CAROLYN SUE CORLEY
June 12, 1959 – March 18, 2025
Service: March 22, 2025, at Oak Grove Cemetery in Hornbeck, Louisiana, at 2 p.m.

WAYNE GRANT DUKE
July 11, 1944 – March 21, 2025
Service: March 28, 2025, at Sunny Hill Baptist Church in Leesville at 12 p.m.

ELEXSON ELLIAS, JR.
September 4, 1943 – March 20, 2025
Service: March 23, 2025, at Christian Living Fellowship Church in Leesville at 4:30 p.m.

RICHARD ALAN FAULKNER
July 14, 1956 – March 17, 2025
Service: None announced

RODNEY FERRIS
April 11, 1969 – March 24, 2025
Service: March 27, 2025, at Leesville Cemetery at 2 p.m.

RENEE MARIE DUKE KARR
October 1, 1949 – March 20, 2025
Service: None announced

BRIAN MICHAEL KINSINGER
January 30, 1976 – March 21, 2025
Service: None announced

MARGARET ELAINE OGLETREE
January 11, 1946 – March 22, 2025
Service: March 26, 2025, at Simpson First Assembly of God Church at 2 p.m.

MARTHA JEAN DARWIN PALMER
Service: March 28, 2025, at Leesville Cemetery at 11 a.m.

JIMMY LANE POWELL
July 14, 2059 – March 18, 2025
Service: None announced

JOHN PATRICK STADDON
December 26, 1949 – March 23, 2025
Service: March 28, 2025, at Central Louisiana Veterans’ Cemetery in Leesville at 1:30 p.m.

Cody Andrew Gould, age 35, of Leesville, was arrested and charged with one count of Domestic Abuse Battery.  Bond was set at $15,000.  Gould remains in the Vernon Parish jail.

Dakota Myriah Beavers, age 34, of Hornbeck, was arrested and charged with one count of Criminal Damage to Property.  Bond was set at $1281.  Beavers remains in the Vernon Parish jail.

Stacy Marie Carroll, age 39, of Pitkin, was arrested and charged with one count of Identity Theft.  Bond has not been set.  Carroll remains in the Vernon Parish jail.

ALL PERSONS ARE PRESUMED INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY IN A COURT OF LAW.

Tuesday, March 18, at approximately 1:50 p.m., the Hicks Fire Department was sent to an area near Hicks School Road and Albright Road to check on a brush fire.  Upon arrival, Hicks FD called for immediate assistance.  Sundown FD responded with the Wildland Response unit and a tanker to begin suppression operations.  Departments from Vernon and Rapides, as well as the Louisiana Department of Forestry, responded.

One residence sustained mild damage, but the fire was contained without further damage.

Units responding included Sundown FD, Caney FD, Hicks FD, Lacamp FD, Alco-Hutton FD, Simpson FD, Slagle FD, Leesville FD, Sandy Hill FD, Dry Fork FD, Savage Forks FD, LA Department of Forestry, Vernon Parish Sheriff’s Office, and departments from Rapides as well as Acadian Ambulance.

Please do not burn in high winds!  Use extreme caution when doing so.  You could incur civil and criminal penalties should the fire escape your property.

ATTN: TRICARE BENEFICIARIES – (This could affect you if you live in Louisiana and are covered under TRICARE Young Adult, TRICARE Reserve Select, TRICARE Retired reserve, TRICARE Prime, & TRICARE Select)

If you pay for your TRICARE coverage using a bank electronic funds transfer, credit card, or debit card, you must securely give your recurring payment information to the West Region contractor, TriWest Healthcare Alliance.

How to set up your payments

The easiest and fastest way to set up your payments with TriWest is through their secure portal.

1. Visit the TriWest portal.
2. Select the “New User? Sign Up Now” option.
3. You’ll be asked to input your email address. A verification code will be sent to you.
4. Check your email for the verification code. Then, enter it to continue. Please ensure you enter the correct Benefits Number when asked. Enter your Benefits Number without dashes. (You can obtain your 11-digit Benefits Number from the back of your Uniformed Services ID card. See Showing Your ID to Providers to locate your Benefits Number on your ID card. It provides a picture graph of ID and CAC cards showing your Benefits Number, which is different than your DOD ID number.)
5. Complete the information requested (name, address, etc.) in the secure forms.
6. Select your payment method.
7. Complete all fields.
8. Submit.

