Basin’s American Auxiliary Unit 29 started in 1924

 Marion Tanner Unit 29 was originally chartered January 12, 1924, in Basin. The American Legion Auxiliary is associated with American Legion Post 29. Charter members were:

Mrs. R. B. Landfair

Mrs. C. C. Deal

Mrs. C. A. Nadler

Mrs. W. E. Dragoo

Mrs. W. T. Colley

Mrs. J. H. Hanlon

Mrs. Lee Spurrier

Mrs. Ellen Pennington

Mrs. Wm C Snow

Mrs. Earl Keefer

Miss Viva Phelan (later Mrs. Herbert Wise)

According to Auxiliary president Susan Sironen, the Post was named for Marion Tanner, whose parents resided at Burlington. He was the first to die of flu pneumonia while training at Camp Greene in North Carolina. The camp was a World War I U.S. Army training camp. 

His body was brought to Basin by consent of the family. The funeral services were held in the Rex Theatre, where honor was paid by the community to the first deceased soldier. Burial was in Burlington.   

Sironen noted that Unit 29 was the first Auxiliary to be organized in Big Horn County. “The sale of poppies was started around this time, and money was used for a Memorial Tablet. Dedication of the Memorial Tablet took place at the courthouse in Basin. These days we do not sell the poppies – the Auxiliary collects donations from the distribution of the poppies. The funds are set aside and only used to assist veterans and their families in need.” 

Over the years, the focus of the American Legion Auxiliary has focused on Americanism, Children and Youth, Girls State and Veterans Affairs and Rehabilitation. Sironen explained “Our Unit works with the local school on Americanism essays and the Junior girls to attend Girls State. For veterans, we provide Christmas money to the veterans at the Wyoming Retirement Center, money and cookies to the Sheridan VA Hospital, money to the Wyoming Veterans Home in Buffalo, food and money to homeless veterans in Cheyenne as well as assisting our local veterans. 

“We participate in the Memorial Day and Veterans Day ceremonies to honor veterans as well as holding suicide awareness rallies once a quarter in downtown Basin. November 6 is our Poppy Day in Basin and November 11 the Auxiliary has partnered with the Copper Corner Café to provide free meals to any veteran who stops by the café that day.

In 2026, membership in the American Legion Auxiliary has expanded to include grandparents, parents, spouses, children and grandchildren of veterans who are members of The American Legion or are deceased. The Unit currently meets at the Wyoming Retirement Home in Basin at 2:00 pm on the second Tuesday of the month. We occasionally have veterans sit in on our meetings. For additional information regarding membership, please contact Cindy Schlattmann, Membership Chairman at 307-569-2668.