Vernon Parish native turned 100 years old on Monday
By LEE ZIONlzion@beauregarddailynews.net
A DeRidder resident is about to turn 100 years old.
Garsie James was born Jan. 16, 1917 in Fullerton, Louisiana. He celebrated his birthday at a private ceremony Saturday, surrounded by friends and family.
According to information supplied by his family, he was born to John Robert James and Bertha Perkins James. He was raised in the Ouiska Chitto Creek community.
On Jan. 6, 1939, he went to work at the Civilian Conservation Corps, a Depression-era forestry copany that planted trees. He also did road work and drove the fire truck. He lived in the barracks there alont with about 150 other workers.
In July 1941, James was working in Mansfield at an ammunition plant. At about this time, the government came into the Ouiska Chitto Creek community and told the residents that they had to leave their homes due to the building of Fort Polk. Every home was appraised, and the amount offered to them was final. At this time, the family moved to Rosepine to start over, according to information from the family.
In January, 1942, just at the start of World War II, he was sworn into the Army. He went to Camp Beauregard, in Pineville, and then on to Fort Bragg in North Carolina. After training, he arrived in North Africa on Dec. 7, 1942, for the Invasion. As part of the 9th Infantry, Division Three, he went on to invade Sicily, then Normandy. He drove the truck that pulled the 105 Howitzer artillery gun.
While in Germany, he developed an ulcer in his right eye that became so severe that he was sent to England and spent three months in the hospital. He almost lost sight in his eye, but God was gracious and healed him.
When he returned to Germany, he was assigned to drive a Jeep for the battery commander. He also learned that while he was in the hospital, at least half of his battery was killed during a campaign. He knew that God had his hand on him.
Also while overseas, he learned that his younger sister, Ruth, died at the age of 21. He did not find out until the letter arrived months later.
After the war ended, he was sent to Paris, and eventually home, arriving back in the United States in September, 1945. He returned home to Rosepine, without any advance notice.
"Of course his parents had no idea he was returning home and he didn't know they could jump so high!" stated the information provided by his family.
From 1945 to 1948, he worked as a heavy equipment operator for the roads and grounds at Fort Polk. In 1948, he married Maudeen Marie Carver.
He had several jobs after that, most notably as a police juryman for Ward 7 from 1962 to 1966, and then in 1966, back to work as a heavy equipment operator at Fort Polk, where he retired in 1976. From 1985 to 1995 he was the caretaker at Rosepine Cemetery.
After retirement, he enjoyed working around the farm and helping the deacons with projects at Rosepine First Baptist Church. He attributes his long life to "Trusting the Lord, hard work, and clean living … in that order!" according to information provided by the family.
Joining in his happiness are his daughter, Shonda J. Thomas and her husband Steve A. Thomas, grandson James A. Thomas and his wife Ashleigh G. Thomas, granddaughter Amber W. Thomas, and two great grandsons, Easton J. Thomas and Brooks J. Thomas.