The following story was related by Delmar Ray Cain to his wife Floy.
In the spring of 1930, working on the Texaco Hayes lease in the Smackover Creek Bottoms about three miles from home, something happened that changed my life.
Many days of rain had occurred and the creeks were overflowing their banks. A store building had washed away, and the men were going about their work as usual, using skiffs to cross the creek. Four men in one skiff were trying to cross to safety but the water was too swift and the boat overturned. Three men caught a telephone pole and swam to safety and the other man caught a large tree snag. He could not reach around or hold on to the tree very long. No one responded as he continued to hold on to the snag for fifteen or twenty minutes. The man said, "Please, I cannot hold on much longer". There were at least one hundred people present but no one made a move.
I kicked off my rubber boots as I could not swim with them on. I saw a skiff and pulled it along the edge of the water for about one hundred yards. I got into the skiff and drifted to the man. The young man wanted to get into the skiff but I persuaded him to hold on to the boat as it was not large enough to support both of us. With God's help we arrived on the other shore. The man's companions, who escaped earlier, took his hand and said let's get him a drink. I never knew the men, except one was the Superintendent of Standard Oil.
I didn't expect praise but it did make me think. How many times have I failed to say thanks to my Lord, parents, family and friends for the many acts of kindness they have done for me?
This happened over fifty years ago.
He arrived in South Louisiana in 1935 but has not lived in Lafayette all this time. He worked mostly in some sort of supervisory capacity in the oil business for a total of 54 years. He has been retired two years.
Elmer Fay Cain attended the University of Arkansas for almost four years studying petroleum engineering. (This statement was obtained from a relative of his.)
James William Cain, SR, is the fifth son of Fred Lee Cain and Clara Evelyn Herring Cain and the grandson of Freeman Burris Herring.
James attended school in Louisiana and Norphlet, Arkansas graduating in 1936 from Norphlet, Arkansas. He then went to work in Gladewater, Texas for the Texas Company doing oil field work. He retired from Texaco in May 1978 at the age of 62 years. He was classed as production Foreman at the time of retirement and had worked for the company for 43 years.
Bill, as he was called by the family, spent four years in the army having been inducted in 1941. He served 30 months over seas with the 36th Division, Military Police Platoon, Special Troops and was a Sergeant when he received his HONORABLE DISCHARGE, 04 46_1945 r
Lest we forget
CitationsMilitary Police Platoon, 36th Infantry Division, for exceptional performance from May 26 to June 26 in supporting the combat units of the Division during the monumental 29 day push from the Anzio beachhead area through Rome to the hills overlooking Pisa. As the troops massed around Velletri in preparation for an attack against that stubbornly defended enemy stronghold, personnel of the military Police Platoon worked day and night, frequently under artillery and sniper fire, guiding units to their new areas and providing traffic control in the division sector. During the savage fighting which followed, the platoon established a prisoner of war collecting point and skillfully hand led the large number of enemy soldiers captured in the attack. The swift advance toward Rome, through the ETERNAL CITY and to the necessitated frequent displacements of the prisoner of war stockade, but in spite of limited personnel, the platoon processed over 5,000 prisoners taken during the operation. Although the difficulty of traffic control over the networks of roads forced members of the platoon to remain on duty for 24-hour periods without relief, they worked indefatigable posting and guarding the roads, and they prevented all traffic jams which would tie up the forward movement of troops and supplies. I am happy to pass along to you, your officers, and men, this well merited recognition. The exceptional performance by your unit reflects the highest standards of the Corps of Military Polices David P. Faulkner, Lt. Col., Infantry Commanding, and John E. Dahlquist, Major General, U.S. Army Commanding. Girded with a Spirit born of fierce Pride, the 36th made two amphibious assaults at Salerno, and on to the Riviera, and saw intense action in four countries, Italy, France, Germany and Austria during 366 days of combat operations.
1st husband Charles Cain killed in war; Charles' brother James William Cain then married Audrey. Audrey was employed as secretary of the First Baptist Church, Gladewater, Texas for 11 years.
Herbert Irron Cain was the tenth child born to the union of Fred Lee Cain and Clara Evelyn Herring and the grandson of Freeman Burris Herring.
Herbert attended school in Norphlet, Arkansas and graduated from East Mountain High School. He attended Kilgore College in Kilgore, Texas for 4 years, graduating in 1950. He went to work for the Texas Company. He spent one year in the military services as corporal in Anti-AirCraft in San Francisco, California and E1 Paso, Texas. Upon returning from military duty, he was employed as a Senior Clerk for Texaco in the Gladewater office. He is now retired and living in Gladewater Texas
Born 21 Mar 1914, in Paris AR, she was the daughter of William Cain and David Leona Heimeyer Cain. She was a retired school bus driver and a member of the Ebenezer Presbyterian Church of Strong. She was preceded in death by her husband Henry Lee Lum; her parents; and her stepfather Fate Ellis.
Survivors include a son, Omar Dean Lum of Bastrop LA; a daughter Leona Glover of Junction City; a brother W.E. Ellsi of Yacolt WA; three grandchildren, four step-grandchildren, five step-great-grandchildren and two five step-great-great-grandchildren.