HURST, John "Shady", 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. Looking back through my life, I remember and am thankful for every experience because everything has resulted in making me the happy man that I am today. When I graduated from Kentwood High School in 1943, World War II was raging. It was a time of great patriotism, a charac- teristic of every U.S. citizen, especially young men who were anxious and dedicated to fighting for the freedom of their coun- try. Benny McNabb, L.J. Frazier and I, three of those "stout- hearted men", decided to get involved as soon as possible. We joined the Merchant Marines and were sent to St. Petersburg, Florida for basic training. After graduation and returning from our first sea duty, we realized that we wanted more than this. For the war adventure, we decided to go into the Marine Corps. Since we had reached 18 years of age, we had to go through the draft board. During examination, the officers learned of our sea experience and put us in the Navy. After basic training, we were placed aboard ship and sent to the South Pacific. We were fortunate to make it through the war without a scratch. Only in Saipan did I face real danger. Seven days after the war had ended, a friend and I were almost killed by repeated gunfire from snipers in the hills while were were foolishly gathering bananas. Some of the Japanese refused to accept the peace treaty and had their guns aimed at us. That was our last banana trip! We aimed our attention for the good old USA. After getting married and having a family, I decided to transfer to the Air Force rather than take a chance of going to sea again. During my 20 years of military duty, I served in Florida, Texas, California, Rhode Island, South Pacific, Saipan, Japan, Philippines, Kansas, Mississippi and Louisiana. My military career has brought many rewards through the years and has given me a tremendous vision of the world. Even after retirement, my wife and I take advantage of military space- available trips, usually once each year, to another interesting country in the world. Last year we went to Italy, Sicily and the Azores. My work, since retiring from the military and returning home, has given me a wonderful peace of belonging to a place where I have roots. We operated a dairy farm for 10 years, built swimming pools for 10 years, attended the New Orleans Baptist Seminary, served as volunteer missionaries with the Baptist Home and Foreign Mission Boards, and became a Baptist pastor. Our latest adventure is building a public park, a place where people can come for Spiritual inspiration and meditation. This has been an enjoyable labor of love. We pray that Inspira- tion Park, with the 38 foot standing Cross, will be a testimony until Jesus comes. I often pray for peace in our world. I have seen so much that makes me grateful for America. She is still the greatest country on earth but I wonder how much longer God is going to bless this beautiful land and find favor with us as a nation that should bring glory to Him. Yet ---, "Keep looking up" is my motto. The best part is yet to come. Information submitted to Inez Tate, Fall 1993. * * *