BATTLE BUT NOT WAR WON AT STE. GENEVIEVE

STE. GENEVIEVE - Missouri Army National Guardsmen, Coast Guard reserve personnel and the townspeople of Ste. Genevieve remained watchful Tuesday as the Mississippi River held itself at an all-time high.

Authorities in the historic town warn the river will remain nearly stationary for a time, or fall only very slowly. That means the tremendous pressure being exerted on the hastily constructed temporary levees will continue for at least another week to 10 days.

The warning prompted one Ste. Genevieve official to comment during a Tuesday briefing, "We've won the battle ... the levee is high enough to meet the flood crest, but now to win the war, we've got to maintain the levee until the water goes down."

About 100 National Guardsmen from the 1140th Combat Engineer Battalion based at Cape Girardeau are now on flood duty in Ste. Genevieve. Of that number, at least 60 are members of the 1140th's Company A, based at the National Guard Armory in Jackson.

Company A commander, 1st Lt. Joe Leahy of Poplar Bluff, says the mission of the guard is to watch and maintain the levees that have been constructed and constantly reinforced to hold back the record-breaking floodwaters that threaten sections of this community.

Leahy said guardsmen from Southeast Missouri have been in Ste. Genevieve for more than two weeks. They are housed in the Valle Junior High School, near one of the two major sandbag filling operations in town.

The troops work a 12-hour day, starting at 6 a.m. Morning and evening meals are served by the American Red Cross and the people of Ste. Genevieve. The noon, brown bag lunch is transported to sites where the guardsmen are working with townspeople and other volunteers to shore up weakened levees.

Instead of MREs (Meals Ready to Eat), guardsmen are enjoying prepared meals that include homemade sausages and cakes.

Specialist Fourth Class Mike Dougan of Jackson is a dump truck operator assigned to Company A. When he's not working for the guard, Dougan is employed with the Jackson Public Works Department.

Dougan arrived in Ste. Genevieve Sunday night to relieve other guardsmen, who have returned home for rest from the heat and work. Dougan says the sight of all of the flooding has been a shock to him, but adds he's glad that he can help the people of Ste. Genevieve.

Noting the hot, humid weather this week, Dougan says, "It was a lot less humid in Panama when we were on active duty down there."

Dougan says he will be in Ste. Genevieve for at least two weeks, after that, he doesn't know.

He said the food served to the troops and volunteers by the Red Cross and local townspeople has been excellent.

Company A 1st Sgt. Mike Berry, a Fredericktown resident, agrees. "None of us are starving for good food up here," said Berry. "We'll probably leave here fatter than when we came. Between the American Red Cross and the townspeople, they've been taking real good care of us. The support of everyone to the guard and the reserves has been just fantastic."

Dan Drury of Cape Girardeau is hoping the strong support displayed toward the guard and other reserve units that were ordered to flood duty will not wane as the water goes down.

Drury is president and chief executive officer of Mid-America Hotels, Inc., and Drury Restaurants, Inc. He is also area chairman of the Employer Support of The National Guard and Reserves of Southeast Missouri.

Drury's job is to serve as a liaison between the guard and reserve units in Southeast Missouri and those who employ guardsmen and reserves now on flood duty.

"My job is to educate and work with employers of guardsmen and reserves who have been called to emergency state duty if there is a problem with them getting off from their regular jobs to perform their mission with the guard," Drury explained.

"As the water begins to do down, my mission could just be starting. When the water starts to go down, and the TV cameras and newspaper and magazine reporters have gone on to other assignments, these people (guardsmen and reserves) are going to continue to need the support of all, including their employers," said Drury.

"The guard and the reserve's mission does not end when the water goes down. This isn't a partial mission. It is a total mission, from beginning to end. What has turned into a few days of sandbagging is going to become a few months of assistance in helping the people of Ste. Genevieve clean up after the mess the river has left."