August 19
August 19, 2008
Edna Breaux Uzee
August 21, 2008
The Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3665 and American Legion Post 349 held a wreath laying ceremony Sunday to honor American military servicemen.
About 100 people turned out for the event, which was held at the Freddie John Falgout Memorial at the Lafourche Parish Tourist Center in Raceland.
Guest speaker former state Rep. Warren Triche Jr. (D-Thibodaux), praised military veterans as the only true American heroes.
“While others may look at sports people, those who play in rock bands and rock stars as heroes, there is only one set of heroes,” he said. “That is, those who gave their life, their time and their energies for our safety.”
Triche, a nine-year veteran of the U.S. Army and Air Force, also served as guest speaker at the memorial dedication in August 2001.
Falgout, a Raceland native, was the first American military casualty of World War II.
Two of his three surviving siblings attended the wreath laying – his brother, Gus, 87, a World War II Army veteran with two Purple Heart medals, and sister, Rita Babin, 86.
Falgout’s other sister, Louise Dufrene, 90, could not attend.
“I though it was very nice ceremony,” Gus said. “All of us from that time are getting older and older. I hope we can go this regularly.”
After a flag-raising ceremony and Triche’s speech, the United Veterans League Rifle Team gave a 21-gun salute as the wreath was presented.
“We do about 50 flag ceremonies and dedications a year,” said Ray Ordoyne, commander United Veterans League, which is based in Houma. “We also do military funerals, and we average one every other day. We do 150 of them a year.”
The Raceland VFW – which is named in honor of Freddie John Falgout – and the American Legion posts had been considering doing something to honor veterans for years.
“There’s no better time than now with everything that’s going on overseas – Iraq, Pakistan, Afghanistan,” said Murphy Pitre, finance officer of American Legion Post 349.
Navy Lt. Michael Couvillon, a nurse practitioner in 4th Medical Battalion U.S. Marines Corps, paid respects for a nephew who died in Iraq.
Vacherie native Sgt. Jay Ryan Gautreaux was killed Dec. 4, 2006, in Baghdad by an improvised explosive device.
“We were both in Iraq, but unfortunately he made the ultimate sacrifice for his country,” Couvillon said.
Couvillon, a reservist living in Houma, served a seven-month tour in Fallujah, Iraq, in 2006.
He said he would proudly serve again if asked.
“If the phones rings, I’ll pack my trash and go,” he said.
That was a sentiment shared by many of the veterans of 20th century conflicts.
“If I were young, I’d be over there,” said Gus Falgout, who saw over three years of combat in New Guinea and the Philippines with the Army’s 41st Division. “I guarantee that.”
Former state Rep. Warren Triche Jr. speaks with members of the Houma-based United Veterans League rifle team before the ceremony. * Photo by KEYON K. JEFF
