BRIGADIER GENERAL ROBERT JOSEPH LEBLANC

 

Born:  Vermilion Parish, Louisiana 6 November 1921

Schools:   Louisiana State University, 1938 - 1942;

                Adjutant General School, Censorship Course, 1943;                     

                Infantry Officer Basic Course, 1943;

      Office of Strategic Services-Intelligence School, 1943;

                Special Operations, 1944;

                Infantry Officers Advanced Course, 1951;

                Command and General Staff College, Regular Course 1956;

                Officers Advanced Course, Refresher, 1957, 1961, 1963, 1965;     

                Senior Officer Advanced Operations Course, 1962;

                Senior Officer Preventive Maintenance Course, 1962;

                CPR Weapons Course, 1962;

                Combat Surveillance and Target Acquisition Course, 1964;

                Senior Field Artillery Officer Refresher Course, 1966;

                Engineer School, Disaster Recovery Course, 1966;

                National War College, Defense Strategy Seminar 1966-67, 1969;

                National War College, Moderator 1967 & 1969

                Senior Officer Civil Disturbance Orientation Course, 1968;

                Engineer Officer Orientation, 1968;

                Civil Defense Staff College, 1968, 1971; Emergency Management

                Infantry Staff Officer Refresher Course, 1969;

                Army War College, Senior Reserve Component Officer Course, 1970. 

                University California Los Angeles- Advanced Postal Management

                University California, Los Angeles- General Management

                Postal Service -   Customer Services   

                                           Industrial Relations

                                           Employee and Labor Relations

                                           Analytical Statistical Management

 

               General Robert J. LeBlanc was born in the 1^st Ward of Vermilion Parish, La., son of Edward J. LeBlanc and Neda Comeaux.  He was educated in the Vermilion Parish Public school system and graduated at Abbeville High School in 1938 where he lettered in Boxing, Football and Swimming. He was selected Best All Round Boy in the Senior Class of 1938.  He enlisted in the Citizen's Military Training Corps in 1937 at Camp Beauregard, La., and attended three summer camps in 1937, 1938 and 1939.  In 1939 he served as a Trainee Company Commander.   He attended Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana and majored in Geology and Mathematics, as well as participated in ROTC from 1938 to 1942. While an ROTC cadet he was on the LSU Firing Squad and also a Charter Member of the Pershing Rifle Company.  While at LSU he was the Assistant Manager of the Photo Department at Stroube’s Drug Store in Baton, Rouge, La. He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant on 18 May 1942.  He was called to active duty on 17 July 1942.  He served as Platoon Leader and Company Commander in the Infantry Basic Training Center, Fort McClellan, Alabama.  In 1943, he volunteered for duty with the Office of Strategic Services, (OSS).  He served in 3^rd U.S. Army, Headquarters, SO, Special Forces Detachment # 11 as a Special Operations liaison officer between Patton’s Army and the French Underground.  He served with the VIII and XII Corps as well as with the Fourth Army Division attached to the United States Third Army in France.  In 1944, he was transferred to the China-Burma Theater where he served as a Special Operations Officer with the OSS Detachment, Kunning, China.  He was released from active duty in December 1945.

                Upon discharge from active duty, he returned to Abbeville, La., attended Southwest Photo Institute in Dallas, Texas and upon graduation, opened LeBlanc Studio.  In 1949, he was employed as a Rural Carrier,    U. S. Postal Service.  In 1960, he was promoted to Postmaster in Abbeville, La.  As Postmaster, he expanded mail service in the City of Abbeville as well as secured the modernization of the Post Office.  The Dallas Postal Region appointed him as a Training Postmaster for Louisiana.  He also served as a member of the Dallas Region Personnel Panel.  In 1972, he was promoted to Sectional Center Manager/Postmaster of Lafayette, LA. where he supervised 93 Post Offices in Southwest La.  While there, he planned for the expansion of the Lafayette Postal area, including assuring the completion of a new Postal Facility on Moss Street with full mechanization capabilities.  He also documented the need for new postal stations, which later became, the Energy Station, the Postal Square Station, and the Ambassador Caffery Station.  Through his planning, new facilities were planned for the entire Lafayette Sectional Center.  While Sectional Center Manager/Postmaster, he recommended and swore in more Postmasters than any other SCF Manager. He received awards for leading the region in reduction of Postal Accidents and Vehicle Accidents.  No EEO grievance went above the complaint stage. Grievance rate was the lowest in the District.

                After World War II, General LeBanc joined the Louisiana National Guard and organized Company H, 156th Infantry in Abbeville Louisiana.   He   negotiated a   lease for five acres of property on Airport Grounds for 99 yrs at one dollar a year  with the City of Abbeville, upon which the state built first a Gun Shed which was used as an Armory, and later; an Armory and Vehicle Shop were built.  After Hurricane Audrey, he was asked to take over the operations of the Civil Defense Office to restore the damages to Vermilion Parish. He supervised the reconstruction of Pecan Island, Forked Island and the Henry Boston Area. He completed this with all expenditures being properly documented to the Federal Government. Six months later, he returned to the Post Office and remained a Part Time Director of Office of Emergency Preparedness, effectively handling a number of hurricanes and emergencies in Vermilion Parish as well as various duties in Emergencies for the State of Louisiana, including the Bogalusa Civil Disturbance in March 1969 in which he served as Commander, 1^st Brigade, 39^th Division, LANG, successfully protecting the Marchers without serious injury.  Members of the National Press indicated that it was the best planned military effort they had seen.  His Parish Emergency Operations Plan and Implementation, with specific note of the Special Need Population Plan, was a model for the State of Louisiana.   During Hurricane Lili, he again demonstrated his administrative abilities in successfully evacuating the Parish with no one hurt or killed.  He applied his extensive knowledge of Emergency Operations to assure that people were housed, fed, and provided all possible assistance.  His knowledge of FEMA policies and procedures enabled the Parish Governments to obtain over seven and one-half Million Dollars in Federal Aid.  During Hurricanes Katrina and Rita of 2005, he again demonstrated his talents in Emergency Operations.  Vermilion Parish again was struck by a severe tidal surge.  With outstanding planning and implementation, supervision, and leadership, no fatalities or injuries occurred in Vermilion Parish.  His knowledge of problems with the Special Needs population was handled in a way that all nursing homes and hospitals were safely and efficiently evacuated.  As an employee of the Police Jury, he prepared an Organization Plan, Job Description and Pay Plan which was implemented by them.

