Robertson, Louis Dewitt, St. Helena Parish, Louisiana
File prepared by D.N. Pardue and submitted by Inez Bridges Tate.
************************************************
Submitted to the LAGenWeb Archives
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm
************************************************

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.

LOUIS DEWITT ROBERTSON
January 29, 1923 - January 1, 1991

     Louis Dewitt Robertson was born on January 29, 1923 to 
Myrtle Reeves and Angus Dewitt Robertson.  He was the third of
three children and was raised on a dairy farm south of Greensburg.

     After passing his physical, Dewitt was inducted at New
Orleans on the twenty third day of June, 1944 to serve during a
national emergency, into the United States Marine Corps.

     Training took several months but on November 10, 1944,
Dewitt left San Diego, aboard the USS Roshanbeau, headed for
Eriwetok.  His assignments included unloading and carrying
supplies to the front lines on Iwo Jima.  While carrying a flame
thrower forward he was wounded in the right knee by machine gun
fire.  Recovery took place in hospitals in Guam and San Diego.

     Peace time duties and special qualifications were that of
the Military Police and Rifleman.

     Dewitt received a Good Conduct Medal and the Purple Heart.
Private First Class Louis Dewitt Robertson was honorably dis-
charged from the First Separations Company MCB, San Diego, Cali-
fornia and from the United States Marine Corps Reserve on June 5,
1946.

     Upon his discharge Dewitt returned home and on January 11,
1948 married Lou Bergeron from Napoleonville.  From this union
five daughters were born - Karen, Fran, Teri-Lou, Tracey and
Melanie.

     Dewitt was a dairy farmer and drove a school bus.  He was
very active in the community, serving on the Dairy Advisory
Committee, the Farm Bureau Board of Directors, Louisiana Milk
Producers Board of Directors, Parish Selective Service (Draft
Board) and the Board of Directors at Oak Forest Academy.

     At the time of his death Dewitt had five grandchildren -
Brad, Brhett and Andria Graves, Rebecca King, and Louis Kane
Robertson, and one great grandchild, Joseph Wayne Graves.

     Dewitt served his God, his country, his community and his
family proudly.  Semper Fi.

Information was provided by Karen Robertson Graves (daughter).

--------

Newspaper clipping:

8 Sept. 1944

  Dewitt Robertson of the U.S.
Marines is spending a short fur-
lough at home with his parents,
Mr. and Mrs. A.D. Robertson, and
will report back to duty at San
Diego, California.

--------

Notes in a pocket bible:

June 28, 1944
"Inducted into Marine Corp."

August 26, 1944
"Finished boot camp went on 10 day leave"

Sept. 6, 1944
"back off leave start time training."

Sept. 10, 1944
Joined 5th tr. bn. and started training Cpt. Puckett. Co. Com."

Nov. 2, 1944
"went to staging area ready for overseas"

Nov. 10, 1944
"Left San Diego for overseas aboard U.S.S. Rashanbeau"

Nov. 18, 1944
"arrived in San Francisco to join convoy"

Nov. 15, 1944
"Left San Francisco for Pearl Harbor"

Nov. 23, 1944
"arrived in P.H."

Dec. 8, 1944
"reached Eniwetoh (in Harbor)"

Dec. 24, 1944
"Left Eniwetoh for Guam"

Dec. 25, 1944
"ate XMas dinner aboard ship"

Dec. 29, 1944
"arrived at Guam. joined 3rd Div. & started more training"

"1945"
"New Years day nothing doing"

Jan. 15, 1945
"Started loading ships for Env."

Feb. 14, 1945
"all packed ready to board ship"

Feb. 15, 1945
"aboard ship ready to sail"

Feb. 16, 1945
"left Guam for Iwo Jima"

Feb. 20, 1945
"laying off shore Iwo Jima"

Feb. 21, 1945
"Troops left ship to go ashore 60 of us left to unlode ship."

Feb. 26, 1945
"ship unloaded all ready to go ashore"

March 1, 1945
"Ashore on Iwo Jima"

March 2, 1945
"going to front lines.  Carrying supplies to front lines,
food, water, & ammo."

March 4, 1945
"Joined 21st Marines to go into combat"

March 6, 1945
"laying in fox hole about to xxxx in my pants, morder shell poping"

Mar. 7, 1945
"Got hit by machine gun"

Mar. 11, 1945
"back in Hosp. in Guam"