Military: Effects of Wars on Sabine Ph., Sabine Parish Source: Sabine Index, Many, La., Apr 21, 1999 Submitted by: Carl Dilbeck carlrad@earthlink.net ********************************************************** ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** ************ As in other parishes in the state and other states in the nation, wars through the years affected the people of Sabineland. Button shoes, the pompadour hairdo, whale-bone corsets and handle-bar moustaches had barely gone out of style when World War I was proclaimed The Germans kept sinking so many neutral vessels that on April 6, 1917, after a resolution declaring war on Germany was introduced by Congress and President Woodrow Wilson, the United States entered World War 1. It was, at the time, the most destructive war of all times because more than 8 1-2 million men were killed or died of battle wounds. The war lasted from 1914 to 1918 and was fought to save the world for democracy. People in Sabineland began growing "Victory Gardens," having meatless and sugarless days and making other sacrifices for the boys in uniform who were fighting. The farmer was relied upon to grow more food. There were also programs to raise money for war bonds in the parish. Everyone was very patriotic, but the real suffering came when the sons of Sabine families were called into the service. Records from the Veterans Administration show that the army officers from Sabine were: Capt. W.H. Ponder, Lt. Ralph H. Armstrong, Lt. Almer C. Bumett, Lt. C.H. Bumhapi, Lt. George B. Bush, Lt. F.M. Crawford, Lt. J.B. Duggan, Lt. M.H.Gandy, Lt. Ira J. Goode, Lt. W.L. Litton, Lt. B.I. Paul, Lt. G.A. Smith, Lt. E.R. Stoker, Lt. B.P. Thaxton Deceased veterans are: Wade Anderson, H.A. Berber, George Bass, C.T. Bennett, John Garcia, J.H. Gay, Ed He.nderson, G.B. Hicks, Ruell Heneter, M.F. Jordan, L.V. Largent, C.C. Murry, T.E. Patrick, J.H. Rains, N.V. Salter, J.V. Simpson, L.D. Stewart, Willie Stuckey, C.D. Terrell, Marion Vines, R.W. Wedgeworth, A.C. Wooley, Joe Brown, J.R. Butler, Will Hudson, John Williams. Among the wounded were: Floyd Alford, R.B. Campbell, John Champion, L.M. Davis, T.L. Dykes, Bradford Evans, E.M. Farrell, Ernest Green, T.J. Green, T.O. Harden, George Leone, Jr., J.D. Marger, J.E. Middleton, J.B. Pearce, J.E. Phillips, Jr., John Potter, Eddie Slater, G.W. Strother, J.A. Wedgeworth. Among the Marine Corps wounded were: G.B. Bush, J.J. Ezemack, E.L. Graham, O.V. Graham, H.H. Hams, N.M. Leone, E.G. Lester, J.J. Livingston, T.J. Mithcell, A.D. Patrick, F.J. Pearce, B.L. Shields, H.H. Walker, H.P. Young. Among the Navy wounded were: L.S. Miller, H.C. Pugh, W.E. Addison, Jim Berry, G.T. Booth, W.C. Boring, E.H. Bridges, John Bridges, G.C. Cann, T.H. Chowns, E.L. Cox, L.M. Cranford, R.H. Curtis, C.W. Drake, H.C. Duggan, H.E. Duggan, J.A. Durrett, W.W. Ebarb, H.W. Ford, H.C. Gaddis, F.E. Gandy, Arties Hardage, C.L. Haughton, J.O. Heidelberg, C.E. Hardeg, Jud Holcomb, S.S. Holloway, W.C. Holt, W.E. Kelly, F.P. Larcy, W.B. Latham, J.T. Litton, E.E. Meshell, A.F. Miller, J.H. Mitchell, M.C. Mithcell, N.G. Newsome, G.H. Norsworthy, O.C. Peace, A.M. Peny, W.G. Phillipps, Oscar Price, F.J. Quaeyhaegen, James Reed, S.J. Reed, J.A. Russell, R.H. Ryan, E.D. Satcher, A.M. Shaw, J.D. Skinner, C.A. Spinks, Winford Watson, H.E. Webb, J.J. Williams, W.N. Young, Jr. On Nov. 11, 1918, in a railroad car in France an Armistice was signed to agree to end the fighting. World War I had officially ended and the celebrating began. Most everyone who had a shotgun in Sabineland shot it as long as ammunition was available. Nearly 25 years later, though the United States was involved in another war - World War II. The second world war was the biggest and most terrible war that was ever fought, Nearly 30 million people were killed; half of them were civilians. More than 40,000 of the dead were Americans. The war was fought over practically all of the world with