December 20, 2003

Oroville Mercury Register April 21, 1945

ROY INGWERSON FIGHTING IN GERMANY
In a letter to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. O. E. Ingwerson of C street, Cpl. Roy Ingwerson wrote that he is on German soil at the battlefront there. He was spending that night in a German home where they were keeping warm by a stove that had been left there. He said they had plenty to eat. Cpl. Ingwerson left the East coast of the United States on March 1. He landed in England, went through Belgium and France and was in Germany by March 20. He entered the army about two and a half years ago and was assigned to the medical corps where he trained as a dental technician. When the need for more men in the Infantry became apparent, he was transferred to that branch where he has been serving for the past four months.

JAPANESE BAYONET MISSES RAIDER
Enlisted in the U. S. Marine Corps at the age of 15, assigned to the famous Carlson Raiders Battalion and sent overseas, at 16 and wounded out of the service at 17, Cpl. Stanley L. Barnes, has packed more excitement into two years time than many persons experience in a lifetime. Son of Mr. and Mrs. Jack Barnes of San Bernardino, formerly of Oroville and Chico, Barnes is at Norco Naval Hospital, Corona undergoing treatment that may restore the use of his left arm, which was nearly severed by Japanese bullets fired during hand to hand combat on Guam. The story of his experiences was received here by Court Reporter Mrs. Bill MacLean, close friend of the family.

Bayonet Misses
While on reconnaissance patrol following the invasion of Guam, Barnes found himself between two camouflaged Japanese who were about 15 feet apart. One lunged at him with fixed bayonet, the bayonet passing through the marine’s shirt and jacket front. During the struggle Barnes was shot through the forearm at a distance of 6 inches. Both Japanese then started to run. Barnes got one with a submachine gun, his buddy got the other. After he had received first aid, Barnes hiked 12 miles through jungle country to the beach where he was evacuated on a United States Hospital ship and later to a hospital in Guadalcanal.

Awarded Purple Heart
While he was in Guadalcanal his unit was given a presidential citation and Barnes was formally presented the Purple Heart. Barnes in the Grandson of the late Allan J. Stanley, former Chico Game warden, who died in 1943. The marine’s brother, Allan, enlisted in the U. S. Coast Guard in 1942. He is stationed at Ilwaco, Wash.

BRINKERHOFF TO GO BACK TO LOCAL JOB
Taylor R. Brinkerhoff, recently discharged from the armed services, returned to Oroville a few weeks ago after two and a half years service in this country and overseas. He will resume his job at the local post office. Brinkerhoff entered the service in October of 1942 and went to the Fleet post office in San Francisco for about six months. From there he went to 21 months overseas duty in Noumes, New Caledonia, and Suva, Fiji. He returned to the United States in January of this year and was discharged March 22. As Brinkerhoff was leaving ship at Noumea, Dan Beebe, then of the Merchant Marine, heard his name called but was unable to locate him. They had been on the same ship about a week without knowing it. A veteran of the last war, Brinkerhoff has two sons in the service, Don a radioman 1-c in the navy, has just gone through Iwo Jima and is now on Okinawa. Russell and AOM 1-c, is now in the Aleutians. Also contributing to the war effort is his daughter, Lorraine who is employed at McClellan Field, Sacramento as secretary to a major in the military personnel office.

Stu’s Notes: Veteran’s Memorial Park update: We had a good meeting on Tuesday night about the Feasibility Study that the County is doing for our project. Greg Melton, our architect went through the whole project, explaining it very well. My Niece, Nicole Ledford is now working on our project. Margaret Schmidt is coordinating these meetings for the county. I was disappointed in the low turn out, I had asked so many people to come and show their support for our project. Cpl. Stanley L. Barnes , what an incredible story for such a young man. Does anybody know of him? A short word from Debbie that she is fine.