American Legion Post 29

3319 Veterans Memorial Drive, Abbeville, LA 70510

337-893-5366

Notice Notice Notice Notice Notice

We hope to be able to provide all Post correspondence in both printed and electronic versions in the near future. This will save the Post money on postage . If you can receive newsletters and messages via the computer, please send your e-mail address.

Editors Note:

The current newsletter will be on this page until it is replaced by a later issue . We hope that you help us to reduce the amount of paper we generate and to save on the cost of postage by reading your newsletters and messages on this site. Please send black and white or color pictures that you find noteworthy and I will try to post them here. I am also wanting to post historical military pictures here. That feature alone is impossible on the printed version because a single color picture increases cost to print the newsletter by 300%

Click here for current Post 29 newsletter

Travis Callahan

teejcee@cox.net

Link to The Wounded Warrior Project

Young Pfc. Bret J. Menard of New Iberia was in Afghanistan on September 28, 2011 when his Humvee hit an IED. The blast killed his three comrades in the Humvee with him and critically injured Bret.

He is now in Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md. where he is being treated. The Wounded Warrior Project helps injured soldiers like Bret. Click on the above site to learn more about the program.

If you would like to send a Get Well Card to Bret here is his current mailing address:

Bret Jacob Menard, 3534 Palm Crossing RD. Apt#102 , Tampa, Florida 33613

Thanks To Unit 29 member Rayette Dickman for bringing this to my attention.

Meet our Members

THOMAS B. THOMPSON

ASSISTANT UNITED STATES ATTORNEY

WESTERN DISTRICT OF LOUISIANA

March 1984 - September 2011

Thomas B. Thompson joined the Office of the United States Attorney for the Western District of Louisiana as an Assistant United States Attorney in March of 1984. After working in the Criminal Division for approximately five years, he transferred to the Civil Division. As an Assistant United States Attorney in the Civil Division of the United States Attorney's Office, AUSA Thompson gained particular expertise in the area of federal bankruptcy law.

AUSA Thompson has served as Chief of the Civil Division and as Senior Litigation Counsel for the District. He has also served as a Special Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern and Western Districts of Texas. As a member of the bar for the State of Louisiana, AUSA Thompson is admitted to practice law before the United States District Court, Western District of Louisiana; the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, and the Supreme Court of the United States.

Prior to joining the Unites States Attorney's Office, AUSA Thompson served as law clerk to the late Honorable Richard J. Putnam, Senior District Judge, United States District Court, Western District of Louisiana, from June 1980 to March 1984. AUSA Thompson received a Bachelor of Arts Degree from McNeese State University and a Juris Doctorate from LSU Paul M. Hebert Law Center.

AUSA Thompson entered the United States Marine Corps in August of 1969. While serving with an infantry rifle company in the former Republic of Viet Nam, he was chosen to serve as a squadron leader for a weapons and rifle squad. Tom received an honorable discharge in August of 1975.

Tom and his wife Marleen have been married for 37 years and have two sons, one daughter and five grandchildren. His 27 1/2 years with the United States Attorney's Office have been served with accomplishments too numerous to list.

Are you a fan of the TV program Swamp People?

Perhaps you are unaware that Kristi Broussard is a member of Post 29.

Click Here for the History Channel Page about Kristi

Pictures compliments of Gerald Gaspard

American Legion Post 29 has a proud history of being one of the oldest Posts in the country with it's origin in 1919 .

February 15, 2012 Meeting

Linda Heiman, LCSW, of the Alexandria VA Hospital presented a program on Suicide Prevention to Post 29 members

Juanita Crochet has donated to Post 29 this beautiful, full size quilt that she personally crafted . There are countless hours of labor involved as well as a substantial amount of cash. Juanita's handiwork was one of the ten items in the Post 29 raffle on May 16.

A number 3 wash tub full of candy 60 dozen beads, 1200 American Flag stickers and 18lbs of popcorn were given to approx. 800 kids that came to our table.

Thanks to The Ladies Auxiliary, Super One, Mickey and Toby Akers, Johnny Gaspard, Willie Hymel, Karen Bourque (Karen was also a judge for the costume contest), Earl Fontenot, Beverly and Gerald Gaspard and the American Legion Post 29 for donation of time, money, candy and beads to make this a very successful Scare on The Square project.

Many Post 29 members visited and assisted in the presentation of the Moving Vietnam Memorial Wall in Lafayette, LA 11-18-2011

Post 29 Christmas Social was held on December 16, 2011

The Post 29 Spirit of Christmas Food Drive was held during November and December.Many people brought food donations to our Post 29 Christmas Social on December 16, 2011. We were able provide food boxes for 40 needy households this year. Please call Travis Callahan 893-9134 if you know of a needy veteran.

Please try to attend our Monthly Post 29 meetings held on the Third Wednesday of each month except for the month of December when we dispense with the meeting to hold our Christmas Social on the third Friday.

