Members of the American Legion Post in Knoxville are glad to have recovered most of the ceremonial weapons stolen from them over a year ago; but their commander says most of them are in poor shape, and it will take some work to make them usable again.

Five ceremonial rifles were taken during a break-in at the post in April of 2018; four of them were discovered last week about a hundred yards away, hidden underneath a coat between two buildings. The fifth is still unaccounted for.

Curt Froyen is the American Legion Post Commander; he tells KNIA/KRLS News they hope to be able to refurbish all of the rifles; one of them was in good enough shape to be put back into service this past weekend for a funeral.

“We are very pleased about that; we are hoping that the others can be made usable again. We will put the cost of doing all that, of course, into our budget; and hopefully get them all working again,” Froyen says.

The rifle slings were ruined, and will have to be replaced; one is missing a bolt, and other parts may be needed. Froyen says they’ll have to turn to the open market to find replacement parts; these rifles date back to World War II and earlier, and spare parts are no longer made.

Since the rifles were taken, the American Legion has provided an honor guard to fire salutes at 32 different funerals; replacements were requisitioned from the federal armory in Washington, D.C. and the Legion is hoping to keep at least some of those along with the recovered weapons.