Charles Christ, known over Houma as "CJ," is a pilot who had a varied set of experiences in the oil fields. Before completing college, he joined the US Air Force and served as a bomber pilot in Korea. After the Air Force, he returned to college, then started driving a truck for Haliburton in 1954. In 1956 he became a mud engineer, working for Magnet Cove Barium (Magabar - now owned by Dresser Industries). As a pilot, he flew to his mud engineering jobs. In 1959 he became chief pilot for Magabar and set up their aviation and pilot training program, so that all mud engineers could fly to their jobs. In 1963 he had a partnership with a friend to create Coastal Marine (Comar), an offshore boat contractor. In 1964 he started Houma Aviation Services, a fixed base floatplane operator at the Houma Airport. Houma Aviation was caught in the 1980's oil bust and went bankrupt in 1989. At 61, Charles became a boat captain for Coastal Marine, running crew and supply boats to the offshore platforms until retiring in 1995. He is well known for his knowledge of naval and marine history, especially U-boats in World War II, and consults on underwater archaeology.