American Legion honors two for 50 years of service

Pictured above, LeBron Post 58 Commander LeRoy Barnes gives Robert Dewart his certificate for 50 years of service to the American Legion Monday night in Guthrie. Barnes then gets ready to give the 50 year pin to James “Pete Gummow (pictured below) for his 50 year award.

Dewart has been in the Guthrie community’s public eye for the majority of his well-lived life. He attended school here and when it was time to serve his country he opted for enlisting in the Army Infantry in 1965 during the Vietnam Conflict. He became a member of the American Legion and on his return to Guthrie by 1973 he was elected Commander of Post 58. Robert served as Commander for three years and in 1973 the Post won the highest award bestowed on a Post, the coveted Stigler Award.

This award named the LeBron Post as the “Outstanding Post of Oklahoma.” That same year the Post under Dewart’s leadership won all seven American Legion State Awards. Dewart also served one year as an American Legion State Officer holding the District Commander Post over 85 statewide Legion locations.

Dewart chaired the Oklahoma ‘89er Celebration for five years including the Centennial Celebration in 1989. He also held the elected office of Guthrie City Mayor and Councilman, and has been a member of the Rotary Club and the Chamber of Commerce where he also held office as President of each organization.

Gummow enlisted in the Army in 1947 but when they learned his real age was only 15, to quote Pete, “they kicked him out for being underage.” Not one to let this setback stand in his way, in 1950 he joined the Marine Corps where he served until 1962 leaving there a Staff Sergeant.

Because he still wanted to serve his country in 1962 he joined the Army Special Forces Green Berets. Gummow fought “In country” both in Korea and Vietnam. Then in 1973 he retired from the military and returned home to Guthrie.

When discussing his long military career, he stated that he lived in many different countries but nothing beat being home. The Gummow family came to Guthrie during the Land Run and Pete could not imagine living anywhere else. Upon his return, he began a career as a Postal mail carrier in the city of his birth working for another 20 years.

Besides being a 50-year member of the American Legion and LeBron Post 58 Post Historian, Pete joined the VFW in 1988 and is a Life Member. He is also a member of the Disabled American Veterans.