October 17, 2003
Oroville Mercury Register March 15th and 26th,
1945
SGT. ENGASSER, A GERMAN PRISONER, CELEBRATES CHRISTMAS
Sgt Norval Eneasser wrote to his mother from a German prison
camp on Christmas Eve. The letter was just received. In it he said
this is the third Christmas spent away from home. The men in his
barracks were celebrating with a tree and they expected to have
turkey and plum pudding for dinner the next day. Engasser asked
that all the cigarettes and food parcels allowed by the Red Cross
be sent to him but he did not need any clothing. He said the men
were allowed to attend church twice a week. Several people saw in
a recent number of "Life" a picture of an infantry division with
packs and full equipment marching into Belgium and recognized Engasser
as one of them. He is reported to have been there at the time.
BOB STRANG AWARDED BRONZE STAR AND CAPTURES ATHLETIC HONORS
Sgt Robert Burns Strang, Jr., of the U. S., Marine Corps,
was awarded the bronze star while still a corporal for "heroic action
in the Peleliu battle on Palau Island." “While on reconnaissance
patrol, Cpl. Strang proceeded on his own initiative under enemy
automatic fire to assist and protect stretcher parties in their
evacuation of the wounded.” Bob is a chief sectional scout in the
intelligence department with supervision over 300 men. He enlisted
in June of 1942 and has been over seas almost two years. While in
high school here, he took an active part in athletics and was 3rd
baseman for the Oroville Olives. After graduating in 1940, he attended
Chico State for two years, winning the 2nd mile relay in 1942. He
continued to take an interest in athletics after he went to the
Pacific area. At an athletic field day last June 29 somewhere in
the Pacific, he won the regimental championship for 100 yard dash,
running broad jump and 880 yard relay. He captured second prize
for high jump and standing broad jump.
HAROLD CROWDN GRADUATES FROM TRAINING SCHOOL AMARILLO ARMY
AIR FIELD, TEXAS
Harold L. Crowden, son of Joe O. Crowden of Rt. 2, Oroville, has
completed his course of studies as an aviation mechanic in this
army air forces technical training school His graduation fits him
for airplane maintenance. He will be sent to an air base where he
will assist in keeping America's heavy bombers in the air for Allied
victory.
MAVIS LANG PLANNING TRIP TO FLORIDA
Lt. and Mrs. Elwood Lang are spending a week at the home
of Floyd Humphrey on Hewitt Ave. Mrs. Lang met her husband in San
Francisco when he arrived there about two weeks ago. He is a survivor
of the Ommaney Bay, an escort carrier that was sunk in the Pacific
in January. He has thirty days leave before reporting to Jacksonville,
Florida, for further assignment. Mrs. Lang plans to go with him.
After the week here, they expect to spend the balance of his leave
in San Francisco where his parents, Mr. and Mrs. James B. Lang are
living. Lt. Lang was a coach at the high school here before entering
the Navy shortly after Pearl Harbor was bombed. During his absence,
Mrs. Lang has been employed at the Butte County Title Co.
Stu's notes: I have written in the past about Sgt. Norval Engasser
and his saga as a POW. The war in Europe will soon be over and he
comes home to Oroville. I know his nephew George Engasser, maybe
some day we will get more of the story. From what I've read, our
POW's in Germany were treated pretty well compared to those in the
hands of the Japanese. 1-2% deaths in Europe, compared to about
40% in the Japanese Prison Camps. This writer cannot imagine being
a prisoner of anyone. It must have been terrible for all of the
prisoners.