World War II Veteran Discusses Life, Love & The Tradition Of Louisiana In Living History Park At Lafayette
The notion of living history is a way of interpreting those lives lived before us. At the Vermillionville Living History & Folk Life Park in Lafayette, Louisiana, the melding of Acadian, Native American and Creole cultures come to life. Hidden away in a school house, 92-year old World War II veteran Merlin Fontenot sits on a small chair holding his fiddle, waiting for visitors to come by to enchant with story of his life, especially the ladies. Fontenot talked on a humid afternoon under the cover of shade about the truth of life, tradition, love and Louisiana.
The Buzz: Can you tell us where we are at?
Merlin Fontenot: This is a replica of an old school here. We're in the 1870s. We were not allowed to speak French in school until 1968. In 1968, that was over and we could start speaking the language we wanted. And if we mix the language, I'll speak French and I'll speak English. I’ll mix it up.
The Buzz: So a lot of change in this area…
MF: A lot of things happened [here]. I’ll be 93 years old this September. I am one of the oldest World War II veterans in the state of Louisiana. I was in the South Pacific for about 4 years in the Marianas. I was part of an amphibious trunk battalion taking troops into range. Any troops that wanted to go ashore; we would go in and help them out. When we got to Okinawa [in Japan], we got a bit of a rest period. That didn’t last very long. Next door, they [the soldiers] were fixed to go in. But then, [right after] the [atomic] bomb hit, I came home. I hadn’t seen my wife in 4 years.
A girl comes into the school house saying she heard music [which Merlin was playing] in the school house. Merlin says for her to come closer.
MF: I am young in the head but the rest of me is kaput. I wish you the pleasure of everything in life. [In my family] we raised crops to sell and eat. There was no combines…only mules in those days. I would go back there tomorrow. Yes I would. [Our farm] was down 30, 40 miles west of here. We’re talking about Eustis…my home town.
The Buzz: When did you start playing the fiddle?
MF: I’ve been playing since I was about 7 years old. I am 93 years old in September…and I cannot read music. From here to here to here (pointing from his head to his heart to his gut), is what God gave me. I can’t tell you how I do it. The music goes in not just in one ear…but both ears. (laughing) [Sorry]…I won’t get up to shake your hand because I have a borderline fracture in my back. If I get up, I cannot move fast.
The Buzz: When did you start playing the fiddle?
MF: I’ve been playing since I was about 7 years old. I am 93 years old in September…and I cannot read music. From here to here to here (pointing from his head to his heart to his gut), is what God gave me. I can’t tell you how I do it. The music goes in not just in one ear…but both ears. (laughing) [Sorry]…I won’t get up to shake your hand because I have a borderline fracture in my back. If I get up, I cannot move fast.
The Buzz: You seem like you could be the life of the party, especially over all the years…
MF: I had great hair. [But] the days of me roaming around the earth are kaput. (laughing) When you get old, you’re like an old car you know. The battery is dead. The plugs are dirty. So what the heck…you make do. The tires are worn out (chuckling) but I ain’t got no tires.
The Buzz: Must be interesting with family…
MF: My wife…bless her heart…is sick right now. She is 90 years old and we’ve been married for 75 years. You get used to it. For the last couple years, she has had this thing…and it breaks my heart. (changing speed and tone purposefully) If you had talent, you used it. I’ve been to the Grand Ole Opry twice in my time with some boys from Florida. It was fun. I enjoyed that very much. But there comes a time to slow down and get in low gear. So I came back in 1971 to my crawfish and gumbo, ya hear? Got to have it.
The Buzz: Is that why you love Louisiana?
MF: It’s my home. I wouldn’t have it any other way. I love my country down to the bone. Don’t misunderstand me. But this is my home. Home is home. Where you’re at.
Merlin starts playing the fiddle.
The Buzz: Dating must have been different here back in those days…
MF: When a boy goes and sees his girl, he knocks on the door. But sometimes he didn’t know why she no answer. I know one time [the aunt had died in the house]…and there were candles lit all around. That’s when she cries. And you feel your heart ache. That was the song I just played. We had some sad songs in those days. But we had some comic [ones] too. That was the way it was.
The Buzz: You’ve always been a romantic?
MF: Why not? You live. You do what you do…but it’s with a good heart. I told my wife, I said, “I like to look at the ladies!” And she said, “Go ahead. That’s all you can do!” (chuckling) I said, “You don’t have to talk like that! All I want to do is look.” At my age…ya crazy? But women like to look too. I caught her so many times…but it’s OK. We’re human. [When my wife] first looked at me…she made a pass at me. She opened the door…not me. She said I’m blind…but I’m not. But that’s OK. She had long black hair. We started corresponding in letters. She gave one of my sisters a little ring to give me. She thinks I’m lying (speaking to the girl sitting next to me) but I’m not. It’s OK. In these days, you go and toot your horn and the girl would come out and meet you. In those days, they didn’t do that. They were strict. So I took my daddy’s old barley pick-up truck and I’d take off about 10 miles where she lived…meet her daddy…go in the house…inside the living room or parlor. Then you’d go in the kitchen…hold hands…and that’s it. Otherwise [her] old man was going to beat you. But then it would come around sundown and I would go see another [girl]. Nice. Let the good times roll. I’m just joking…but I did it though. What the heck. Everything turned out alright.