You don’t need to take any action if:

• You’ve already set up your payment method with TriWest. If you wish, you can log in to the TriWest portal to check that your payment method is current.
• You have TRICARE For Life, the US Family Health Plan, or a TRICARE health plan overseas. The new contracts don’t affect you.
• You live in a state that’s staying in the East Region—you don’t need to do anything. Humana Military has kept your current payment information on file. If you live in the East Region and have questions for Humana Military, call them at 800-444-5445.
• You don’t pay enrollment fees or premiums for your TRICARE coverage. Examples include active duty service members and their family members.
• You pay by military pay system allotment. Allotment payments have transferred automatically. If you don’t already pay by allotment, consider switching for the future. With allotments, you won’t need to worry about updating your TRICARE payment method during any future contract changes, or if you get a new credit or debit card. To learn how to set up payment by allotment, check out the Defense Financing and Accounting Service’s Allotments page.

You can also download an Automatic Monthly TRICARE Payment Set Up Request form, located on www.tricare.mil/west. Complete the form and mail it to the address on page 2. This form is for recurring monthly payments.

If you run into any issues with these options, you can call TriWest customer service at 888-TRIWEST (874-9378) and provide your payment information over the phone. Call volume is heavy now, so please be patient.

The Vernon Parish School Board will host the 2025 parish Special Olympics for 2025 on Friday, March 28, at the Leesville High School Track and Field complex.

Opening ceremonies are at 9:30 a.m. with the Vernon Parish Sheriff’s Torch Run bringing the flame into the event.  The Leesville High JROTC will present the colors.   The parade of athletes will follow, then the pledge, oath and prayer.

Events for the participants will begin at 10 a.m.  They include softball toss, tennis ball toss, standing long jump, and running events(by ages). The public is invited to attend and cheer the athletes on.

Lunch will be provided and served to the athletes and helpers by the Vernon Parish Sheriff’s Office.  Drinks are provided by Byrd Hospital. 

Participants will enjoy booths with sno-cones, popcorn, cotton candy, face painting, temporary tattoos, and bubbles.

Local food trucks will be on site with items to purchase for lunch.

The event will conclude at 1 p.m.  There is no cost to attend.  Please come and support our Special Olympians.

Special Olympics organizers thank the following sponsors:  The Leesville Lions Club, GEICO/Leesville, Merchants & Farmers Bank, Jeremy Burge/Allstate, Vernon Parish Sheriff’s Office, David Haymon/State Farm, Landey Adams/State Farm, Byrd Hospital, Sabine State Bank, Harvest Temple Christian Center, The McCall Family, Barksdale Federal Credit Union, West Cenla Shrine Club, Maxout Injury Lawyers, Trey Coker/State Farm, Cryer’s Sports.

By VPJ Staff

Spring officially began at 5 a.m. Thursday morning.  So why was it just a tad chilly until past noon? Mother Nature was just practicing for April Fool’s Day!

Spring could be the best time of the year.  School kids are on the downhill slide to the summer.  Trees and flowers look great in all their brilliant hues and colors.  Time to be rid of the recent pollen dump and enjoy the colors of the season!  My lovely wife is ready for a day trip to the nurseries at Forest Hill.  I have grown to love that trip and the look of our deck for months to come.

Baseball and softball fields are full of kids practicing, playing and enjoying the games.  Baseball is my favorite sport to watch live.  You have the action in front of you at a pace that doesn’t leave you behind.  You can actually enjoy the surroundings of the ballpark and the people in it.  I don’t believe I have ever been to an MLB game or any other game and not met interesting people.  We always have much more in common than not!

There is a quiet calm you immerse yourself in at a ballgame.  You have built-in breaks, and they bring you good eats and drinks.  Hello, Paradise!

My mother liked baseball.  Football and basketball were too busy for her.  She also liked to visit with strangers and gab with folks.  The ballpark was her jam!

