Atchafalaya Search and Rescue
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Y’all hang in there
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Lords of the Basin
The Final Chapter-October2020
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The houses and buildings in Atchafalaya were synchronized with the period, except many of the structures did not have internal walls and were built on stilts. The walls consisted, in many cases, of studs and weatherboards. This fast became an architectural technique due to the rise of the river and fast drying-out process. Water retained inside the walls would cause rotting to take place, therefore, dwellers had to master the problem. Many of those who were interviewed said, the humidity was great.
The scorching summer heat and air would hover over the basin and the mud was a constant way of life. The winters were cold and very damp. Shoes were not a popular item among the young, therefore much of the pastime of the children was spent removing splinters. Wooden walkways were everywhere. Getting around was like walking on a preplanned, isolated pattern of mazes with the objective to never touch ground but it wasn’t always wet and muddy. During the dry spells, the Atchafalaya Baseball Team would practice on a diamond near the businesses and actually participated in league play during the course of the season. The team consisted of: Henry Guidry, pitcher: Tom Bernard, catcher: Dewey Guidry, Xavier Bijeaux, Gus Guidry, Yancy Ramagossa and Bean Bijeaux. Lowell Bernard said, everything there became a way of life. There was nothing to do except work. It was just a handful of people determined to stand their ground and assure themselves that Atchafalaya would prosper and succeed.
But, a new decade was coming in, the 1920’s, and Mother Nature’s curse of damnation was about to take her toll on the people of Atchafalaya…… and the people chose to stand and hold the ground that had become so parallel to their way of life.
| The Atchafalaya Depot, built in ca. 1912 Photo taken in May, 1937 |
Calling All Veterans
Veterans, I know most of you, like me, are proud of your service. And, like me, a lot of you were shamed when you got back. Nowadays it’s very different. I get people walking up to me and saying “Thank you for your service”. I would have been stunned if someone told me that back then!
I know most of you have stories you would like to tell. Well now you can do it. No matter what branch of service you were in if you send me a letter or call me at (337)228-2400 I’ll publish your story. People would love to read your story.
One Marine’s story First full day in Hue.
We spent the first night in the Macv compound which was the only military unit to survive the initial attack. Fox Co, Gulf Co. and Hotel Co. moved out early that morning fighting our way down the road building by building. Snipers in all the windows, trees, spyder holes and behind every wall.
In the southern half of the city was an Ohio University branch campus. We fought foot by foot, yard by yard and room by room the entire day taking many KIAs and wounded on the way.
Our objective was to retake the university. It was not until late in the day that we finally liberated the whole university.
That day was a day of figuring out the best way to enter and liberate each building ,
Using LAAW’s and 106 recoiless rifles and tons of grenades. Then we poured on the CS gas. That brought many of them out in the open. The most terrifying day of my 20 year life.
I slept a few hours that night from exhaustion in a dentist’s chair in the university medical school. 1968 TET OFFENSIVE LOST MANY FRIENDS. SEMPER FI. RIP
Location of the Hidden Dollar Bill
This is a story of two people that were in the same kind of situation and found out late in life…
I had an uncle that was in the NAVY. He was on the same kind of ship as the USS Vermilion in WWII. He drove the Higgins boats to the beaches in Europe for the invasions. How ironic, I used to control the waves of Higgins boats, to make sure they arrived exactly on time. I had a fifteen (15) second leeway. To early and our planes were bombing the beach to keep the enemy away. They would have been hit with friendly fire. To late and the enemy would have time to come out and shoot them. The enemy takes invading their country deathly serious. Our goal as well as theirs is to survive and destroy the enemy. In the words of Gen. Patton “You don’t win wars by dying for your country, you win the war by making that other Son of a b’ die for his country.”
I only found out what my Uncle did a few months before he died. I deeply regret that. I guess I was of the same mentally that we didn’t like to talk about that. I wish I had now. I would have wanted to know about his experiences. It would have helped me understand mine better.
I’ve been shot at a few times but there’s no comparison to the fire he went through. You’re being shot at from the beach you’re trying to get to. You have to go anyhow and deliver your soldiers to that same beach the fire is coming from, knowing some will be shot and killed. There are safety nets in place but all it takes is one bullet to get through.
Story by Perry Serrette. My uncle was Wesley “BB” Serrette. “Passed away at 94 years old.”
Ask Boudreaux
Dear Boudreaux,
A friend and I were trying to figure out, how much gravy do you put in a cup of rice? Well, how much do you put?
Boudreaux Well, the way I do it is– one cup of gravy to one cup of rice. If that’s too much gravy for you, you can either eat it like a gumbo or put a little more rice. If that’s too much rice, you can add a little more gravy. If that’s too much gravy, you can add a little more rice. If that’s too much rice, just add a little more gravy. Aw… hell, if you have a lot of gravy in the pot, just eat it like a gumbo. That’ll stick to your ribs.
Dear Boudreaux,
My wife wants a divorce. She says I hunt and fish to much. I don’t understand because that’s what I do for a living. Sometime I stop for a beer on the way home, but I always bring her one. How can I convince her we have a good living?
BOUDREAUX-
Mais Cher, how can you call that a good living when you only bring her one beer? What would be wrong with bringing her a six-pack or even a case once in a while? Boy, you got a lot to learn about women.
Old Ironsides – Fact or Fiction
The U.S.S. Constitution (Old Ironsides), as a combat vessel, carried 48,600 gallons of fresh water for her crew of 475 officers and men. This was sufficient to last six months of sustained operations at sea. She carried no evaporators (i.e. fresh water distillers).
However, let it be noted that according to her ships log, “On July 27, 1798, the U.S.S. Constitution sailed from Boston with a full complement of 475 officers and men, 48,600 gallons of fresh water, 7,400 cannon shot, 11,600 pounds of black power and 79,400 gallons of rum.”
Her mission: “To destroy and harass English shipping.”
Making Jamaica on 6 October, she took on 826 pounds of flower and 68,300 gallons of rum. Then she headed for the Azores, arriving there 12 November. She provisioned with 550 pounds of beef and 64,300 gallons of Portuguese wine.
On 18 November, She set sail for England. In the ensuing days she defeated five British men-of-war and captured and scuttled 12 English merchant ships, salvaging only the rum aboard each.
By 26 January, her powder and shot were exhausted. Nevertheless, although unarmed she made a night raid up the Firth of Clyde in Scotland. Her landing party captured a whisky distillery and transferred 40,000 gallons of single malt Scotch aboard by dawn. Then she headed home.
The U.S.S. Constitution arrived in Boston on 20 February 1799, with no cannon shot, no food, no powder, no rum, no wine, no whiskey, and 38,600 gallons of water.