A Legacy of Service Since 1919

Clyde O. Bratton Post No. 15 of The American Legion, located in Lebanon, Tennessee, stands as one of the oldest and most enduring American Legion posts in the United States. Officially chartered on August 11, 1919, Post 15 was founded just months after the national American Legion was established in Paris, France, on March 19, 1919, by members of the American Expeditionary Forces following the end of World War I.

The post was named in solemn tribute to First Lieutenant Clyde O. Bratton, a native of Lebanon who gave his life in France on September 29, 1918, during the final weeks of World War I. Lieutenant Bratton served with honor and was among the many young Americans who made the ultimate sacrifice during the war. His memory lives on not only in the name of our post but in the commitment of its members to serve their fellow veterans and the Lebanon community.

Founding and Early Years

The original charter was signed by 15 local World War I veterans, many of whom had returned from the battlefields of Europe to continue their service here at home. These men laid the foundation for what would become a century-long tradition of advocacy, fellowship, and civic involvement.

In its early years, Post 15 held meetings in the Arcade Building on Lebanon’s historic town square. As the membership grew, the post acquired property on Stumpy Lane, where a permanent building was constructed to serve as its headquarters. This location served the post and the veteran community well for several decades.

Transition and Growth

In the late 1990s, Post 15 made the strategic decision to sell its property on Stumpy Lane to Wilson County Schools. As part of that transaction, Post 15 agreed to support the construction of a Veterans Building at the Wilson County Fairgrounds in exchange for its continued use by the veterans of Wilson County. This agreement ensured that a dedicated space would remain available for veterans’ meetings, events, and activities well into the future.

Today, this building—located within Fiddlers Grove Historic Village—serves not only as the home of Clyde O. Bratton Post No. 15, but also as a shared meeting place for several other veteran service organizations, including Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5015, the Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 1004, and the Associates of Vietnam Veterans of America (AVVA). The building stands as a lasting symbol of cooperation, heritage, and unity among Wilson County’s veteran community.