Looking at this year’s MLB schedule, my Pirates are in Houston for one three-game series, in the middle of the first week in June.  Plan B might need development.  A game at Alex Box Stadium in Baton Rouge would be fun.  LSU starts the season as the #1 NCAA team, and it is electric at the house that Skip Bertman built!

My lovely wife has a 13-year-old grand who plays on a travel ball softball squad coached by her dad.  She is a slugging catcher and very versatile in the field.  There will be chances for a brief road trip or two.

So, fire up that grill (after you clean it up good); clean up the property and spiff it up.  Plant new flowers and trees and watch their growth.  It’s a simple pleasure.  As we age, simple pleasures bring the biggest smiles!

So many things impact our lives as individuals, but nothing more than hard work. Growing up as
a kid on a ranch, I learned many of life’s lessons through the chores that had to be done. It
wasn’t always something I enjoyed, but these were things that were necessary in order for our
ranch to operate properly. 
 
First, let’s look at the ranch I grew up on, located about 10 miles east of Talco, Texas. My dad
and his brother were partners of this property, known as Graf Brothers Ranch. My dad’s
brother (Uncle Bill) lived in Ft. Worth and was the owner of a major trucking company, while
my dad worked full time in the Talco oil field as the superintendent for Vick Well Service. 
 
Uncle Bill’s involvement with the ranch was mainly financial as Dad did 90 percet of the work
that took place. On the ranch, we raised several breeds of cattle including Herford, Angus and
Brahmas, and at one point we even ran a few Charolais. The ranch was known for producing
high quality crossbred calves, all due to one awesome Angus bull by the name of “Doc.” 
 
Doc was a pure black Angus bull that became famous for the calves he produced, which landed
him on the cover of Texas Farm Magazine. My dad truly loved this bull and had a special
relationship with Doc, who was his favorite bull that we ever owned. 
 
A ranch requires a lot of work and there were many chores that had to be done, some I
dreaded and others I looked forward to. But nothing was worse than what my dad called
“picking up chunks.”
 
This was a job that took place anytime Dad decided to clear some of the timber on our property
in order to create more pastureland. We owned a D8 Caterpillar dozer that was used exclusively
for clearing property and building stock ponds. 
 
Once the timber was cut and piled up ready to burn, there were a lot of “chunks” of wood that
had to be picked up by hand and placed in small piles, also to be burned. I do remember muttering a few choice words every time I heard the call, “Pick up chunks.” It really was the worst job in the world!
 
One thing about working on a ranch — there was never a shortage of things to do. Whether it
was building or mending fence, bailing hay, bush hogging, barn repairs, or doctoring cattle,
there was plenty of work.
 
The greatest lesson I learned from growing up on the ranch was the importance of a strong
work ethic. Our ranch was our family business and required plenty of attention. Being a
teenager, a lot was expected of me by my dad when it came to getting things done, as he
worked full-time in the oil field six days a week. Therefore, Sundays were always dedicated to
any and all jobs needing to be done on the ranch. 
 
But this place was also my playground for hunting and fishing. It’s where my passion grew for
both hunting and fishing as I spent hours upon hours fishing our stock ponds or hunting ducks
and squirrels. 
 
Looking back at my time on the ranch rekindles some great memories. It helped shape me into
the person I am today and motivated me to continue my education as Dad reminded me often
that if I did not go to college, I would be working seven days a week on the ranch. That was
something I DID NOT WANT! 
 
‘Til next time, enjoy every opportunity you get to wet a hook or enjoy the great outdoors and
remember, it is always a great day when you get to go fishing, whether or not you catch fish. 
 
Contact Steve at sgraf26@yahoo.com

Jacob Mullican of DeRidder, a junior history major at Northwestern State University, has been named as a recipient of a 2025-2026 Police Jury Association of Louisiana Scholarship. 

The scholarship is awarded annually to upper division undergraduates at universities throughout the state. NSU’s history faculty recommended Mullican for the scholarship.  

“I believe the scholarship would be beneficial to me in helping pay college expenses,” said Mullican. “My parents lost their home in Hurricane Laura, so I have been working to pay my for college as well as my living expenses.” 