Europe and the islands in the Pacific Ocean being the leading theatres of operations. The war started on Sept. 2, 1941 and the states entered it on Dec. 8, 1941. Just as in the past, the sons and daughters of families of Sabine Parish were called to arms. On Dec. 6, 1940, the first men in the parish were drafted for military services. The draft board was composed of: R.H. Kelly, J.W. Norred, and D.D. Thedford. The advisory board was composed of: J.B. Hill, W.E. Curtis, Paul Ebarb, J.L. Leach, J.S. Pickett, and Dr. R.L. Parrott served on the Appeals Board; and W.E. Curtis directed registration. Roy Alford was Roll Call Chairman of the Red Cross for the Parish. Army maneuvers began annual practice throughout the parish on a large scale in Dec. 1943. It was estimated that 90,000 troops were engaged at this time in and around the parish, and it became an annual military activity. The late John Tarver, former mayor of Many, owned a grocery store on the Middle Creek Road back then and in a 1974 interview he recalled the maneuvers like this: "About 1942 the war games began," Tarver recalled. "This whole area was saturated with foot soldiers, convoys, tanks, half-tracks, jeeps, gun carriers, planes and helicopters. The fields and woods were full of soldiers and the highways almost unusable to civilian traffic." "There were days when it was impossible to get to our house from the store for hours," he explained. "We have some pictures taken of the Cavalry from Ft. Rile, Kan., who passed by the store for 5 hours riding on the edge of the pavement so traffic could get by. They would trot the horses for a mile and at a given command, walk them for awhile," he continued. "One horse fell out about where the Heritage Manor is located now. While the rest of the column went on, a few men were detailed to dig a hole in which the horse was buried right beside the highway." "When the convoys would stop briefly, close to the store, the boys would scramble out of the trucks and rush into the store buying cigarettes, candy, cakes, and anything edible," he said. "Sometimes there were so many it was impossible to get to the cash register and all one could do was stand in one place while they handed you the money, more often than not, not waiting for change." "One elderly preacher-neighbor was sitting in a rocker just visiting when the store filled on one of these occasions, and the soldiers would help themselves to whatever was available and toss money to him as they passed his chair saying "Here Pop". When the call came "Move out. Move out," the store would empty as fast as it had filled, the boys running to catch the already moving trucks," Tarver added. History for Many was being made then, though citizens were not aware of it at the time. "On two separate occasions General Omar Bradley, General George Patton, and Field Marshal Montgomery Of England, sat in our porch chairs under a tree in our yard, just across from the store, with their maps spread out, studying and conferring on strategy," Tarver beamed. "Montgomery was here from Britain to learn all he could while observing the War Games." "Planes "bombed" the crossroads and store with small sacks of flour and the generals then would decide which side, the "Red", army or the "Blue" had won that skirmish," Tarver stated. "Several times boys would come to the store having gotten lost off from their outfits, tired, dirty, and hungry, and they were truly grateful for a hot bath and a meal at our house, sometimes sleeping on the porch, till they could catch up to their buddies." Mrs. Josephine Torres of Zwolle lost three sons in action. They were: PFC H.L. Torres, T-S W.L. Torres, and PFC J.B. Torres. Their bodies were the first to be returned to Sabine Parish. A flying fortress was named "Spirit of Sabine Parish" on Nov. 19, 1943 following the second war bond drive. Lt. J.E. Carmichael was the first Sabine soldier to be lost in the invasion of France, June 30, 