A Louisiana Soldier: Willis A. Fontenot: 86th Chemical Mortar Battalion, WWII

Willis Fontenot grew up fishing the bayou waters, hunting for game, and racing bareback on horses with little knowledge of the world beyond Belaire Cove, Louisiana. But as the Allied powers sought to invade Europe in 1943, duty uprooted Willis, thrust him into one of the most difficult times in history, and altered his view of humanity forever. Narrated by his third daughter, Willis’s story of sacrifice and survival follows his journey as he unveils memories and reflects on life experiences as he falls in love, trains for war, and crosses the ocean to battle the enemy as a member of a battalion that battered German positions for over three hundred days. While conveying his fears, love for his fellow soldiers, despair, and ultimately his desire to survive, Willis shines a light on members of a courageous generation that persevered under horrific conditions to ensure freedom.