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How Cajun servicemen used French language skills in WWII; NOBA ballet remembers Katrina in latest performance

Isador Labbe, Cajun serviceman known as a "Frenchie," taken in Carentown, France before WWII ended
Courtesy of Jason Theriot
Isador Labbe, Cajun serviceman known as a "Frenchie," taken in Carentown, France before WWII ended

Today, November 11th, is Veterans Day, a time to honor those who have served our country in times of armed conflict. And many Louisiana servicemen held a rather peculiar role during World War II. While many French-speaking Cajuns were outcasts as children, their bilingual abilities gave them a powerful tool during World War II. They translated documents, deciphered messages and spoke directly to French-speaking Europeans.

Jason Theriot is the author of the three-volume book, “To Honor Our Veterans: An Oral History of World War II Veterans From the Bayou Country.” Last year, he began The Frenchie Podcast, a series that dives into the individual contributions of these service members. He spoke to WRKF’s Adam Vos for more.

Choreographer Trey McIntyre with Ben Jaffe and Preservation Hall Jazz Band restage their landmark work Ma Maison that NOBA commissioned in the aftermath of Katrina for the 20th anniversary.
New Orleans Ballet Association
Choreographer Trey McIntyre with Ben Jaffe and Preservation Hall Jazz Band restage their landmark work Ma Maison that NOBA commissioned in the aftermath of Katrina for the 20th anniversary.

After Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans in 2005, many wondered: Is a city below sea level worth rebuilding? Answers to that question came in the form of music and dance collaboration, featuring the company Bodytraffic and The Preservation Hall Band.

Now, on the 20th anniversary of Katrina, the New Orleans Ballet Association is reviving the performance “Why New Orleans Matters.” We hear from NOBA executive director Jenny Hamilton and choreographer Trey McIntyre for more.

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Today’s episode of Louisiana Considered was hosted by Diane Mack. Our managing producer is Alana Schreiber and our assistant producer is Aubry Procell. Our engineer is Garrett Pittman.

You can listen to Louisiana Considered Monday through Friday at noon and 7 p.m. It’s available on Spotify, the NPR App, and wherever you get your podcasts.

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"This is NPR's Morning Edition, at 89.9 WWNO. Good Morning, I'm Diane Mack."
Alana Schreiber is the managing producer for the live daily news program, Louisiana Considered. She comes to WWNO from KUNC in Northern Colorado, where she worked as a radio producer for the daily news magazine, Colorado Edition. She has previously interned for Minnesota Public Radio in St. Paul.