National Guard troops know they’ve left Rogue Valley behind: ‘Everything went south’

NEW ORLEANS — The stench of floodwater residue, overflowing toilets and decomposing biology lab specimens greeted Army National Guard troops from Southern Oregon as they arrived early Saturday at their new camp at Delgado Community College.

"It was really bad," said Command Sgt. Maj. Roy Striley of Medford. "There were people living here until the evacuation."

Since arriving in this ruined city Tuesday, troops from the 1st Battalion of the 186th Infantry have been on the move, camping first at the Belle Chase Naval Air Station and then, an abandoned zinc warehouse across from the Oregon National Guard 41st Brigade’s headquarters.

They have patrolled the battered, nearly lifeless streets, helping stranded residents evacuate, searching buildings for survivors and the dead, and hunting for headquarters of their own.

The three-story community college was found Friday in the Orleans Parish and used with permission from city officials.

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Battalion members, hot and sweaty from a week without showers in sweltering, humid weather, spent Saturday scrubbing floors, carrying away trash and removing debris from lawns.

By afternoon, splattered blood on walls and floors from injured residents seeking shelter from Hurricane Katrina’s wrath had been wiped away, and a second floor had been cleared of sewage from overflowing toilets and putrefied remains of animals in a biology lab.

Generators restored power, but the building still lacks running water and sewer service. Portable toilets are expected to arrive in the next two days, officials said.

"Everybody jumped on all three levels and started cleaning," said Sgt. Daniel Hanson of Medford. "It was a team effort. Everybody’s excited. Everybody’s willing to do what they can to help."

The night before, the troops slept in an abandoned metal warehouse stocked with zinc, where they shared portable toilets nearly to the spilling point with the 41st Brigade headquarters.

"We tried not to put our feet on the cement because they would turn black from the zinc," Hanson said.

The community college will serve as the battalion’s center of operations and camp for two weeks to two months.

Troops said they hope the college will greet students after that.

"The goal is to make it better than when we got here," said Cmdr. Travis Lee of Medford. "The campus will look as close to normal as possible. It’s the least we can do for them allowing us in and not charging us rent."

Other Oregon battalions, deployed a few days earlier, have made more progress in the abandoned buildings they’ve borrowed for the relief effort.

The 1st Battalion of the 162nd Infantry from Gresham faced similar challenges in establishing headquarters at Frederick D. Douglass High School, where fleeing residents sought shelter for days without toilets and where looters kicked down doors.

"They ran out of power, and the plumbing and everything went south," said Lt. Bill Fry of Portland. "When we got here, there were dead animals and clothes piled up to contain urine and feces."

By Saturday, the 1930s school was shining, and Staff Sgt. Kevin Wilson played "Those Magic Changes" on a piano in the school’s empty auditorium.

The Southern Oregon battalion, which draws troops from Medford, Ashland, Grants Pass, Klamath Falls and Roseburg, hopes to have its headquarters fully operational by today, when patrols were scheduled to resume in another part of the city, the northwest side of the Orleans Parish. About 80 percent of the territory the battalion is responsible for remains underwater, which could hamper patrols. Officials said they do not plan to send troops in the water because it is highly toxic from chemical spills and oil and gas leaks.

Two dogs from Portland Fire and Rescue died only 24 hours after diving into floodwaters near Interstate 10, according to Maj. Mike Warrington of the 162nd.

As the water recedes, officials said they expect to find more remains of those who perished.

"So far the only major discomfort has been the humidity," said Spec. David Grosenbach of Central Point.

"I’m sure once I see the dead bodies, that is going to be heart-wrenching," he added. "So far, I haven’t seen much of that, just on the side of the road and covered."

Reach reporter Paris Achen at 776-4496 or e-mail pachen@mailtribune.com.