establish a Riders program. If you are interested, please contact the Commander.

Anyone who served honorably in any of the armed services for at least one day since December 7, 1941, is eligible to join the American Legion.

Many of our members belong to one or more of the veterans’ organizations in our facility, based on individual eligibility. “We are all together,” so it does not matter to us if you wish to join multiple organizations. Please consider joining us so we may fulfill our mission to better serve the needs of the community and remain strong.

Your membership and/or participation allow us all to continue serving God, our country, and our community. Our local mission is to provide camaraderie, a support base for the veterans and their families within the local community, low-cost meals, entertainment, and the various programs that assist the community. Take a look at our schedule of meetings and events.

Post News

Wine Tasting Fundraiser - October 12, 2024

Our Next Event – Wine Tasting Fundraiser

On Saturday, October 12 we will host a Wine Tasting Fundraiser, to benefit Wounded Warrior Project. The event will be from 2:00 to 5:00 pm, and admission is $30/person. We’ll enjoy appetizers and fine wines, and we’ll have raffle items, a door prize, and a silent auction on wine. Please click here to learn more and purchase your tickets.

Want to tell your friends and family about the event? Here’s a flyer for emailing, and here’s a flyer with a white background that’s best for printing. Also, you can download an Instagram image, as well as a Facebook image you can post.

Honor Flight

Honor Flight was September 27-29. This is where our San Diego veterans were provided a flight to Washington, D.C., all paid for with donations. Nearly 100 vets were on this trip. They represented support for WWII, Korea, and the Vietnam wars. They visited each of these monuments and also the Arlington National Cemetery, where they observed the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Bill Heard at the Honor Flight event.

Bill Heard from our American Legion Post was on that trip. He was grateful and very appreciative of this opportunity.

Honor Flight welcome home.

The Welcome Home at the San Diego airport drew about 1,000 people. It was extremely patriotic and inspiring to those of us who attended.

Installation of New Officers

We installed our new 2025 elected officers on June 26: Kent Vanhorn as Commander, Mike Hill as 1st Vice and Bill Marsh as 2nd Vice. The District 22 Commander Vic Martin officiated. We congratulate our new leadership.

Installation of our 2025 elected officers on June 26, 2024.
Installation of our 2025 elected officers on June 26, 2024.

Mountain Climbing Adventure on Mt. Whitney

Two of our Navy veterans recently climbed Mt Whitney. Travis Methvin and Jonathan Owens were successful in climbing to 12,000 feet in early June, but were then turned away by thunderstorms. This is not the first time they’ve tackled this mountain, though. They made it to the summit in June 2022. Our hats are off to both of these mountaineers.

U.S. Navy veterans Travis Methvin and Jonathan Owens climbed to 12,000 feet on Mount Whitney in June 2024.
Our U.S. Navy veterans Travis Methvin and Jonathan Owens on Mount Whitney in June 2024.
U.S. Navy veterans Travis Methvin and Jonathan Owens summited Mount Whitney in June 2022.
At the top of Mount Whitney in June 2022!

American Legion Preamble

We embody the goals of the American Legion Preamble.

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 maintain 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 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 good will 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.

American Legion Post 552 Officers

Commander – Kent Vanhorn – send email

1st Vice Commander – Michael Hill – send email

2nd Vice Commander – Bill Marsh – send email

Finance Officer – Mark Seamon – send email

Adjutant – Doug Benzel – send email

Chaplain – Bill Bartle – send email

Sergeant-at-Arms – Jim Vanderploeg