Burnet’s first American Legion post named after fallen Marine
Patrick M. Goble of Burnet was killed in action in May 1968 while serving in Vietnam.
Burnet’s new American Legion post, Patrick M. Goble Post 974, is hosting a dedication ceremony at 6 p.m. June 18 at the Highland Lakes Veterans of Foreign Wars Post, 1402 Buchanan Drive in Burnet.
This is the city’s first American Legion post.
The ceremony will include the official raising of the U.S. and Texas flags and a reveal of the post’s flag and colors. A buffet dinner follows. The event is invite only.
Post 974 is named after U.S. Marine Patrick M. Goble, who was killed in action on May 7, 1968, while serving in Vietnam. He was 18 years old and a Burnet High School graduate.
“It’s a great privilege to be able to (name the post after) one of our local heroes,” said Post 974 Judge Advocate Mike Janto in an interview with DailyTrib.com.
Janto, a Vietnam-era U.S. Air Force veteran, hopes the post has a broad reach, drawing in veterans and their families from Burnet County and beyond.
“We are not an organization of old fogies sitting around, swapping war stories, sucking beers, and smoking cigars,” he said. “We’re trying to crack that image.”
He listed three clear missions for Post 974: mitigating veteran depression and suicides, bringing awareness to the specific struggles of women veterans, and inspiring patriotism in young people.
The Burnet post has nearly 40 members with an average age of 40 years old. Women veterans make up about 20 percent of its membership.
“We were very focused and as excited as peas in a pod to be building steam,” Janto said.
Learn more about the dedication and Patrick M. Goble Post 974 by contacting Janto at mtnduoma@gmail.com or 325-423-1266. RSVP for the event at 254-638-2263, 956-357-2139, or 541-441-1286.
CORRECTION: A previous version of this story incorrectly said the ceremony is open to the public. It is by invite only. DailyTrib.com apologizes for the error.