The Buzz: When did you meet her?
MF: She was 16. I was 18. [Later] we got married. What burnt me up is that, in the middle of our honeymoon, Uncle Sam interrupted. Ya understand what I’m saying? Right in the middle. I was like, “Oh man! Could you had left us alone for a while?” But no…Proud to go. Serve my country. Went on my tour and god willing I would come back. And I came back. But when [you were there] and the bombs were dropping over Okinawa and then [the atomic bomb]. When I got home, I went to my father’s house, and I opened the door [and she gasped]. She’s like “You’re back?!” I’m like “Yah…buck up. Get ready. I’m here! Let’s rock n’ roll!”
The Buzz: Did you see the bomb drop?
MF: No. When it happened, nobody knew nothing. It was just all of a sudden. That was it. But you know what…down in my heart, I felt real sorry for them people. I did. Because they didn’t ask for that. We didn’t ask for it either. But what you going to do? They asked them to quit. They would not. So it happened. I think Truman was president in those days. So maybe it saved my life. I do not know. I’ll just say that.
The Buzz: With your exploits and time as a fiddle player on the road, how do you find your way to the Living History Center at Vermillionville?
MF: I came back to Vermillionville in 1971 when we came back from Florida. After a couple years, I got a job here and that is what I have been doing ever since. I was hired to do what I am doing right now…talk about our [Creole] culture. I do my best with that. I can’t take it from way way back. I wasn’t there but that’s the way it was. It is all about what we do…what we stand for. We are all good Americans here I assure you. Better believe that. When shove comes to push, we’re all together…the whole country. I don’t care if you’re Yankee…whatever. We close ranks. That’s the best I can tell you.
The Buzz: I was told you have all kinds of great stories…
MF: If it wasn’t for the Indians over here, folks would have had a bad time. I am part Indian [Native American] believe it or not. Chocktaw. (smiling) Don’t get me on the warpath. On my daddy’s side, my grandfather was French. My grandmother from way back was from Munich which is German from the immigrant days. Now on my mother’s side, they were McGee. My grandfather [on my mother’s side] was Irish but my grandmother was Chocktaw. I do know that my daddy’s great great grandfather was in the French military. They have a monument with him in Alabama right now in Mobile, standing in front of an old fort where he was stationed. He is still there.
The Buzz: I was told you have all kinds of great stories…
MF: If it wasn’t for the Indians over here, folks would have had a bad time. I am part Indian [Native American] believe it or not. Chocktaw. (smiling) Don’t get me on the warpath. On my daddy’s side, my grandfather was French. My grandmother from way back was from Munich which is German from the immigrant days. Now on my mother’s side, they were McGee. My grandfather [on my mother’s side] was Irish but my grandmother was Chocktaw. I do know that my daddy’s great great grandfather was in the French military. They have a monument with him in Alabama right now in Mobile, standing in front of an old fort where he was stationed. He is still there.
The Buzz: What kind of training did you do for the amphibious vehicles in the Marianas Islands?
MF: We would slip in and out at night [with the soldiers] and help them out if they needed…and they did. Then [we’d] go to the next island. Lots of firefights offshore… People ask me if I have gone to the memorial in Washington DC. I said I don’t want to go. It’s not that I don’t. I’m happy to have that. I don’t need to go. I remembered enough. Will show you something [though]. (pulls out his wallet). More than I can maybe. Look at this. I kept this as a souvenir.
He shows his operator’s license for the amphibious vehicle.
MF: I didn’t break one all these years. I broke a Sherman tank. I trained in tanks at Fort Knox but then we switched up to be amphibious drivers. They built them all [Higgins Boats (LCVPs )] in New Orleans. You can go there and see that. That’s what we had. Everybody could do their job, which was necessary. The man at the front [of the vehicle] was the gunner…the machine gunner. We had 4. 2 in the front wer 50 cailber and 2 in the back with the troops were 30 caliber. We didn’t use them very much but they were there. I didn’t see this but I was told one of our vehicles got hit by one of our ships…what they call “friendly fire”…somebody shot ship to shore…again I didn’t see it. They had to sweep one boy up with a broom. Someone fired too low from that ship. They were supposed to fire over the heads of the troops. Planes also hit a lot of our boys. Miscommunication somewhere. They were supposed to be in the front. So you see you get “friendly fire”.
The Buzz: How about that Louisiana food though?
MF: You know I’m French. I love the food [here]. Some think it’s too spicy. But [you have the sauce]…it is there. If you don’t want it, [don’t use it].
Tim Wassberg
A graduate of New York University's Tisch School Of The Arts with degrees in Film/TV Production & Film Criticism, Tim has written for magazines such as Moviemaker, Moving Pictures, Conde Nast Traveler UK and Casino Player. He enjoys traveling and distinct craft beers among other things.
Make Sure To Check Out:
The Vermillionville Living History & Folk Life Park where you can meet Merlin in the schoolhouse a couple days a week. It is a living history museum and folk-life park that promotes and propagates the cultural resources of the Acadian, Native American, and Creole people