Call it ‘Camp Luh-jern’

[unhappycamper]

Lt. Gen. John A. Lejeune
Movement afoot to correct pronunciation of base.


Call it ‘Camp Luh-jern’
By Dan Lamothe - Staff writer
Posted : Monday Sep 29, 2008 7:22:39 EDT

Lt. Gen. John Archer Lejeune is one of the Corps’ all-time heroes, a legendary leatherneck who became the first Marine to lead an Army division, and who later ushered in a new era of amphibious warfare.

So why can’t Marines pronounce his name the same way he did?

That question has been raised by a growing number of veterans, Lejeune family members and some active-duty Marines, who wonder why Camp Lejeune, N.C., the base named in the late general’s honor, isn’t pronounced “Camp Luh-jern,” using the same French-Creole pronunciation preferred by the Baton Rouge, La., native.

“We all pronounce our name ‘Luh-jern,’ and that’s what we’re trying to make clear,” said John Lawrence Lejeune, 82, a distant cousin of the former commandant who lives in Baton Rouge. “It would be greatly appreciated if it was done so.”

Over the last few months, the group has ramped up the campaign to “take back” the Lejeune name. They’ve contacted Commandant Gen. James Conway, written articles published in Marine publications and paid for posters and banners displayed at Camp Lejeune this summer.


Rest of article at: http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2008/09/marine_lejeunename_092908w/%2e

[waiting for hope]

1. I live in Wilmington -

It's pronounced here as La June. I think there is going to be pretty strong resistance to this, I've been around this area for a while (summers growing up at the beach) and it's pretty ingrained.