I visited Jackson Barracks for the first time last week to see my home and also start recovery of the Museum and Library. I had a true meltdown.

  Due to the long-term standing water in the lower 9th ward, the delay in recovery of the Military Library 35% may be lost. A company came this past weekend to refrigerate the Library contents and relocate the collection to a climate controlled and secured warehouse where we will work on further recovery with those experts. Most of the records in the archival room were saved due to the preservation effort over the past 8 years.

  The Museum had water up to the rafters of the museum theater. The water took 3 weeks to dry up, further complicated by the levee break again with Hurricane Rita. In area C trailers that were next to the road were nowhere to be found. I guess most of them floated elsewhere. Unfortunately a container loaded with raw meat from a meat packing place on Delery Street floated over the fence behind the museum and landed where this very large once refrigerated container lost it's bottom. The decaying meat along with a large oil slick and other decaying vegetation will bring you to your knees. Everything that is not painted is rusted. The locks on the museum doors were rusted or swollen shut, which I believe prevented looters and curious individuals from breaking in. There is still 2-3 inches of sludge on the floors of the buildings. We now have a team from the National Guard Bureau and the Center of Military History coming to work on the recovery effort for the museum. I believe most of this collection (3 dimensional objects) will be saved with proper cleaning.

  Building 207-All locks have rusted shut. By peeking through a small hole Stan believes that the Cobra is on it's side. The pecan tree in front of #7 (my home) blew down against the house taking out a column and a small section of roof. The downstairs is gone, hit by a wave of 8 feet. The mold is everywhere and the smell is nauseating. One has to throw away shoes and boots worn there. A rash appears if gloves are not worn. John and I were fortunate to be able to save personal belongings on the second floor.

  Our thoughts and prayers go out to you who have lost everything and have had to relocate and start a new life elsewhere.

Sherrie Pugh and Stan Amerski