VFW POST 3150

Nestled among large apartment complexes near the start of Langston Boulevard, stands the John Lyon VFW Post 3150 in its historic one-story building. The VFW, or Veterans of Foreign Wars, was founded 125 years ago by the Rough Riders returning from the Spanish-American War. Originally started as a social organization, it transformed into a nationwide support and advocacy network for veterans, with local posts that serve as benevolent community organizations. Post 3150 is the last VFW serving the large population of veterans in Arlington County.

John Lyon VFW Post 3150 was formed in 1934 by local Arlington veterans W.W. Burnett and Charles Musselman and their wives, Loretta Burnett and Hattie Musselman, after they returned from a VFW meeting in DC. Wanting to support the veterans in Arlington, a small group got together and chartered the organization with Burnett serving as the first Post Commander. A year later a Ladies Auxiliary Post was formed. In 1945, seeking a permanent building for the Post, money was raised to buy the historic 1920s former-church building where it still resides today. 

The Post was officially named John Lyon VFW Post for the Arlington native who died serving in WWI. Before the US entered the war, John Lyon went to Belgium in 1915 to drive ambulances for the Red Cross. Once the US entered the war, Lyon joined the 116th Infantry as an officer in a machine gun company. In 1918, Lyon was killed in action while crossing open ground to help a wounded officer. Lyon was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his actions that day. You may recognize the Lyon family name along Langston Boulevard from Lyon Park or Lyon Village Apartments.

Today VFW Post 3150 boasts over 700 local members. They support programs for active-duty military and veterans through relationships with Arlington County, other veteran-focused nonprofits, the Pentagon, and officials at Fort Myer, home to Arlington National Cemetery. After the tragic suicide of one of their members, the Post also enacted a grassroots health and wellness program that provides activities and functions aimed at curbing veteran suicides. The Post is also heavily focused on community service by helping to clean the national monuments, laying wreaths at veterans’ graves, and honoring the 277 members of the Post who have passed away each Memorial Day. 

Manuel “Sam” Wong, Lt Col US Army ret. is the current Commander of VFW Post 3150, and he was kind enough to share his story along with the history of the Post. Sam is a third-generation US Army veteran. His grandfather was recruited out of Hong Kong into the US military in 1942 during WWII because he was fluent in Chinese and English. He became a US Army officer and supported the OSS in the China-Burma Campaign to fight the Japanese. Sam’s father was drafted in 1968 and served in the US Army in Vietnam. Despite his family’s wishes otherwise, Sam was drawn to continued military service. He joined the ROTC in San Francisco and then served 28 years as an Army officer in the Middle East, Europe, Central America, and Asia and earned the Bronze Star Medal in combat. While on active duty in DC, a friend bought Sam a membership to Post 3150. After seeing the Post’s commitment to veteran programs and to the community, Sam decided to serve in leadership roles. He served as the Post’s canteen manager, keeping it open to veterans and the community during COVID, as the Vice Commander, expanding recruiting and membership efforts, and now as the Post Commander.

John Lyon VFW Post 3150 deserves our respect and praise for their service to active-duty personnel and veterans. They also need the community’s support dealing with the rapid growth along the corridor. Though they own their building, they are in prime real estate and are feeling the pressure from both neighbors and developers to shut their doors and sell the building. As we strive to preserve the cultural heritage of the corridor, let’s remember to voice our support for this worthy group.

World War I Hero: Arlington, Virginia's John Lyon