Mullican receives an ROTC Scholarship. He is a member of the Baptist Collegiate Ministry, Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society, and Blue Key Honor. Mullican is vice president of the Black Knights Registered Student Organization and the Company Commander of the Demon Battalion ROTC.  

The Police Jury Association of Louisiana was created in 1924 to improve parish government in the State of Louisiana. Membership is open to each of the 64 parishes in the State of Louisiana, whether organized as a police jury, parish council or parish commission.  

Northwestern Professor of History Dr. Greg Granger thanked the Police Jury Association of Louisiana for their support of Northwestern State and its students.  

These selections were made by the staff at BWS Sports, which includes members of the Louisiana Sports Writers Association.
BOYS
Coach of the Year Logan Maddox-Rosepine
MVP Hayden Brister-Rosepine
Defensive Player Xavier Ford-Leesville
Newcomer of Year Jacob Norris-Rosepine
FIRST TEAM Dayne Martin-Pitkin, Emmanuel Brownlee-Rosepine, Lane Parker-Hicks, Parker Alexander-Hornbeck, Addison Coffman-Hicks
SECOND TEAM AJ Berry-Pickering, Antrel Broom-Leesville, Caleb Taylor-Anacoco, Trace Fox-Hornbeck, Gavin Holt-Pitkin

GIRLS
Coach of the Year Lynsey Rachal-Simpson
MVP Olivia Edwards-Simpson
Defensive Player Calyn Lambert-Pickering
Newcomer of Year Madi Stanley-Anacoco
FIRST TEAM Shyan McCummings-Leesville, Amaya Shine-Rosepine, Raylee Mitchell-Anacoco, Charley Lentz-Pitkin, Bella Hunnicutt-Simpson
SECOND TEAM Kodi Miller-Simpson, Brooklyn Bryant-Anacoco, Addison DeLoach-Pickering, Case James, Rosepine, Hannah Mitchell-Hornbeck

Pilot Club, Kiwanis Club, Lions Club, The Junior League, The Vernon Parish Tourism Commission, Friends of Main Street, and City of Leesville are hosting the first-ever Spring Fling in the Park on Saturday, April 12.  Your family is invited to Dogwood Park on Belview Road in Leesville from 8 a.m. – 2 p.m.

The day’s events will include an Alzheimer’s Walk in memory of the late Donna Williams at 9 a.m., food trucks, live music, popcorn, cotton candy, and much more.  Kids will enjoy the art space, brain minders, a puppet show, and a story walk.  Craft vendors will be on site and organizers are still adding events to the day.

The Junior League of Leesville will offer pictures of your kids with the Easter Bunny.

There is no admission.  Bring your family and friends.

The first-ever Spring Fling is Saturday, April 12, at Dogwood Park in Leesville.

The Pilot Club of Leesville invites the public to join their online auction and bid on great prize packages and individual items.  The auction site will post the items for bid on March 26 and close the bidding process on March 31.  The Pilots will use this fundraiser to support their many community projects.

YOU MUST REQUEST TO BE LET ON THE FACEBOOK GROUP.  Check it out today at Pilot Club of Leesville Online Auction.    Visit the page on Facebook and follow the prompts to be let in.

You will have 15-20 different new items to bid on each day of the auction, including golf packages, spa packages, a home security system, a two-night Air BNB stay in Texas, seasonal home décor, a grilling package, and numerous restaurant gift certificates representing the best eating spots in the area.  More items are being added daily!

The Pilot Club of Leesville supports many programs in Vernon Parish that impact hundreds of lives.  These include bingo for seniors at the Woodlands, Wreaths Across America, CASA of West Central, Meals on Wheels, gift packages for veterans staying at the Woodlands, scholarships for local high school seniors, and improvements to Dogwood Park, to name a few.

Join the fun and bid on some great items donated by the local business community.  It costs nothing to join the online auction. The Pilot Club thanks you for your support.

Northwestern State University’s Department of Physical Sciences and Department of Biology and Microbiology have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the North Louisiana Crime Laboratory in Shreveport.

Under the agreement NLCL will provide internships for students in either forensic laboratory science or forensic investigation degree programs.

