November 6, 2009 Southwest News-Herald - City
Honor Veterans Through Plaza Pub or ‘Al’s Place’
In the heart of Marquette Manor, in a section that was known for its dense Lithuanian population and dubbed the Lithuanian Gold Coast in the 1970s, is a neighborhood meeting place called The Plaza Pub. But most people know it as Al’s Place.
Al Bartkus is the proprietor. Born in Lithuania, his family came to Chicago in 1949 and moved into a two-flat just a couple of blocks from the tap. After attending Nativity BVM Elementary School and St. Rita High School, he joined the Army, serving during the Vietnam years. He’s owned the Plaza Pub, 2539 W. Lithuanian Plaza Court, since 1984.
Al’s place is also the home of the Darius-Girenas American Legion Post 271.
“While most of our members are Lithuanian Americans, we welcome all veterans,” said Bartkus, who is the sergeant-at-arms and also a two-time past commander of the post.
The post was opened as the Samuel J. Harris Post on Nov. 19, 1932 with 27 charter members. “Harris was an Army aviator during World War I,” explained Post Historian John Rapsyas. “After being discharged in 1919, he volunteered to fight for Lithuanian independence.”
In 1933 it was renamed in honor of Captain Stephen Darius and Lieutenant Stanley Girenas, Harris Post members and World War I Army veterans who lost their lives in the crash of their aircraft Lituanica while attempting to fly from Chicago to Lithuania.
Up until 2002, the group met at their post headquarters on 44th and Western. “In the beginning the post was made up of Lithuanian-American veterans of World War I exclusively and they erected the building on Western in their free time,” said Rapsyas. “There was no need for a contractor. Members were electricians, bricklayers, stone masons, plumbers and carpenters.”
Rapsyas remembers when he was a young boy and his uncle was a post member. “I’d ride my bike up there, stand at the side entrance looking in, and the place would be packed,” he said. “And this was mid-week.”
Back then, the Darius-Girenas American Legion was the third largest in the state. When Rapsyas joined the post in 1989, there were 700 members. And, according to a recent newsletter, they are currently the second largest in the district, with 225 active members.
Most fraternal organizations have seen a huge decrease in membership in recent years. And while Darius-Girenas is no exception, through innovative thinking and strong camaraderie, the post has been able to continue many of its traditional services and projects and find new ways to serve the community and its members.
“Our most recent project is the restoration of the 24” x 18” bronze plaque at Midway Airport honoring Captain Darius and Lieutenant Girenas,” said Bartkus. “It sits below the Douglas DC Fighter Bomber on Concourse A. Re-dedication ceremonies are set for Feb. 16 of next year.”
Current projects in the works include preparing a cannon owned by the post for display in a prominent public place. “For years we kept the cannon on the adjacent lot by our post on Western,” said Bartkus. “We’re working on building a tarmac and deciding where would be the best place for it to be displayed.”
As it has since its earliest days, the post throws Christmas and Easter parties for area children, complete with visits from Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny. Joining with the North Riverside American Legion, the post puts together packages and sends them to the Lithuanian Orphanage in Punga.
Ceremonial duties at St. Casimir and Lithuanian National cemeteries are split with the Don Varnas Post. As a joint project with Don Varnas, 50 flag pole holes were dug at St. Casimir. And now, every year just before Memorial Day, 50 American flags fly above the Veteran’s Memorial.
The post provides an honor guard for member funerals and also for the annual procession and ceremonies commemorating the tragic flight of Darius and Girenas held at the monument in Marquette Park. Participation in Poppy Days averages $1,200 to $2,000 annually from their members’ efforts for veterans. They volunteer at Hines Hospital calling bingo and providing camaraderie for hospitalized comrades.
Many Darius-Girenas members are also members of the Lithuanian Craftsmen. While not post-sanctioned activities, they get together for excursions to see the White Sox and the Chicago Fire. Most times they meet at Al’s place, where he just might have a big pot of chili going for pre-game festivities. They hunt and fish together, and every year there’s an annual pig roast — with kugelis, of course.
Holding true to the American Legion precepts, Darius-Girenas American Legion has provided camaraderie and service for more than 77 years.