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May 28, 2014OUR VIEW: Residents, too, deserve credit for Morganza
May 28, 2014
“Today is a day we put aside to remember fallen heroes,” said retired Brigadier General Samuel DeGeneres. “It’s a day to remember the splendor of America.”
A crowd of military veterans and their families gathered to celebrate Memorial Day on Monday and reflect on their times of service at Houma’s Regional Military Museum.
DeGeneres, the guest speaker for the ceremony, challenged the crowd to display their patriotism by influencing 10 people to hang the American flag, and having those 10 people influence 10 more.
He said such acts honor those who have served, especially those in Terrebonne Parish, mentioning 36 soldiers from the parish who died during World War I, 88 during World War II, 18 during Korea, 19 during Vietnam, three in Iraq and one in Afghanistan.
Mentioning patriotic elements of the parish such as Veterans Park on La. Highway 311, DeGeneres read a quote from James Garfield, 20th President of the United States: “For love of country they accepted death.”
The veterans from the parish who are proud to share their service stories stood from their seats as the Phi Mu Alpoha Sinfonia from Nicholls State University sang the respective songs of the Armed Forces.
United States Marine Corps Veteran C.J. St. Germaine joined the military at 17 years old. He served from 1952 to 1955 and earned his Purple Heart while serving as a radio operator on July 11, 1953.
“I was coming up the hill and I heard a whistle before the mortar. So I squatted down and the mortar hit me,” St. Germaine said pointing to a visible scar on his arm and one on his hip. “My flak jacket was all shattered, but I had no injuries underneath.”
“I remember when I got hit they carried me to a jeep. They told me to sit up and said, ‘Take a look. You’re going home,’” he said.
St. Germaine was transported to a hospital in Japan, and transferred again to Memphis. The Korean War ended on July 27, 1953, a few days after he was wounded. He served the remainder of his time until 1955 at a military base in Little Creek, Virginia.
“When I married him, his Purple Heart was in a box with a bunch of pictures. I told him that needs to be somewhere,” Donna St. Germaine, C.J.’s wife said. She put his military ornaments in cases and has them displayed in their home. “He’s a proud marine,” the wife added.
With 10 grandchildren, 25 grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren, the St. Germaines said some of their proudest moments is having two of their grandsons enlist in the United States Army. It is a tradition that continues in their family as C.J. had brothers in the Army, Air Force and Navy.
Many of the service men and women at the event displayed their military colors proud as the United Veterans League conducted a 21-gun salute and rising of the flag.
Veterans’ options to communicate continue to grow, and the newly formed Terrebonne chapter of the Military Order of the Purple Heart continues to see an increase in membership applications.
In one week, MOPH coordinators Albert Lirette and Jim Tuttle recruited an additional eight combat wounded veterans to join, and are actively looking for more.
“This will grow like crazy,” Tuttle said. “If you belong to the Military Order of the Purple Heart they have thoroughly checked you out. When you see a guy with a Purple Heart he has been shot, stabbed, blown up or had something to bleed by in combat.”
Terri Brown, Veterans Affairs Coordinator for Terrebonne Parish, coordinated the fourth annual program with C.J. Christ, president of the Regional Military Museum.
The program was expected to be held in military museum’s new addition, which will showcase a World War II TBM Torpedo Bomber extended from the ceiling. Prolonged construction has postponed the officially opening for the museum’s addition until July 4.
Brown said the event continues to grow and the new building will help with future events.
“Every year it expands,” Brown said. “We were hoping to be in the new building by now, but we will get there.”
United States Navy Veteran Ulysses Thomas raises the American flag outside of Houma’s Regional Military Museum on Memorial Day. The event gathered veterans and their families from across the area who protected America’s freedom.