“This MOU between Northwestern State University (NSU) and the North Louisiana Crime Laboratory (NLCL) provides invaluable experiential learning opportunities for our students pursuing degrees in forensic laboratory science and forensic investigation,” said Dr. Christopher Lyles, director of the School of STEM at NSU. “By offering structured internships, the collaboration ensures that students gain practical, hands-on experience under professional supervision, enhancing their skills and employability upon graduation. The partnership also helps students understand real-world professional standards and expectations, better preparing them for successful careers in forensic science.”

NSU will ensure students meet the educational and professional requirements set forth by NLCL prior to accepting students into their programs.

NLCL was established in Shreveport in1970 to serve the parishes of Bienville, Bossier, Caddo, Claiborne, DeSoto, Lincoln, Natchitoches, Red River, Sabine, and Webster in northwest Louisiana and has expanded to cover 30 parishes in north and central Louisiana.  Laboratories are located in Shreveport and Alexandria with a drop off location in West Monroe.

A significant milestone in the history of the NLCL System was its initial accreditation by the American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors/Laboratory Accreditation Board (ASCLD/LAB) in September 1986 and it has retained accreditation each year.

Information on the School of STEM is available at https://www.nsula.edu/stem.

The Leesville Mayor’s Women’s Commission will partner with the Leesville Junior League on the annual Trash Bash, April 5, from 8 a.m. – 11 a.m. at the Leesville Art Park/Magnolia Park on Abe Allen Drive. 

The park will serve as headquarters for the event.  Trash Bash teams will fan out in different areas of Leesville.  Teams can compete for prizes of $50, $75 or $100.  All participants will be treated to free hot dogs after the event.

If you would like to participate, see the Facebook page/ City of Leesville Municipal Government and scan the QR code.

Come and join the fun and make some cash for your church or civic group Saturday, April 5, at the Leesville Art Park.

The Vernon Parish E-911 Communications District is currently accepting applications for Public Safety E-911 Dispatchers.  Full and part-time positions are available.

Start the process IN PERSON at 190 Ned Woodham Road in Leesville by picking up an application.  No phone calls or messages please.

Pick up applications between 8 a.m. – 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.

You must be 18 years of age to apply and must have a high school diploma or equivalent.  Benefits, hours and other details will be discussed upon your initial interview.

Vernon Parish E-911 Communications District is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

JONATHAN L. CROWELL
July 11, 1954 – March 15, 2025
Service: March 29, 2025, at Harvest Temple Christian Center in Leesville at 11 a.m.

WILLIAM “BILLY” E. KILMAN, JR.
July 29, 1925 – March 18, 2025
Service: None announced

BRUCE ARNOLD LEGG
June 5, 1957 – March 18, 2025
Service: March 21, 2025, at Castor Baptist Church in Leesville at 2 p.m.

MATTHEW “MATTY” WASHINGTON
August 19, 2008 – March 15, 2025
Service: March 22, 2025, at Labby Memorial Funeral Home in Leesville at 10 a.m.

Michael Scott Evans, age 50, of Florence, Mississippi, was arrested and charged with one count of Improper Telephone Communications and one count of Cyberstalking.   Bond was set at $3,000. Evans posted bond and was released.

Johnny Ferris, age 39, of Leesville, was arrested on an outstanding Bench Warrant.  Bond has not been set.  Ferris remains in the Vernon Parish jail.

Robert A Bebee, age 60, of Rosepine, was arrested on an outstanding Bench Warrant.  Bond has not been set.  Bebee remains in the Vernon Parish jail.

Dakota Myriah Beavers, age 34, of Hornbeck, was arrested by Agents with the Vernon Parish Narcotics Task Force.  Agents charged Beavers with one county of Possession of a Schedule II Narcotic.  Bond has not been set.  Beavers remains in the Vernon Parish jail.

Scotty Ray Meier, age 29, of Leesville, was arrested by Agents with the Vernon Parish Narcotics Task Force.  Agents charged Meier with Possession of a Schedule II Narcotic.  Bond has not been set.  Meier remains in the Vernon Parish jail.

Jody Murray, age 17, of Anacoco, was arrested and charged with one count of Aggravated Assault.  Bond has not been set.  Murray remains in the Vernon Parish jail.

