March 28, 2003

Oroville Mercury February 26, 27 and 28, 1945

JUST LIKE THE MOVIES SAYS RAMSEY
"Just like the movies, almost," writes Tech. Sgt. Chet Ramsey, former Butte county game warden, of the island where he is stationed with the U. S. Marine Corps. "The isle is beautiful," says Chet, "there are the usual swaying palm trees, the ever present jungle and beautiful coral beaches just like the movies but no sarong girls." He goes on, "The playwrites also forgot to mention that underneath those beautiful white breakers there are jagged coral reefs, undertows, rip tides, coral snakes and sharks, all of which make it necessary for an order forbidding us to go swimming and it's hotter here now than it gets at home in August." Ramsey tells in his letter of the little things a service man overseas longs for about his home town. "As for myself," he writes, "I'd be happy just to see the silhouette of Table Mountain: Vene Sharkey busy around his service station: Judge Hills walking briskly to his office; or Wally Kunkel chasing after an elusive news story. It would be great to go up into those pine scented hills and see the dogwood and the azaelias blooming, and to drink from a cold mountain stream knowing the water was pure and good and that you wouldn't be getting some disease from drinking it or fungus from swimming in it, as you would here. Ours is the biggest, cleanest and finest country in the world as far as I'm concerned. Tell all Butte county 'Hello" for me and I'll be thinking of them and of my beloved countryside until I get back."

Some Gave All
LT. MINOGUE’S DEATH OFFICIAL
Mrs. Paul Hogge heard today that her daughter, Lt. June Minogue, has received word from the War Department declaring her husband Lt. Raymond Minogue, legally dead. He was aboard the Japanese prison ship containing 750 Americans that was torpedoed Sept. 7, 1944. Of that number, 83 were rescued and it had been hoped Lt. Mnogue would prove to be one of them.
Lt Minogue is the son of Mrs. Caroline Minogue of Manitowac, Wisconsin. He met his wife when they were both attending Michigan State and where they both were awarded the highest honors of the college. He majored in chemical engineering and she in hotel administration. The army called him in 1941 and he was sent to the Philippines with the Coast Artillery and captured at Corregidor. With other prisoners, he was forced to work in the rice fields about twelve hours a day until they shipped him out. Mrs. Minogue was connected with Oroville Inn while she was here. Her father, Lt. Col. Hogge is stationed at Yuma, Ariz. She told her mother she was flying to Wisconsin to be with her husband's mother. His sister, Miss Virginia Minogue, is with the Army Nurses’ Corps and expects to leave soon for duty overseas.

GILLICK RIDES OUT TYPHOON
Larry Gillick, Butte County under-sheriff before he enlisted in the Marine Corps, rode out the typhoon off the Philippines, Dec. 18, 1944, in which three U. S. destroyers were lost, "The wind, blowing 135 miles an hour, was more dangerous than Japanese Airplanes." He said while visiting in Oroville, Monday. While it was at its height, I walked on the bulkheads, or walls, of my ship, Waves as high as 65 feet pounded us all day." Gillick, a sergeant, is an anti-aircraft gunner aboard a heavy cruiser. He has been in nine engagements, including the landings in the Gilbert's and Marshalls, the first raid on Truk, landings on the Marinanas, and Saipan, the first battle of the Philippines Sea and the battle of Leyte Gulf. Gillick left Tuesday night for the bay area after a 26-day furlough. He visited friends in Oroville, and Chico. Gillick has applied for duty with the amphibious forces. He was former manager of the Chico Colts baseball team and was on the Chico police department before joining the sheriff's office. He went into the marines, Dec. 15, 1942.
Stu wonders if this is the same storm that Ted Ingraham lost his life. OMR 3-14-03

Stu's notes: Sad but this happened more than once. Our submarines sinking Japanese ships full of Allied prisoners. These ships should have been marked as such. Bu the Japanese Military could care less. Seems our Chet Ramsey got in the Mercury a lot back then. l sure enjoy talking to him. Larry Gillick went on to be our sheriff for many years.