Five wounded or injured military veterans were taken on a fishing trip and served a seafood lunch in St. Bernard Parish organized by numerous individuals and businesses and Sheriff James Pohlmann

Retired Army Maj. Barry Guidry of Lafayette, one of the injured veterans and organizers of the event, raises his arms in celebration.

John Sanchez of San Antonio, one of the veterans involved, sits next to a table with a mess of fish caught on the fishing trip.

Five wounded or injured military veterans were taken on a fishing trip and served a seafood lunch in St. Bernard Parish organized by numerous individuals and businesses and Sheriff James Pohlmann.

And for one of them – Ret. Army Maj. Barry Guidry of Lafayette – it was like a homecoming because he was in St. Bernard Parish with the Army just days after Hurricane Katrina for cleanup operations and stayed until May of the next year. Guidry also returned for the 10-year anniversary of the storm.

Guidry, one of the organizers of the event which ended with a lunch in Shell Beach, said the get-together had been planned for a long time and it was good to get everyone together.

“They did for us and we have to do for them,’’ Jimmy Corley, one of the sponsors, said of the trip and lunch for the military veterans.

In attendance besides Guidry, all Army veterans, were John Sanchez of San Antonio and three other Louisiana men, Randy Rushing of Breaux Bridge, Brian Marshall of Port Barry and Billy LaCost of Walker.

Guides for the trip were Casey Kieff, Sterling Cardone and Corley. Other sponsors were the Palms Restaurant and Charles Bienvenu, Chalmette Hardware, Campo’s Marina, Pat Pescey, Gerald’s Donuts, Dennis Pilet, Gulf Coast Bank. Ice House in Kenner and Sheriff James Pohlmann.

Parish President Guy McInnis attended and several sheriff’s deputies helped with the event.