Blades, James, St. Helena Parish, Louisiana
File prepared by D.N. Pardue and submitted by Inez Bridges Tate.
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Submitted to the LAGenWeb Archives
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From "St. Helena Vets Remember World War II: Personal Interviews
With World War II Vets", published by St. Helena Historical
Association, 1995.  Compiled and edited by Inez Bridges Tate and
reprinted with permission.

     James Blades was born and grew up in the Pine Ridge Commun-

ity.  After graduation from Greensburg High School in 1944, he

worked in a shipyard in New Orleans.  This began a learning

experience on transported ships to the Panama Canal, he said.

     James was found not physically fit for the Army when he was

examined at New Orleans (he was classified as 4-F).  This was

due to poor vision in one eye.

     Following this decision, James became a civilian employee

with Army Transportation Corp.  In the fall of 1944, he went over-

seas passing through the Panama Canal, to Mexico, then across

the Pacific to Hawaii.  Other island/countries he went to while

in the Pacific were New Guiana, Borneo, and the Philippines.  In

New Guiana he saw the first action.  About 300 Americans were

killed during this attack, James recalled.  He remembers seeing

a lot of devastation in many of these countries he visited.  He

mentioned Borneo, in particular.  These places were first taken

by the Japanese and then as they were won by the Allies, more

destruction occurred.

     James explained that they went to airstrips where airplanes

were being repaired.  For the protection of these men, James

said, they were classified as military (for example: James was

a corporal).  This was necessary in the event they would have

been captured by the enemy.  As civilians they would have been

subjected to worse treatment than as military.

     James and a neighbor, Leroy Travis, had joined together but

they were soon separated.

     While in the Philippines he saw and visited with his Uncle

Wilmer (Tut) Blades.  In fact, he was able to see Tut twice in

Leyte, the Philippines where Tut was in the medical corp.  James

brought out that there were terrible injuries being treated in

these small hospitals.

     James went overseas as an oiler and came back as a Chief

Engineer.

     With the end of the War, James came home Christmas 1945.  He 

and Miss Katie Needham were married on January 26, 1946.  They

have two sons, seven grandchildren and three great grandchildren,

all a source of pleasure to them.

     James did some carpentry work for Mr. Elmore Phillips when

he first came home.  He worked for International Paper Company

from 1948 until 1984.  He then worked as a special deputy for St.

Helena Parish Sheriff for seven years.

     Due to extremely poor vision, James' activities are very

limited.  He enjoys having neighbors and friends "drop in for a 

cup of coffee."  James and Katie live in the home built by her

grandparents located in a grove of pecan and stately live oak

trees.  The home is comfortable with all modern conveniences.

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