User:N5ASA

Larry Laborde was Born in 1956 in San Bernardino,CA. He was raised & Lived in most of the Western,Central & Southern States in the USA, His 11th & 12th year in school was at El Cajon High school in San Bernardino,CA.

The Vietnam War was winding down he had went to the anual "Orange show" fairgrounds in October,with a friend Jerry Aubrey (He had just turned 18 in September 1974). The ARMY Reserve had this really Cool Customized Van, With the Air-Brushed Stars & Stripe scene, all the cool stuff at the time. The recuriter said He could get one like it too (Hook-Line-sinker), all He had to do was Sign Here! You Got it! (Well He had been thinking of joining anyway) and so He was sworn in a week latter and got his physical at Norton Air Force Base. While in his senior year at El Cajon High School. He was not supposed to go to Boot Camp until He finshed school in May 1975, Well so much for Uncle Sam's word! He Got His Miltary Orders & Airline Tickets March 15th 1975 to be in Ft. Dix, NJ. April 18th. He never got to Graduate with my Classmates, But He did get his Diploma from a Congressman from the State of California, and his first ever Plane ride on a Boeing 727 from Ontario,CA to FT. Dix,NJ.

When He finished his Boot Camp Training in the Army Reserves at Fort Dix & Chemical Operations Specialist in Aberdeen Proving Grounds in Maryland, His Mom & Dad had moved back to Louisiana while he was in training, so when He finished his Training He returned to Louisiana. He Changed service status from Army Reserve over to Nation Guard because the unit was a shorter drive. His MOS was a 54B20 Chemical equipment Specialist. Most of His training was in NBC..Nuclear,Biological & Chemical Warfare, filling Flame Throwers in Modified APC Armoured Personal Carriers & learning how to de-contaminate army personnel and repair Gas Masks ect..

When back in His Unit in Louisiana, It was a Tanspotation unit "1083rd" and did not have a "Slot" open for his type of training. So He became the Company Commander's Jeep driver & communications Radio operator & Later Truckdriver, then Wheel Mechanic in the motor pool.

He calls Louisiana His home now, from 1961-1966 and from 1975 to present.

He worked in the Oil Fields on Land Rigs & Offshore Drilling Rigs in Florida,Texas and Louisiana & and in the Gulf of Mexico until a Accident on a Rig in 1981. He started working for "Diamond M Drilling Company".,"Diamond Company",then "Diamond Offshore" and noe Diamond.

The Inland Barge ("Rig 33") He was working on, was Drilling a deep well about 22,000 feet when the Rig started coming in about Midnight with stuck pipe in the hgole,(Lost Circulation- no return of the Mud, the heavy Mud we were pumping in the hole was going into the formation (SAND) & the bottom hole pressure was Higher than what we were putting in the Hole). The Result was ==Heading text==a Blowout! at about 4:20am, The Rig caught fire and He was Injured.

The well came in on the Crews on board,and the Well Blew! Larry was Burnt over 65% of his body. He was air lifted by Helicopter to West Jefferson Burn unit in New Orleans,LA.. They told him when latter that he would be in the Burn Unit from 13-18 months. With Faith and Prayers he only spent the 10 weeks in the Burn Unit. He recovered mostly from his Injuries, but with plenty of Scares....He had said he never could win a Beauty pageant anyway!

They say the Oilfield is in ones Blood once you have worked in the Oilfield..This very True! Larry even went back in the Oil Patch on Land rigs for another year after his accident.

Larry has had several companies over the years, Universal Wholesale,Larry's CB Equipment & Supply, Louisiana Electronics (Satillite TVRO) and Bayou Electronics.

Larry has been a Business owner & radio technician since 1981 and State Licensed Radio Technician. He is also a US Licensed Amateur Radio Operator, call sign N5ASA

On September 30th 2006 Larry was recently elected to Alderman (Town Councilman) - 4 year term. in the Village of Baskin, LA.

Larry is a Captain and Firefighter on the Baskin Fire Department BFD.

Larry is also a Emergency Coordinator for Franklin Parish ,LA

You can find out more about Larry and his Ham Radio Hobby here on [|"My Ham Radio"]

Larry Has a Ham Radio Website: [|"Welcome to my Ham radio World"]

He has friends that wanted him to write a Book about his wild growing up experiences and some of the things He has done! He didn't think He could pursue that right now,of coarse this is a start! Everyone has a Book about their Life!

He has Stepped on Alligators & Snakes,He has Crashed Snowmobiles,Motorcycles,3-wheelers,Cars,Trucks. He has Hunted and Eaten: Rattle Snakes,Buffalo Fish,& 4 legged Buffalo (Bison),Moose,Black Bear,Elk,antelope,Mule Deer,Blacktail Deer,Whitetail Deer, Havalina, Wild Boar,Raccoon, Logger Head Turtle,Turtle Soup (soft-shell), Shark, Squid, Abalone, Various "Clams", Shrimp, Red Snapper,Corvina Dolphin, Blue Crab, Rock Crab, King Snow Crab, Soft Shell Crab, Lobster, Horse (he was suprised), Crawfish (Mud Bugs), Bass,White Pearch, Shark, Snails, chocolate covered Ants,Black Birds,Duck,Geese... and there ain't no tell'in what else?

Places Larry has Lived ....He has been around, most places before He was 20 yrs old.

San Bernardino, CA. ( Born ) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Bernardino,_California

Muscoy, CA. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muscoy,_California

Riverside, CA. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riverside,_California

Indio, CA. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indio,_California

Big Bear, CA. http://www.bigbear.com/

Apple Valley, CA. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Valley,_California

Bishop, CA. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bishop,_California

Corning, CA. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corning,_California

Fort Bragg, CA. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Bragg,_California

Turlock, CA. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turlock,_California

Chester, CA. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chester,_California

Westwood, CA. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westwood,_California

Kallispell, MT. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalispell,_Montana

Newport, WA. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newport,_Washington

Tacoma, WA. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tacoma,_Washington

Roy, WA. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roy,_Washington

Kinzua, OR. Now a "Ghost Town" now http://www.ghosttowns.com/states/or/kinzua.html

In 1978, the Kinzua Corporation closed the mill and company town at Kinzua. Drilling begins to find new water source for Fossil. Hail, flash floods, lightning and wind storms destroyed many Wheeler County lands and properties.

In 1979, the last church service was held at Kinzua Community Church. A fire, set by arsons, destroyed the idled Kinzua mill buildings.

Topeka, KS. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Topeka,_Kansas

Fort.Dix, NJ. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Dix,_New_Jersey

Aberdeen, MD. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aberdeen,_Maryland

Bartow, FL. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bartow,_Florida

Vicksburg, MS. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vicksburg,_Mississippi

Crowville, LA. http://louisiana.hometownlocator.com/LA/Franklin/Crowville.cfm

Delhi, LA. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delhi,_Louisiana

West Monroe, LA. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Monroe,_LA

Monroe, LA. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monroe,_Louisiana

Marion, LA. http://www.city-data.com/city/Marion-Louisiana.html

Baskin, LA. "Current" http://www.city-data.com/city/Baskin-Louisiana.html