Sep 22, 2009
Governor Jindal Awards Veterans in Winn Parish with the LA Veterans Honor Medal

DODSON – Today, Governor Bobby Jindal awarded 140 veterans from Winn Parish with the Louisiana Veterans’ Honor Medal at Dodson High School in Dodson. Governor Jindal was joined by Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs (LDVA) Secretary Lane Carson and Major General Bennett C. Landreneau, Adjutant General of the Louisiana National Guard, to award the state’s veterans with a special medal in honor of their service in the Armed Forces.

Governor Jindal said, “These brave men and women are selfless warriors who fought back evil time and time again. They deserve our respect, and more importantly, we owe them our thanks for standing up for us and our freedom.”

Governor Jindal signed legislation in 2008 to create the Veterans’ Honor Medal Program in order to recognize and honor all of Louisiana’s veterans. The program is managed by the Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs. The Veterans’ Honor Medal is gold-plated and comes with a blue ribbon. One side shows the state of Louisiana with “United States” embossed above and “Armed Forces” below. 

The other side bears the words, “Louisiana appreciates your service to our country.” Veterans who sustained a wound in battle will receive an honor medal designated by a silver star and a purple ribbon.  Families of veterans who were killed in action will receive an honor medal designated by a gold star and a gold ribbon.

While awarding the medals, Governor Jindal told stories of medal recipients to highlight the heroic acts of Louisiana’s veterans. Paul Green was born and raised in Dodson and enlisted in the U.S. Navy soon after graduating from high school because he wanted to serve his country in World War Two.

Green was a seaman first class and served in the Philippines and the South China Sea. When combat ended in the Pacific Theater, he was sent home to Dodson where he would remain in the Navy Reserves.

Back in Dodson, Green went to work for W.E. Jones cutting logs. Although he was still in the Navy Reserve, he was drafted by the Army during the Korean War and Green once again answered the call of duty.

In Korea, Green worked in reconnaissance. He served from Busan to the Manchurian Border with a field battalion. Green typically went ahead of his unit to survey the area to ensure that it was safe before the rest of his troop advanced.

Green said he remembers his unit being surrounded by North Korean and Chinese enemy fire for almost a month. When the enemy’s artillery shells got too close to his unit, Green was knocked unconscious by an artillery blast and was struck by shrapnel.

Many soldiers in his unit died that day. Fortunately, one of the surviving soldiers was able to pull Green to safety. He was evacuated and sent to a hospital in Japan for treatment.  After recovering, he was told to return home to the United States but refused because he wanted to continue fighting for his country. 

Back with his unit, Green was part of the final push at the 38th Parallel, the last phase of the Korean War. He was honorably discharged after the war and he received the Purple Heart for the wounds he sustained in battle.

When Green returned to Dodson he got a job with a local paper mill. He married Betty Durbin and they raised two sons. Green served as a constable in Dodson and on the Board of Directors for the Louisiana Wildlife Federation for 20 years. He also served as the commander of Disabled American Veterans in Winnfield. .

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