Leonard Gray / L’Observateur / June 21, 2000

The letters of 19-year-old Larry Lasseigne to his 11-year-old niece, Gloria, written “somewhere in France” in the waning months of World War II, tell a touching story of a lonely youth, far from home.

Larry Lasseigne had big plans for his life before the war intervened. Hestudied journalism at Louisiana State University and worked as sports editor for the LSU Daily Reveille before being drafted into the U.S. Army.His father, Wallace Lasseigne, dreamed of the day when he could turn over the reins of the newspaper he launched in 1913, L’Observateur, to his beloved son and designated heir.

Instead, Larry Lasseigne died without ever seeing his home and family again. He is still buried in France.Gloria Mae Mabile, now Gloria Triche of Reserve, has treasured her uncle’s letters to her for 55 years.

“It was heartbreaking when he left,” she recalled, remembering they were close because of their closeness in age.

Now, for the first time, Larry Lasseigne’s writing is in L’Observateur, courtesy of his loving niece, and in remembrance of all those who served their nation at need: May 14, 1944: “I don’t know whether you miss me or not, but if you do, don’t get too sad, because Uncle will come back to see you in a little while, and he misses you, too. When Uncle gets lonesome, he takes hiswallet out of his pocket, opens it, and looks at your picture. That makeshim feel better right away.” May 21, 1944: “I am writing this letter after having just returned from Mass, and while I am waiting for dinner, and I’ll bet that you too, right now, are waiting for Grandmother’s excellent dinner, and in the meantime you are reading the funny papers, Aunt Ruby is reading the Society section, Grandfather is reading the first section, Aunt Thelma is setting the table, and Grandmother and your mother are in the kitchen preparing dinner.” Oct. 24, 1944: “Every time you feel lonely for Uncle, I want you to sitright down, fill your pen with ink, get plenty of writing paper, and write me a long letter, because that’s what Uncle does when he feels lonely for you. It doesn’t matter whether you have any news to tell me – just writeabout what you’re doing and thinking about – that’s more than enough news for me.” Nov. 1, 1944: “I remember the time when I was your age, or perhaps alittle younger, I would work very, very hard for Mother, and I would be a good little boy, because I knew that Santa Claus did not like boys who were lazy and bad. Well, today, as when I was very young, I am workingvery hard, and I am being a good boy, because that is the only way that Santa will bring me what I want. And what I want is a boat ticket back tothe United States, to Louisiana, to Reserve, to you.” Nov. 25, 1944: “After my soldier days are done with, I want to go awayto school to finish the work I was doing before I became a soldier.” Nov. 28, 1944: “You may be certain that this is the last Christmas youwill spend without your Uncle Larry. Because every Christmas from thenon will be more wonderful, more enjoyable and more fun for you.” Dec. 22, 1944: “I wonder how you will look when I come marching homeand see you for the first time again. I wonder what color your dress willbe, how you will have your hair, what you will be doing at the time. But Ihope you don’t change too much, because when I return I want to find you as lovely, nice and sweet as the day I left.” Feb. 8, 1945: “I can assure you that before this year ends, we will againbe reunited and I will be living the kind of life I’ve dreamed about and hoped for these many long, dreary months.” Feb. 17, 1945 (his last letter): “I have just come back from Mass andalso I went to confession and received Holy Communion. At the same time,I said a prayer that we may be together soon, and I asked that Jesus take good care of you and keep you so that you may be just like you were the day I left. Going to Mass also reminds me so much of the times when wewould go to the St. Peter’s church to attend Mass on Sunday. I can seeeverything we used to do on those wonderful Sunday mornings. How lovelythat was!” Born in 1925, he attended St. Peter’s Parochial School, Leon Godchaux HighSchool and LSU for two and half years before responding to the draft.

On Aug. 17, 1944, his 19th birthday, he was shipped to Europe.Sgt. Larry Lasseigne, previously reported slightly wounded and missing inGermany, was officially reported by the War Department as having died on March 5, 1944.

“They never really knew what happened to him,” Gloria Triche said. “Hiswatch, ring and dogtags were never found. To me, he’ll always be thathandsome young man.”On the occasion of Wallace Lasseigne’s retirement from L’Observateur in July 1949, he wrote, “Years ago, I made plans, great plans, for the day I was to retire. They vanished on a battlefield in Germany.” WallaceLasseigne, born in 1878, died in 1966.

Sgt. Larry Lasseigne was interred at the United States Military Cemeteryat St. Avoid, France, Plot 22, 23 miles east of Metz, France.His heart remains in Reserve.

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