Breeden, Webb, 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.

     Webb Breeden was born and grew up in Liverpool.  He gradu-

ated from Oakland High School in 1929.  After graduation, he

worked for the Highway Commission, traveling throughout the

State and entered the CCC's in 1933.  He was at a camp in LaPlace

for a year.  He returned to work for the Highway Commission and

then worked at the Mt. Herman Camp of CCC's where Webb was

Senior Foreman of Labor.  The LaPlace Camp was a Levee Camp and

the one at Mt. Herman was a Soil Conservation Camp.

     Webb and Miss Helen McGinty were married on December 30,

1940.

He stated he was classified 1-A by the local draft board in

August, 1943, so in order to get his choice of service he volun-

teered for the 361st Engineer Special Service Regiment.  To be

able to qualify for this special service, one had to have exper-

ience in construction of some type.  He noted that the regiment

was not attached to the Army or any other outfit.  The Regiment

Commander took orders from and answered to Washington.

     Webb took basic training at Camp Claiborne near Alexandria,

LA and, in fact, remained there for additional special training.

He took regular army basic training like infantry which lasted

for 17 weeks.  He feels fortunate to have known about this

special unit.  This unit drew members from throughout the United

States.

     Advanced training was in construction and destruction, he

said.  This consisted of building bridges which they then blew

up, then constructed air bases which they destroyed by blowing

them up.

     Even though they were at Camp Claiborne, they took what

might be called field trips.  In 1944, they were sent south of

New Orleans to assist with rebuilding and supporting levees when

the Mississippi River was flooding.  They were detailed there

for a month or six weeks.

     Webb said that throughout his training, daily routines

called for the use of small arms, rifles, machine guns, lot of

demolition of mines and booby traps which created a lot of noise.

At the end of the day, he said he would be dizzy and completely

deaf.  He went to the doctor and was told that he had a nerve

problem and could recommend no treatment that would help.  He

had suffered a hearing loss.

     When it came time to ship out for overseas duty, Webb was

discharged because of his hearing problem.  He was told that the

concern was for the entire outfit, that due to his hearing loss

he could endanger others since he could not hear orders.  He

learned that seven or eight others were also discharged.  He

receoved this medical discharge on September 30, 1944.

     Webb, refleting on his military time, said that once he

completed basic training, he liked the Army and did not want to

leave.  He kept in touch with five friends from service through

the years and stated that this number has dwindled to one that

he received a card from last Christmas.

     After his discharge, he returned to Franklinton where he

worked for Soil Conservation and worked there until his retire-

ment in 1973.  He moved back to St. Helena following retirement

and lives near where he was raised in a house nestled in a

setting of trees and shrubs.  Webb has two children and three

grandchildren.  In 1989 he had serious surgery and since then

his activities have been curtailed.  He enjoys attending Day's

Methodist Church and visits with friends and family.

- - - - -

Newspaper Clipping:

31 Mar 1944

Pvt. R.W. Breeden,
has been in the Special Service En-
gineers since entering the Army
October 16, 1943.  He is a son of
Mr. C.T. Breeden and the late
Mrs. Alice Warren Breeden of
Liverpool.  His wife and little
daughter, Helen Kaye, are making
their home at 122 North 5th St.,
McComb, Mississippi.

His wife is the former Miss
Helen McGinty of Amite.

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