1944. On June 8, 1944 T-Sgt J.P. Wyatt was decorated with Distinguished Flying Cross in Italy. PFC W.E. Hubley was the first Sabine Parish serviceman killed on Guam in Sept. 1944. Others dying included: Pvt. H.C. Eason, who was killed in Belgium in August 1, 1944; Pvt. C.G. Wynne who was killed in the Bikini Islands on Sept. 25, 1944; PFC M.H. Miller who was killed on the Marianna Island on Nov. 17, 1944; and Sgt. Thomas Mitchell, who died in Germany on March 4, 1945. Among the impressively unusual facts of parish citizens service was that seven sons of Mrs. J.L. Ezernack of Zwolle were in uniform at the same time. They were: Cpt. Julius E., S-Sgt. Nathan H., Sgt. Mark H., Cpl. Joseph L., T-Sgt. Marion G., Pvt. Francis J., and Seaman 2nd Class Thomas R. The women of Sabine also entered service - an outstanding example of their loyalty was Pvt. Wilma Remedes who joined her four brothers by enlisting in the Marines. On May 7, 1945, Germany surrendered and on Sept. 2, 1945, Japan did the same ending World War II. Sabine's ration board was closed, Nov. 20, 1945, and the Office of Price Administration was closed Jan.28, 1945. Sept. 14, 1945, three Sabine service men were decorated in Asia and the Pacific war theatres. They were: Cpl J.H. Day of Pleasant Hill, T-Sgt. C.W. Rike of Mitchell, and D.W. Stoker of Zwolle. Three Duggan brothers served in the air force. They were: Cpl. R.T, Cpl. R.D. and Sgt. Deloye. Sabine Casualty listed totaled eighty-nine (compiled by former Service Officer, R.L. Self, World War II). They were: L.L. Abraham, Marx Barron, E.E. Brooks, Felix Buvens, Clarence Browning, H.W.Bossier, C.L. Canterbury, Jr., H.N. Carter, J.E. Carmichael, Jr., H.M. Gates, Jos. Chapman, N.M. Collins, J.P. Cooper, J.M. Crnkovic, Odie Dunn, J.J. Ebarb, J.P. Ebarb, Nolian Ethridge, J.W. Emanus, Herman Ezernack, J.D. Fair, A.L. Freed, J.P Folks, Jr., C.M. Gmves, L.L. Hippler, Willier Herring, W.E. Hubley, T.P. lsgitt, G.L. lsgitt, J.P. lsbell, F.W. Jenkins, N.F. Jordan, E.A. Lum, Billie Lightfoot, Alien Link, Maurice Litton, R.J. Martinez, W.F. Middleton, Chas. Miller, R.A. Miller, J.R. McLeroy, R.J. McLeroy, Jr., H.M. McNeely, T.E. Mithcell, M.M. McNeely, T.E. Mithcell, M.M. Mooney, F. Manasco, F.G. Marsteller, J.W. Nesom, C.W. Olliff, T.E. Oxley, V.W. Pickett, R.A. Prewitt, H.F. Pilcher, L. Parrie, Geo. Rains, J.J. Remedies, Hy Remedies, R.D. Russell, M.Z. Sepulvado, W.C. Salter, R.R. Salter, Ellis Speights, T.A. Shaw, J.H. Sibley, W.E. Speight, C.A. Tatum, M.H. Tusk, D.L. Whittle, Evan Williams, W.E. Wolhsam, Jr., C.G. Wynne, Johnie Williams, W.E. Worhsam, Jr., C.G. Wynne, Johnie Williams, Wm. Webb, G.S. Williams. "Exercise sage Brush" in 1955 covered 6 1-2 million acres of Gulf Coast territory with Sabine being its approximate center. About 140,000 troops were engaged in these maneuvers to make it the largest atomic-age maneuver ever staged. The Korean Conflict was the next war that affected the people of Sabine Parish. The Korean Conflict began June 27, 1950, and ran through Jan. 31, 1955. Men and women from across the parish were drafted into service. A total of 350 served. A list of casualties and the dead was not available. However, numerous men from across the parish gave their lives in service to their country. The last war which affected the parish was the Viet Nam War, which was from Aug. 5, 1964 to May 7, 1975. The 4-H plaque which hangs on the first floor of the Sabine Parish. Courthouse lists the dead from the last war. Named on the plaque were: James Edward Delrie, J.C. Walker, Jr., Thomas Jefferson Barrett, Kenneth E. Grove, Troy Monroe Camline, Richard Gerald Remedies, William Roland Prewitt, James T. Cordova, Robert Smith, Thomas S. Malmay, and Ambrose Gassaway. Over the years, Sabine Parish has done her share in providing men and women to serve the country. Their efforts on foreign and home fronts will never be forgotten by those left behind. ----------------------------