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Tuesday, December 7, was the 80^th anniversary of me sitting with my dad at a football game in Reserve, Louisiana. Reserve was playing St. James. I remember that day as if it was yesterday. At halftime, a band member, Inez Millet, passed and screamed, “The Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor!”

On January 14, 1942, the principal of Leon Godchaux High School, Howard Turner, announced that five members of the 1941 football team joined the United States Marine Corp.  They were Norman “Billy” Sutton, Marion Roberts, Shirley Maus, Gerald Loupe, and Clarence “Nick” Duhe. I’m saddened to report that Marion Roberts did not return because he was killed in Tarawa.

I can understand why that generation is referred to as “The Greatest Generation” of all times.

Many years later, I wrote an article for the L’OBSERVATEUR, about my experience on December 7, 1941.  Inez Madere Millet, the young girl in the band uniform, called me and said that she was not a band member at that time, but a majorette.  I said, “Inez, regardless of what you say, I can still picture you in that ugly band uniform on the afternoon of December 7, 1941.”  We argued for a few minutes and finally hung up.

Two weeks later, she called and said, “Harold, you were right!  I wasn’t a majorette until the next year.”

It’s hard for me to believe that it’s been 80 years since I sat in the south end of the football stadium with my dad.  My dad was the oldest in his family and didn’t serve in the military, but believe me, he was an important part of why that generation was the greatest.

 

If you have any questions, or comments, please write to Get High on Life, P.O. Drawer U, Reserve, LA 70084, call 504-881-0113, or email hkeller@comcast.net