On March 5, 1918 at noon, the 151st Field Artillery took on a barrage of gas bombs and Theodor Petersen,
a combat medic, was critically injured. He continued to instruct others on how to care for the wounded. He was
the first to remove his mask to test gas exposure.
He died that night.
The 151st Field Artillery Unit stuck together after the Great
War and formed an American Legion Post at the St Louis caucus by 151st Private (Judge) Levi Hall. Minnesota Post 1 was
issued a Temporary Charter on 6/24/1919, then a Permanent Charter was issued on 8/25/1921. 151sst Lieutenant John Soper,
Theodor's commanding officer and first Commander of Minnesota Post 1, carried their 151st Red Unit Guidon to all American
Legion functions, and named their Post – Theodor Petersen Post One.
In June 1925,
at the NEC meeting, a motion was passed that allows Post 1 to retain the red color for their Post banner. It is the
ONLY red Post banner in the American Legion.
In 1988 5 Posts surrendered their
Charters to the Department of Minnesota and the resulting merger created Minneapolis Post One, electing Delbert Rose as the
first Commander.
Theodor Petersen 1 (governing charter)
William
Laidlaw 208
Lawrence Wenell 233
Mill City 459
Navy-Marine
472
Paul Revere 624
**Minneapolis Post One still
has the ONLY red Post banner in the American Legion (Approx 12,000 posts worldwide).