Alvin Strickland, age 75, of Anacoco, was arrested and charged with one count of Aggravated Assault with a Firearm.  Bond has not been set.  Strickland remains in the Vernon Parish jail.

Darion Alexis Lashae Perez, age 25, of Pitkin, was arrested and charged with one count of Unauthorized Entry of an Inhabited Dwelling.  Bond has not been set.  Perez remains in the Vernon Parish jail.

ALL PERSONS ARE PRESUMED INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY IN A COURT OF LAW.

A search of the Louisiana Real Estate Commission website shows that the Broker License for Rodrick Terrell McIntosh has been suspended and the status indicates the License is Not Valid.

A search of the Broker Company section of the Louisiana Real Estate Commission website shows that the Broker Company License for Clear to Close Realty, LLC has been suspended and the status indicates the License is Not Valid.

• Each search was conducted on March 18, 2025 at the website: https://portal.lrec.gov/public/search

The Vernon Parish Police Jury met on Monday, March 17, at 10 a.m. Jurors welcomed the Simpson Lady Broncos basketball team and presented certificates to the team and coaching staff.   Simpson won 40 of 42 games, including two blowout victories in the state tournament when they won the Class C Select title.  It was the first girls’ state basketball title in school history.

Jurors entered into a public hearing on a proposed ordinance that would abandon a portion of Gaston Ingalls Road, beginning at Highway 28, heading south for 3100’.  The remaining 596’ will remain in the parish road system.  The ordinance was adopted.

Jurors gave their support for St. Rep. Charles Owen and HB4, which authorizes a parish governing authority to determine whether Class VI carbon dioxide injection wells may be permitted within its parish.  They also adopted a resolution requesting the state legislature postpone issuing permits for Class V and Class VI wells in Vernon Parish till the final adjournment of the 2025 Louisiana Regular Legislative Session.

Jurors adopted a motion to approve a lease with Mrs. Anita Jeane for the District 1,4,8,9 Maintenance shop in the amount of $1,200, to be paid annually.

The Equipment Committee had one item of business come up after committee reports on March 10.  District 2 requested that a Kubota H-52 tractor be sold as equipment surplus.

The Ways and Means Committee requested bids for janitorial supplies, by line item, be approved to the following vendors: Economical Janitorial Supplies and Interboro Packaging Corporation.

Jurors heard from attorney Nicole Frey, with Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson, on steps needed to be taken to adopt the Local Healthcare Provider Participation Plan.  Vernon Parish has three providers in the plan: Byrd Regional Hospital, Tri-Parish Rehabilitation Hospital and Leesville Rehabilitation Hospital.

They will have an assessment set to be collected by the VPSO and deposited into a fund with a local bank.  This plan will help local healthcare providers recover Medicaid payments from the federal government and allow for expansion of local services.

According to Frey, Texas and Florida have successfully used this plan for 10 years, and several Louisiana parishes are just beginning to get involved.  Assisting in the presentation were Kevin Quinn, CEO of Byrd Regional, and local healthcare advocate Sam Fulton.  Vernon Parish District Attorney, Terry Lambright, addressed jurors on the legality and paperwork involved.  The Police Jury will have to send a 30-day “Notice of Intent” in the parish journal and help set up the accounts.

This plan is designed to help local providers recoup more of the costs from Medicaid in a timely manner and aid patients with better services.

The Vernon Parish Police Jury will next meet Monday, April 14, at 5 p.m.

