Close to Home | By Joel Sackett

Published 10:10 am Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Earlier this summer, at the 70th anniversary of the American Legion, Colin Hyde Post 172, a bunch of the guys piled into and around a classic military jeep brought out for the occasion.

The land for the hall was donated in 1949 by the family of Colin Hyde, who died in service to his country during

World War I. The building is part of what was once barracks No. 62 in Fort Ward. The post purchased the surplus

building sections for $960, which included the cost of transportation to the freshly cleared site on Bucklin Hill Road. Bill Beck, (the post’s historian standing at the front of the jeep), said: “The post has always been a safe harbor for its members, and will continue to share its history and camaraderie with current Gulf veterans.”