Sidney A. Marchand, Jr. served as mayor of Donaldsonville from 1948 to 1956 and was remembered for his military service in World War II, including the Normandy invasion, the St. Lo breakthrough, the race to Paris, St. Vivth, Bastogne, the Hurtgen Forest, and the Seigfried Line. He received the Purple Heart, Bronze Star, and Fleur De Guerre, and was honored as an outstanding citizen and friend of all mankind. The city recreation center was dedicated to his memory. In 1956, Donaldsonville's commission council included Mayor Sidney A. Marchand, Sr., Bernard A. Vetter as commissioner of finance, Lawrence Regira as commissioner of streets, Leo Mattingly as chief of police, G. J. Mistretta as fire chief, George Blum as city attorney, and Ralph Falsetta as police juror.