LISBON — Coombs-Mountfort American Legion Post 158 recently celebrated its 70th birthday with several speakers, a steak and lobster feast and live music.

Members gathered at the post headquarters at 10 Webster Road were welcomed by Master of Ceremonies Diane Pyrdeck of the auxiliary, who introduced Cmdr. Glen Simard.

“The Coombs-Mountfort Post 158 was chartered and dedicated on Aug. 22, 1951,” he said. “But many of you don’t know that Post 158 was originally chartered and dedicated five years earlier as American Legion Lisbon Post 158 on Aug. 26, 1946.

“However, the original post didn’t have a permanent home and members met in the Lisbon Fire Station,” Simard said. “When the town of Lisbon sold the old elementary school building to the American Legion for $1 in 1949, that’s when we had a real home. That’s when the American Legion Coombs-Mountfort Post 158 was conceived.”

Sharing the history of the post, Simard said Robert ‘Bob’ Mountfort was the oldest of the three boys who joined the U.S. Marines at age 35. He attained the rank of lance corporal and drowned in the Aleutian Islands on July 10, 1944, at age 37.

Mountfort’s stepbrother, Ralph Coombs, born Oct. 22, 1916, served in the U.S. Army as a staff sergeant with the 103rd Infantry Regiment and was killed by a Japanese sniper on the island of Luzon on Jan. 16, 1945, at age 29.

Brother Clarence Coombs, born July 30, 1924, was also a U.S. Army staff sergeant, serving in the 418th Bomber Squadron as a B17 tail gunner. He died Oct. 10, 1943, in the skies over Berlin at age 19.

“These are our namesakes and we should all be proud to serve with, or after them, and be a proud member of the American Legion Coombs-Mountfort Post 158,” Simard said.

Members and their families acknowledged the post’s oldest members: Charles Card, Douglas Clark, Martin Ford, Richard Hanlon, Robert Rich, Rene Simard, Lionel St. Amant and William King.

Lisbon Town Manager Diane Barnes spoke about her husband’s service during the Vietnam War, her father’s service in the Korean War and her uncle’s service in World War II.

Deo Lauria, department service officer from American Legion of Maine, talked about the three major areas of membership: legionnaires (service members), post auxiliary member (spouses of members and their daughters), and Sons of the Legion (close relatives of legion members).

He read a note from U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, thanking members for their service.

Jay Smith, past post commander, said when he retired from the U.S. Navy, he joined Post 158 — and thanks to Bill King, he became an officer and got involved in many Legion programs.

“Our goals of helping veterans, community and especially children became my goals and have enriched my life,” he said.

Janice Jordan, unit auxiliary chaplain, closed the ceremonies with a prayer.

Among those helping with the celebration were Harley Simard, Genie Chaisson, Deziray Pyrdeck, Jack LaChance, Ron Saindon, Rusty Pomeleau, Richard Yenco Ken Withers, MaryAnn Withers, Dave Dyer and Danny Martin.