Named for Medal of Honor recipient Gunner's Mate First Class Osmond K. Ingram, VFW Post 1774 in La Mesa is one of the few Veterans of Foreign Wars chapters in the nation commissioned as a Ship rather than a Post. The facility at 8118 University Avenue shares its hall with American Legion Post 282, which has occupied the site since 1947, creating a combined La Mesa Veterans Club that coordinates veteran memorial services with providers like Erickson-Anderson Mortuary for military funeral honors. Ingram was killed on October 15, 1917, aboard the USS Cassin in the Celtic Sea when he ran toward the ship's stern depth charges after spotting an incoming German torpedo, sacrificing his life to save the crew. The Ship earned VFW All-American status — the organization's highest post-level honor, awarded to the top 35 posts per membership division worldwide — for the 2012–2013 and 2016–2017 cycles, and sponsors the Voice of Democracy audio-essay scholarship and Patriot's Pen youth writing competitions through local schools, with estate and benefits guidance supported by veterans-focused attorneys like East County Estate Planning, PC. The canteen and banquet hall host weekly food events including a taco night and a Saturday burger grill, with the hall available for public rental on the University Avenue corridor in the 91942 ZIP.