Post Meeting August 17, 2011

Shanna Mason, representative of Senator David Vitter takes notes as Commander Willie Hymel expresses his concerns about Veteran's Services

Editors Note:

These are the Seven People who are the lifeblood of Post 29 doing everything necessary to keep the Post active and vibrant. They are The Legion.

L-R Earl Fontenot, Russell LeBlanc, Gerald Gaspard, Neil Horaist, Ray Frederick, Johnny Gaspard, and Commander Willie Hymel.

Thank you Gentlemen

To our other members:

Notice there is room for more people in that picture.

Post 29 Member David Vincent, Command Sergeant Major, formerly in Afghanistan, is shown at left with his commanding officer at the far right following a promotion ceremony for two of the soldiers. Thanks to David for sending this picture. David is the son of Murphy Vincent. David is now stationed in California.

Memorial Day 2012

Comrade Tom Rigsby conducts the Memorial Day Tribute to those buried in Graceland Cemetery. He has conducted this ceremony over the past several years.

Jim Segrest sings The National Anthem

Nick Manzo sings I'm Proud to Be An American, the Lee Greenwood hit.

Relatives announce the names of the veterans buried in Graceland as they pick up small flags to mark the graves.

2011 Legion Birthday Party 3-17-2011

Our thanks to Cheryl Fontenot for creating this beautiful cake for our celebration.

E. David Touchet Post 241 Commander, Rudy Bourg, Skip Pellegrin 3rd. District Commander

and Willie Hymel Post 29 Commander

John H. Cobb gave a beautiful tribute to the POW-MIA

Unit 29 President Gloria Callahan, Nancy Lowery Third District President

and Sue Hudson 7th. District Vice President

Nancy Lowery 3rd District President

Former 3rd District Commander Skip Pellegrin spoke on Americanism and Membership

Ed Hudson Department Vice Commander

speaks on Membership

Tony Betts is the current 3rd. District Commander

Christmas Social Honors a Wonderful Sponsor

Ms. Terri Huval is presented a gift of appreciation for her longtime sponsorship of Post 29. She is manager of the Super1 Foods Store in Abbeville and we wish her well as she retires.

Picture courtesy of Marion Davidson

The first Brown Bag Lunch was held recently in the Square in Abbeville. Here the hard working Post 29 crew prepares for the first customers. The event was a huge success.

Neil Horaist and Russell Leblanc

Photos courtesy of Gerald Gaspard

Post 29 Legion and Auxiliary Unit 29 members prepare for the Halloween Scare in the Square with candy galore and a popcorn machine to delight the children.

Part of the very large crowd of ghosts and goblins waiting for treats. Legion and Auxiliary members gave out a tub full of candy , 8 lbs of popcorn, and many American Flag stickers

This is another event that puts Post 29 and the American Legion in the public eye where the citizens learn about just who we are. Many thanks to the hard workers who worked on these two projects.

Photos courtesy of Gerald Gaspard.

Past Commander Ray Frederick

Installation of Officers 2011/2012 was held on July 21, 2011

Our installing officer District 3 Commander E. J. "Skip" Pellegrin

Commander Willie Hymel

Thanks to Past Commander Ray Frederick for a job well done.

Ray is also in charge of American Legion Baseball.

Our Wonderful Cooks Neil Horaist left, and Russell LeBlanc

Click Here for the Web Page of American Legion Auxiliary Unit 29

Post 29 Sick Call

Members Golden Richard and Camille St. Amant are still in local nursing homes.

The Last Battle

Our friend Lloyd Harrington had been very sick and the old Marine spent the last month in a hospital where he recently passed away. He was buried in California. Please pray for Lloyd.

Click on the camera to view the Post 29 album 2

Post 29 News

The Post has attained a nearly 100% membership goal, but don't stop trying to recruit new members.

Abbeville Cattle Festival Parade

Post 29 was well represented at the Abbeville Cattle Festival Parade held in 2012 .

Thanks to our wonderful sponsor Super 1 Foods.

Ask a Friend to join American Legion Post 29

Send your coming events news and schedules to the e-mail address at bottom of this page

The Beautiful Veterans Home in Jennings, Louisiana

From the web page of the Veterans Homes. Picture provided by VA

God Bless our military in their support of freedom all over the world

Post 29 Calendar of Coming Events 2011

Louisiana Military Hall of Fame and Museum
Induction Ceremony

The public is invited to attend the Induction Ceremony at the Louisiana
Military Hall of Fame & Museum on the grounds of the Chris Crusta Airport in
Abbeville on Saturday, July 3rd , from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Five Medal of Honor
recipients from Louisiana will be inducted into the Hall of Fame during a
solemn ceremony at 2 p.m.

Dates of future events to be determined and posted here.

Click on the medal

to Visit the Louisiana Military Hall Of Fame and Museum Web Page http://www.operationhomefront.net/