The Chehalis building owned and occupied by the Milton F. Rosbach American Legion Post 22 since the mid-1960s has been sold to Sorenson Transport Co. Inc. of Chehalis.
The sale was completed early this week, and was verified Wednesday by Sorenson Transport owner Darrell Sorenson, as well as by Chehalis American Legion Senior Commander Karl Rosbach.
Sorenson Transport, a refrigerated trucking service that serves seven western states, purchased the building for $150,000, according to Sorenson. The cost was half the original asking price of $300,000.
"We hated to do it," said Rosbach. "Everything has just gone down the tube as of late."
Rosbach, the brother of the post's namesake, cited decreasing membership and a general lack of participation as the prime reasons for the sale.
Members will now have 90 days to vacate the premises.
Rosbach said membership has declined substantially since the Vietnam War, and that while the post once thrived on membership fees and bingo earnings, it is now operated and sustained by a core of only five veterans who have struggled to maintain the building.
"It just seems like we aren't getting a lot of interest anymore," he said. "This place was named for my brother, so obviously I didn't want to do this."
Pfc. Milton F. Rosbach fought, and died, in 1945 at the height of World War II. He was born in 1919 — the same year that the American Legion post was established in Chehalis.
However, the sale of the building does not mean that the Chehalis American Legion plans to disband, said Rosbach.
"We will definitely meet elsewhere," he said. "We are going to keep this thing going as long as one of us is left."
As for the future of the building, which is located close to Sorenson Transport's current headquarters, Sorenson said he has no plans for the structure thus far, although he is always interested in expansion.
"We don't know what we are going to do with it yet," he said. "Maybe make it into a nightclub, I don't know."
Eric Schwartz is a reporter for The Chronicle. He may be reached at 807-8232, or by e-mail at eschwartz@chronline.com.
