Originally Posted by Witmaster

My Battalion is located right in the "Garden District" and the "French Quarter". We are currently sharing the french Q with the 82nd airborne but they are pulling out soon.

The Quarter seems to be where we see the most television coverage and scenes from the unflooded parts of the city. I know the mayor is still concerned about the fires, but it sure doesn't sound like the city is ready for up to 180,000 people to return yet. It seems like many of those buildings in the flooded areas are just going to have to be destroyed.

We were the first ones here on the scene in this area and we are still the only ones residing this deep in the disaster area.

We've already run across several people still living here who don't want to leave. They are mostly harmless so we just make sure they have food and water and leave them alone. We've caught several looters and arrested them without too much trouble. So far, the gang members either puss out and surrrender on site or they've already fled the scene and are hiding somewhere. Regardless, we've not had any gun-fights with bad guys thus far.

I don't think the television really showed you just how bad the "looting" was. Sure, there were people taking food and water to survive. That's not surprising. But there were also people who took the opportunity to rob homes and stores blind during the chaos. Even worse, there were mobs of people marauding the streets and attacking innocent people, beating, raping, robbing and killing as if it was for sport. This was the side of "looting" I don't think the media did a very accurate job of portraying. It wasn't looting, it was all-out anarchy.

This part of the situation seems to be the most confusing. The media couldn't get into some parts of the city because of the height of the flood waters and the dangers from looting. I saw the initial looting report by reporters with the Times-Picayune while the storm was still winding down on Monday - people stealing from a clothing store in the CBD near the newspaper building. After that a lot was sketchy - we'd hear or read reports of guns firing around the city but the dry areas seemed to be the Garden District, part of the CBD, the French Quarter and parts of the Marigny on the East Bank. It makes me wonder where the bulk of the lawlessness happened. I've seen some narrative reports from individuals in the foreign press who wrote about having to dodge groups of people during the day.
The biggest thing is that I have little doubt about this happening in any other American city in a disaster - its almost a sure bet. And it did make us look no better than a Third World country.
Yes, one picture does contain a body wrapped in plastic. it contained the body of a young woman. We don't know her identity or who wrapped her. It appears that she died prior to the flood. Possibly strangled.

You know, I haven't seen one alligator yet. Somehow I thought I'd see a bunch.

The city isn't exactly their natural habitat - I know they are more likely to be in the swampy areas between there and the coast.

Thanks for your encouragement and support.

Originally Posted by Witmaster

Here is an excellent link that illustrates the devastation. Allow the graphic time to load and then mouse-over. You can clearly see how broad the flood-waters spread over the city.

Originally Posted by Witmaster

Yea, I bet he would.

I think I made out pretty well on the deal

Originally Posted by Little Wing

i took the name rockgazer yrs ago. the rock is still great but eh time to take a name that means something to me now. Little Wing is the best song ever n means a lot to me personally.

Originally Posted by min0 lee

Cool picture of you and the wife.


Keep safe.