Paris Goes To War

War came Paris, Texas on December 7, 1941. The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and the subsequent declarations of war of the Axis countries of Japan, Germany and Italy against The United States brought World War II literally to the doorsteps of Paris.

The U.S. response to war hit Paris like a tidal wave and the results were everlasting.

This small East Texas town responded as hundreds of small towns across America did. Its sons, daughters and citizens joined the war effort.

But Paris began to develop its own uniqueness with the opening of Camp Maxey just a few miles north of the city limits in 1942. Two major divisions, the 102d Infantry Division and the 99th Infantry Division, trained there. It is estimated that over 200,000 troops and civilians trained and worked at Camp Maxey during its short 4 years of existance.

Camp Maxey was also selected as a site, as were many other training camp sites in Texas, to house German prisoners-of-war. More than 6,000 Germans were hosted there until well after the last shots of anger were fired in Europe in 1945.

Paris, as was the whole country, was like a stirred pot. The young men and women who came to Camp Maxey to train spent their leaves in town. Many of them met, courted, and married local men and women. Likewise, Paris sons and daughters who left were meeting their future spouses. The long historic ties that had held Paris together as a tight community were stretched around the world.

To and from Paris the letters streamed in and out from friends and families: from the battle fronts, from far-away hometowns, from Washington D.C., to Europe, to The Pacific and literally all points of the globe.

Sad news of soldiers being killed, exciting news of the birth of a new baby, common news about town gossip all swirlled around this small town of Paris. Paris was making its contribution to march the country toward victory.

In 1941 Paris Goes To War.


How To Add A Story & Pictures To Paris Goes To War

If you have stories, pictures or items of interest to contribute to these web pages, please email them to steelyfamilias@yahoo.com. You can send written articles in doc or pdf formats and pictures are preferred in jpg format. Contributions will be posted according the their relevance to Paris, Lamar County, Camp Maxey and World War II. All contributions may be used on these blog web pages as well as any future publications that may appear on the subject.

Friday, May 4, 2018

In Memory of Alvin Martin Labens, 99th Infantry Division

Alvin Martin Labens passed away Sunday night, January 25, 2015. He was born November 28th, 1923 to Harry and Lillian Hochstein Labens. In his formative years, he participated in the Boy Scouts attaining the rank of Eagle Scout. He attended Clarksdale High School where he was a member of the band and graduated in 1941. He attended LSU majoring in forestry and was a member of Phi Epsilon Pi social fraternity.

After the outbreak of World War II, he enlisted in the U.S. Army reserve and was called to duty May of 1943. After completing basic training, he was placed in the Army Specialized Training Program (ASTP) and returned to LSU to study engineering.

When ASTP was terminated in March of 1944, he was transferred to the 99th Infantry Division at Camp Maxey, TX. In September the 99th Division embarked for England and in November was moved to the Belgium-German border.

On December 17, the first day of the Battle of the Bulge, his company was attacked by two German regiments. During the "orderly" withdrawal he and two other enlisted men were separated from their company, which had been diminished from over 200 men to just 18. He was hospitalized in March and when the war ended in May, he opted for an honorable discharge in 1946. He joined in the Merchant Marines and worked his way back to the United States. His military citations included the Combat Infantry Badge, Bronze Star, Good Conduct medal, European Theater medal with three stars and Victory medal.
He returned to LSU for a year before transferring to Southern College of Optometry in Memphis where he met Rebecca "Becky" Novick. They were married April 1, 1951. He maintained his optometry practice in Clarksdale, MS for 47 years before retiring to Memphis, TN.

He was an active in the Lions Club, the Exchange Club, and was a member and secretary for the Coahoma County Conservation League for 37 years, as well as a member of Masonic Lodge 286. He served as president for B'nai Brith Temple Israel. He was an outdoorsman, who enjoyed hunting, fishing and the peace and companionship those activities provided. He loved his family and was never happier than when everyone was gathered together.

He is survived by his wife, Becky, whose smile would brighten his day when his pain was constant; brothers Maurice and his wife Charlotte, and Malcolm; son Steven Labens, his wife Cathy; son Darryl Labens, his wife Mary; and daughter Valarie Labens, who did so much for him, and her partner Tom Ligon; granddaughters, Leila Labens, Lanie Labens and Lili Labens.
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