SEABEES RETURN JUNE 2004!
SEABEE'S CONSTRUCTION FOR 2003
DESIGN CONCEPT
THIS IS THE 30 ACRE SITE DEDICATED TO ALL 3468 MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENTS
(The 30 acre site is from the bottom of this picture to the tree line, intercostal
canal on left to Barriere road on right)
THE CONSTRUCTION PLANS THIS YEAR 2004 FOR THE SEABEES WILL BE SETTING THE FLAGPOLES, FINISHING THE ROOF ON THE 5 STAR POINTS THAT WILL HOLD THE NAMES OF ALL MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENTS, POURING THE SIDEWALKS LEADING TO THE STAR POINTS AND COURTYARD, AND THE BASE FOR THE BRICK COLUMNS WHICH WILL BE PART OF THE WROUGHT IRON AND BRICK FENCE IN FRONT OF THE PROPERTY.
HOW DID THEY DO THIS YEAR 2004?
"ON TIME, UNDER BUDGET - ALL TASKS COMPLETED TO PLAN SIR"
Thanks to the U. S. Navy Seabees this dream is a reality!
On September 20, 2004 at 13:00, flags were raised for the first time.
This day marked the inauguration of the flagpoles and the completion of the task to which the Seabees were assigned. September 20th marks the milestone in the construction of this magnificent Monument.
JOB WELL DONE CHIEF LONGSON! YOUR VISION, MURRAY, IS NOW REALITY!
THOSE WHO "BROUGHT" THIS VISION TO REALITY
THE SEABEES! CELEBRATE!
WE HAD AN OUTSTANDING BAND FOR OUR DAY!
YOU WERE GREAT, EACH ONE OF YOU, AND MADE OUR PROGRAM A SUCCESS. I WIPED AWAY THE TEARS AS YOU PLAYED OUR NATIONAL ANTHEM AND OUR FLAG BEGAN TO UNFURL AND BLOW IN THE WIND FOR THE FIRST TIME. A WIND WHICH CAME FROM GOD THAT DAY, A BLESSING FOR ALL WHO ATTENDED THIS GREAT CELEBRATION TO HONOR ALL OF THOSE BRAVE MEN AND WOMEN WHO NOW SEE GOD FACE TO FACE. THE WIND THAT DAY WAS THE BREATH OF GOD TO SHOW US HIS LOVE FOR ALL OF THOSE WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES THAT WE MAY BE FREE SO WE COULD EXPERIENCE DAYS LIKE WE DID ON SEPTEMBER 20, 2004, AND BECAUSE OF THEM, ABLE TO GIVE HIM THANKS AND PRAISE THAT WE ARE FREE. MANY OF THE SEABEES TOLD ME THAT THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THEY HAD EXPERIENCED THAT MUCH WIND AT THE SITE IN ALL THE TIME THAT THEY WERE THERE, IN FACT ANY WIND THAT THEY COULD REMEMBER. THEY TOO KNEW IT WAS SOMETHING SPECIAL JUST FOR THEM ALSO! AS EACH OF THE OTHER FLAGS WERE RAISED, ONE BY ONE, YOU PLAYED TRIBUTE TO EACH SERVICE WITH THEIR MUSIC: ARMY, NAVY, MARINES, AIR FORCE, COAST GUARD. I WAS HONORED BY YOUR PRESENCE AND YOUR TALENT TO MAKE THIS A DAY TO ALWAYS REMEMBER.
THANK YOU, AND GOD BLESS EACH ONE OF YOU.
THIS WAS THE SUNSET OVER THE SITE ON SEPTEMBER 19, 2004! AWESOME GOD!
THE REMAINING MAJOR TASK IS TO FIND FUNDING - $500,000.00 - FOR THE BLACK GRANITE THAT WILL BE AFFIXED TO THE SIDES OF THESE 5 STAR SHAPED BUILDINGS THAT WILL BE INSCRIBED WITH THE NAMES TO HONOR ALL OF THE 3,459 BRAVE MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENTS.
WHAT A BLESSING IF A SPONSOR WERE TO STEP FORWARD TODAY, TO COMPLETE THIS MONUMENT TO THEM!
THE WALKWAYS LEADING TO THE CENTER COURTYARD, WHERE YOU WILL READ THE NAMES OF THE MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENTS, WILL BE PAVED WITH ENGRAVED MEMORIAL BRICKS. THE ENGRAVED MEMORIAL BRICKS WILL HONOR ANY MEMBER OF YOUR FAMILY, GRATITUDE FROM YOUR COMPANY, OR ANY MEMORIAL STATEMENT YOU WISH TO MAKE, WHICH WILL REMAIN THERE AS A PERMANENT PLACE OF HONOR FOREVER. TO PURCHASING ONE OR MORE OF THESE MEMORIAL BRICKS CLICK HERE FOR ORDER FORM OR CONTACT MURRAY NAQUIN AT 504-394-2892 OR (CLICK HERE TO EMAIL MURRAY).
THE BEE'S AT WORK in 2004!
STAR POINT CORNERS
Lt. Edward Simmons, Larry Cloos, Mikail Shabazz, Chief Mike Longson Project Begins
Jody Coyne. Kneeling - Paul Gomez, Gene Lotta, Debora Dalke
Set In Place
Pouring Preparing To Set Point Corner
THE EXTERIOR SIDEWALKS
Sidewalks Begin Layout
Cloos, Gomez, Spencer, Shabazz, Longson, Lotta, Dalke Dalke
Setting the Forms Sand in the Forms
Gomez & Shabazz Gomez, Cloos, Lotta
Rain Protection Setting Form
Bodily, Shabazz, Longson Weite
Pouring Begins Getting Serious
Weite, Longson, Burmaster, Bodily Weite & Bodily
Weite, Longson, Bodily, Burmaster Weite, Bodily, Burmaster, Lotta, Shabazz
Bodily Weite
Chief Longson & Weite Lotta
Chief Longson, Weite, Bodily "The Crew"
Weite & Bodily Lotta.... End of a Long Day...somebody's gotta do it!
THE EXTERIOR FLAGPOLES
Placing the Casing Perfect!
Bodily Bodily
Finish Work Almost Done!
Back: Wingfield, Day, Eckert, Dalke, Naquin Front: Weite, Bodily
MAIN FLAGPOLE & COURTYARD
SIDEWALKS
Main Flagpole Courtyard Sidewalk
MAIN FLAGPOLE & COURTYARD
For Courtyard Flagpole Flagpole Louisiana Flagpole Putter Upper!
Now That's a Flagpole! Ready for Alignment! Exterior Flagpole!
One of the 5 Exterior Flagpoles! Courtyard Flagpole in Place!
(This Looks Like Iowa Jima!)
AWESOME!
JOHN COLLIGNON
Updated October 30, 2009