Early Parish Veterans Showed Patriotism

BOBBY ARDOIN

St. Landry Now.com Editor

(Freddie Herpin photos)

Although St. Landry Parish wasn’t a political concept in 1779, the same geographical area was occupied by people of different ethnic backgrounds who exhibited a vibrant patriotism, according to the keynote speaker during a Veteran’s Day presentation at the Opelousas Museum.

James Douget, president of St. Landry Preservationist, Inc. told a museum Veterans Day crowd on Wednesday afternoon, that the response made by the Opelousas militia during the Revolutionary War demonstrated how the area felt about being part of the American experience

The military history of several parish veterans was recounted by Dr. Perry Fontenot, who served in three branches of the military,

U.S. military uniforms, including those from the Civil War, were also on display.

Douget, who taught and coached in the St. Landry Parish School District for 42 ½ years, also explained the origin of Veterans Day.

The observance was introduced following the end of World War I when it was called Armistice Day, said Douget.

Members of the Opelousas militia Douget said, were recruited locally and contained elements of White, Creole free men of color and enslaved men and women, who accompanied the volunteer military unit through the swamps to Baton Rouge.

The militia managed to defeat the British and secured Mississippi River passage for the Spanish Louisiana colonies which ruled the Opelousas area, Douget pointed out.

Remembering Deceased Veterans

Douget dedicated his remarks to childhood friend Gary Paul Fontenot, who was killed in Vietnam in 1967.

The St. Landry Catholic Church cemetery contains the graves of several military veterans who were killed in combat during various world wars, said Douget.

Veterans’ Service

Fontenot provided biographies of several military veterans.

Included among those remembrances were Marine Corps sergeant Todd Abshire, Navy petty officer Freddie Berry, Army Sgt. Major Darrell Minix and Fontenot’s own service record in the U.S. Army, Navy and Air Force.