Weather is perfect these days for a few innings at the ballpark. Vernon Parish boys’ and girls’ teams are hard at it. Here are early results.
ANACOCO SB 9-3 on the year. Beat Leesville on Monday, 14-3…hosting Winnfield Thursday at 5:30 p.m.
BB 3-10 on the year. Lost to Grant on Monday, 14-7
EVANS SB 3-6 on the year. Won at Singer on Monday, 15-2. At Pleasant Hill last night.
BB 2-5 on the year. Beat Hathaway in last game, 12-11. At Lakeview Friday.
HICKS SB 7-2 on the year. Hosted Rosepine last night.
BB 8-3 on the year. Lost to Rosepine in last game, 5-3. At LCCP last night.
HORNBECK SB 0-4 on the year. Lost to Many on Monday, 10-0.
BB 3-6 on the year. Lost to Converse in last game, 8-5. At Fairview last night.
LEESVILLE SB 6-5 on the year. Lost to Anacoco in last game, 14-3. At Washington-Marion last night.
BB 7-6 on the year. Hosted DeRidder last night.
PICKERING SB 3-4 on the year. Hosted DeQuincy last night. At Rosepine Thursday.
BB 0-11 Hosted DeQuincy last night.
PITKIN SB 4-5 on the year. Beat Westlake Monday, 11-4. At South Beau last night.
BB 6-2 on the year. Beat Rosepine. 1-0. At Catholic of Baton Rouge last night.
ROSEPINE SB 4-8 on the year. At Hicks last night.
BB 11-6 on the year. Lost to Pitkin in last game, 1-0 Hosted Many last night.
SIMPSON SB 0-2 on the year. Hosted Negreet last night.
BB 2-4 on the year. Lost to Oak Hill in last game, 14-1. At Ebarb Thursday night.

By Rickey Robertson

When the US Army began limited field exercises here in Louisiana in 1940 at Camp Beauregard, it was found that there was a great need for a base to operate from in West Central Louisiana. Thus came about Camp Polk, La. This base was used as a supply base, training base, and maneuver headquarters after its construction. It was involved in maneuver training until the end of World War II with many varied units training there.  People don’t know but Camp Polk trained several of the most famous armored divisions in World War II.

Let’s look at five of these armored divisions that trained at Camp Polk and roved throughout Natchitoches, Sabine, and Vernon Parishes as they trained. The 3^rd Armored Division took part in several of the first battles in France after D-Day June 6, 1944. The 3^rd Armored fought in and around St. Lo and pushed the German forces out of that area after fierce fighting. In the winter of 1944 and early 1945 the 3rd Armored fought and helped to stop the German advance during the Battle of the Bulge. The commander of the 3^rd Armored, Major General Maurice Rose, who was always at the front with his troops, was killed in action on March 31, 1945.

During the start of the Battle of the Bulge the 7^th Armored Division had to retreat from Saint Vith. The division had been capturing towns in France and Belgium but they were hit hard by the spearhead of Hitlers Panzer divisions at Saint Vith and they pulled back. But the 7^th continued to fight to halt the German advance and on January 23, 1945 they re-captured the town of Saint Vith and kept fighting all the way into the Ruhr Valley where all of Germany’s industrial plants were located. They captured and destroyed all of Germany’s industry and helped bring on the destruction of Germany.

The 8^th Armored Division arrived in France in January 1945 and immediately were given orders to advance quickly into the battle raging near Strasbourg, France. They had to race 350 miles and entered the battle where they helped win that battle. Part of the 8^th Armored was then placed under General George Patton and advanced into southern Germany and the other part of the 8^th advanced into the Netherlands and pushed the Germans out of that country. The whole 8^th Armored advanced into Germany and then blocked the Ruhr Pocket and stopped all German units in that area as the war ended.

The 9^th Armored Division had trained extensively at Camp Polk and entered battle and proved itself as they battled the Germans at Saint Vith, Bastogne, and other towns in the midst of the Battle of the Bulge. But what the 9^th Armored is famous for is this unit captured the famous Ludendorff Bridge, the last bridge standing across the Rhine River. With the capture of the bridge American units raced across it into Germany and began fighting the last battles that sealed Germany’s fate.

And the 11^th Armored Division that trained at Camp Polk arrived in time to enter the terrible battles around Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge. The 11^th helped to break the encirclement of Bastogne and free the 101^st Airborne. The 11^th joined General Patton’s army and became one of his most trustworthy outfits. The 11^th swept through Bavaria and then freed starving prisoners in Nazi concentration camps at Flossenburg and then Dachau. The sights the soldiers of the 11^th saw at these death camps were terrible. The 11^th advanced onward and was the first American unit to meet the Russians. And as the war ended these five Camp Polk armored units had participated in the battles that destroyed the German Army.

Camp Polk trained the best armored units!  This base continues to train America’s Best!