Two Bristolians, Paul Ryan and Arthur Russell were the founding spirits in starting the Post.

On April 26th, 1946, the two men issued a call for local veterans to organize a Veterans of Foreign Wars Post.

The response was imediate and 268 men volunteered and thus became charter members.  For a short time the members met in the Bristol, Virginia Courthouse and later on the third floor of a downtown store.  Through numerous fund raising projects the post raised enough money to build its first "Home" in 1947 at the corner of Piedmont and Oakview in Bristol, VA.  The name of the post became "Patton-Crosswhite Post" after two Bristol veterans who died in WWII.  Lt. Ralph D. Patton was killed in action on Dec 10, 1942 while serving in the first armed division in North Africa. Lt. Alfred P. Crosswhite was killed on Dec. 15th, 1942, when his plane crashed in the wilds of Queenland, Australia, while returning home from a bombing raid.

Almost upon completion of the new post, plans were underway for a combined Post Home and Memorial Auditorium.  In less than two years, plans were finalized for the new Post (located at it's present site) and construction began.  Paul Ryan served as the first Commander of the Post. The old post was donated to the Bristol Boys Club.