Christopher "CJ" Christ

On May 20, 2026 at age 97 C.J. Christ's life ended on the exact day of his beloved mother's death in 1963. It was she who was the bedrock of his Catholic faith and the moral director of his accomplishments she instilled in him for the love of God and family.

At the end of life, folks either die with their dreams or with their memories. Charles Joseph "C.J." fell squarely into the latter. Whether above the clouds, under the sea, or somewhere in-between, his keen intellect, unquenchable zest for life and insatiable curiosity, dovetailed with his infectious sense of humor, yearning for adventure, unending quest for fun, especially singing and patriotism to the United States of America. As an avid aviator, mariner, scuba diver, community leader, historian and author, C.J. remained an interesting mixture of action and wisdom throughout his life.

Born on a farm in Mowata, Louisiana in 1929, one of seven siblings to Lawrence and Ada (Matt) Christ, C.J. moved with the family to Lake Charles, Louisiana during WWII, where he graduated from Lake Charles High School and McNeese State Jr. College. With a four-year music scholarship to LSU, he sacrificed his premed studies to join the United States Air Force, pilot training program in 1949. During his service, C.J. achieved the rank of 2nd lieutenant and flew 23 combat missions over North Korea, flying right seat in the B-29 Superfortress bombers. He was tapped by the Airforce to fly for the newly formed Strategic Air Command. During his Strategic Air Command tenure, C.J. attained Military Top-Secret Clearance and Special Weapons Officer Certification, where he was tasked with the ominous duty to arm his aircraft's bombs into nuclear bombs, if ordered to do so. He served in one of the first squadrons of the Strategic Air Command to experience in-flight refueling of their B-50 aircraft as it circumvented the globe in the early years of the cold war.

After military service, C.J. graduated from McNeese State University with a major in English. Hired by Macobar Drilling Company as their Chief Pilot, overseeing their fleet of corporate aircraft. Magobar located the newly hired Chief Pilot, C.J., in Houma, Louisiana, where he met and married Pat Wurzlow. Together they raised her son and their three children until her untimely death at age 39, in 1968. Following that loss, he immersed himself in the aviation business, that he and Pat had started in the mid-1960s, his community, and hobbies. One of his notable hobbies could be seen over the skies of Houma where C.J., flying his P-51 Mustang, could be spotted giving impromptu air shows to the delight of locals around the Terrebonne Parish Airport.

With overwhelming public community support, C.J. founded the Regional Military Museum in 2008, which today, has turned into a publicly funded veteran-run institution, that has become a jewel of the tri-parish area,

Having nose for adventure, in 1968, C.J. became immensely intrigued by the accounts of a sinking German U-Boat, reported to have been sunk 40 miles off the coast of Terrebonne Parish, though the wreckage had never found. Over the course of many decades, that intrigue turned to research projects, countless scuba diving expeditions, trips to the Library of Congress in Washington, DC, and the writing of roughly 210 articles for, and published in, the local newspaper, Houma Courier. These articles shinned a light on the little-known fact (at the time) that there were marauding German U-Boats in the U.S. Gulf during WW II (beginning in the spring of 1942). Those articles also included interviews with countless locals for their WWII memories, in turn, preserving their oral history about our Louisiana coastal areas for future generations. C.J. eventually consolidated these articles into a book, "World War II in the Gulf of Mexico: Documenting a War Close to Our Shores", now in its sixth printing. His research took him to Germany many times to interview WWII veteran U-Boat commanders and crew. Friendships were formed and C.J. was invited to join the exclusive all German U-Boat Veterans Society/Organization (the only American ever invited before that invitation was given). In exchange, several of the former WWII German U-boat commanders were invited and visited Houma to participate in what was called "Round Table Discussions", held at the Houma Library. These transatlantic visits helped to bring a modicum of reconciliation between two former enemies. Among C.J.'s treasured keepsakes, is a picture of himself with Admiral Karl Donitz, Hitler's tactical leader/commander of the U-Boat warfare and who briefly succeeded Hitler at the end of WWII.

With his floor to ceiling personal library of historical books and files that Christ amassed from weeks spent at the Navy Yard and Library of Congress in Washington DC, his personal archive of classified documents, declassified by his efforts, was able to correct a historical wrong regarding the sinking of the German submarine, U-166. It is from his personal archives and research that, C.J. is credited with correcting the US's official record of how, when, and the where of the sinking of U-166, which was sunk, 50 miles from the mouth of the Mississippi River, July 30, 1942. Prior to the discovery of the sunken wreckage in 2000 by marine surveyors, U-166 was thought to have sunk by a Coast Guard aircraft on Aug. 1, 1942, 140 miles from the actual sinking sight. Capt. Herbert Claudius, Sr, commander of the U.S. Navy SS PC-566, which was escorting the SS Robert. E. Lee from Tampa to New Orleans, received a reprimand from his superiors for the attack and sinking of the USS Robert E. Lee via torpedo. Claudius' superiors sighted him for giving chase to the German sub and dropping depth charges, rather than staying with the sinking R.E. Lee. He was written up for dereliction of mission. However, in 2000, the discovery of the wreckage on the Gulf floor, of both the R.E. Lee and U-166, 2 miles apart, exonerated Capt. Claudius, thanks Christ, who piecing together the facts from his years of research gathered while looking for the lost U-166, comparing the data and images from the wreckage sight, he was able to prove that it was the depth charges launched from PC-566 that caused the demise of U-166... giving the corrected credit for sinking of U-166 to Capt. Claudis and his crew.

At a Pentagon ceremony, December 2014, Capt. Claudius was posthumously awarded the Legion of Merit Citation, fitted with a Combat "V" in honor of Capt. Claudius, who had died in 1981. The award was received by his son, Herbert (Gordon) Claudius, Jr. C.J. Christ, after 10 years of effort, was finally able to see to it that history had been corrected and an "unsung hero", Capt. Claudius, had received the credit he deserved.

There are many more accounts of how C.J. impacted the world around him with his dedication to his community, friends and family. But suffice to say, he squeezed every bit of the "Can Do" spirit out of one 97-years of a life.

C.J. was preceded in death by his parents, Lawrence and Ada Matt Christ, brother Robert J. Christ, (Jackie), sisters, Dr. Ruth Christ Sullivan (Dr. Bill Sullivan) and Dena Christ Nodier (Fred Nodier) and brother-in-law Jerry Buckingham.

He is survived and missed by stepson Jack Moore (Ida), son, Bob Christ (Karen), daughters, Cheryl Walsh (Steve) and Linda Christ, and his sisters Geri Landry (Lester), Frances Buckingham, Julie Miller (Remy),10 grandchildren, numerous great grand children, nieces and nephews whom he adored.

When asked recently what he'd want people to remember about him, he responded, "I Did It My Way" (queue the words of the song, sung most popularly by Frank Sinatra, "My Way").

A Military Memorial service will be held in Houma at The Regional Miliary Museum on Friday, May 29th at 11:00, with viewing beginning at 10:00 A.M. The following day, May 30th, in C.J.'s hometown of Lake Charles, at Immaculate Conception Cathedral, Mass of Christian burial will be held at 10:00 A.M., visitation beginning at 9:30 A.M. Interment will immediately follow at Consolata Cemetery.

The family asks that, in lieu of flowers, contributions be made to the Regional Military Museum, 1154 Barrow St., Houma, LA, 70360. Thank you for your thoughtful remembrance and support!