                  He also held assignments as Battalion Operations Officer and Battalion Commander where he implemented sound training based on his World War II experience and Army Doctrine.    His battalion became one of the only full war strength units in the U. S. Army.  In 1959 he became Brigade Executive Officer.  He was promoted to Colonel in 1960, at which time he became the Deputy Brigade Commander, 39th Infantry Division.  With his position in the Guards he was instrumental in the location of a Battle Group Headquarters which later became a Battalion Headquarters in Abbeville, and a Brigade Headquarters for Lafayette.  As a Battalion and Brigade Commanded he was instrumental in the successful conduct of Platoon, Company and Battalion Army Training Test.  In 1963 upon reorganization of the Division, he assumed command of the 1st Brigade, 39th Infantry Division.  In December 1967, he assumed command of Emergency Operations Headquarters, Louisiana Army National Guard.  He was promoted to Brigadier General of the Line on 1 December 1967.  On 19 November 1968, he assumed command of the 256^th Infantry Brigade (Separate).  This Brigade was noted as being one of the highest rated Brigades in the Army National Guard.  He was assigned as Director, Emergency Operations on 1 March 1972 and Commanding General, Louisiana Army National Guard Command, New Orleans , Louisiana on 9 May 1972, where he commanded all the Army National Guard Units.

                 Decorations and Awards: Legion of Merit,  American Defense  Service Medal; American Campaign Medal; European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with three battle stars; Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with one battle star; World War II Victory medal; Korean Service Medal; Armed Forces Reserve Medal; Expert Badge, M-1, M-14 Rifle,  Expert Badge, US Carbine, Expert Pistol, 45 & 32 Caliber,   Army Expert Infantryman Badge; Republic of China Service Medal, Louisiana Distinguished Service Medal, Louisiana Cross of Merit;   Louisiana Emergency Service Medal with 3 Fleur de Lis; Louisiana Longevity Medal;  Louisiana Longevity Ribbon with Fleur de Lis.  Awarded Distinguished Service Award, Vermilion Parish, La, for services to community and state.  Inducted into LSU Cadets of the Old War School Hall of Honor on November 4, 2000.  Inducted into Order of Living Legends by the Acadian Museum of Erath, Louisiana on October 6, 2001.  He was recognized with the Humanitarian Award by the citizens of Vermilion Parish in April 2003. Civil Affiliations: American Legion; Veterans of Foreign Wars; President, Woodmen of the World; Awarded the Mr. Woodman award for Outstanding Service, Kiwanis Club; U.S. Civil Defense Counsel;  National Guard Association of the United States, Member of the Executive Council; Member and Past President, National Guard Association of  Louisiana;  Alternate Member, U.S. Army Reserve Policy Board.   He served on the Church Council of St. Mary Madeleine Catholic Church.  He was Chairman of the Census Committee for that Church.   He has served as a member of Abbeville General Hospital Board of Commissioners since November 1986 to date, where he is Vice Chairman and Personnel Committee Chairman.  He is a member of the Executive Board of the Famille de LeBlanc, and serves as it Genealogy Chairman. Elected President in 2005, and researched and printed for the Famille the book: “Descendant de Daniel LeBlanc & Francoise Gaudet.”  This book was used for the worldwide reunion of the LeBlanc Family in Erath, La., in 1999.  General LeBlanc has been notified that he was accepted for the Louisiana National Guard Hall of Fame and is currently awaiting induction.  On January 10, 2006 named “Chevalier” of the Legion of Honor by the President of the French Republic.

                 General LeBlanc is married to Helen Della LaPlace, daughter of Paul LaPlace and Della Delino.  They have three (3) children:  Bobbie Lane LeBlanc married to Joseph Barton Alexander Tinker, Helen Denise LeBlanc married to John Ziegler and Donna Marie LeBlanc who was married to Benjamin C. Thibodeaux.  They have seven (7) Grandchildren: Adrienne Michelle Tinker married to Timothy Dell Wright, Robert Joseph Tinker married to Kumiko Omori, Kathryn Joy Tinker married to Adrian Vega, Jonathon Paul Tinker, Courtney Lane Thibodeaux, Brooks Benjamin Thibodeaux and Brittlyn Denee’ Thibodeaux.  They have nine (9) Great Grandchildren: Maria Tierney Wright, Timothy Dell Wright, Jr., Erin Nicole Wright, Benjamin Wright, Avery Vega, Della Lane Vega, Kennedi Grace Thibodeaux, and Raemi and Taro Omori.