September 19, 2003
Chico News and Review May 26, 1988
FOREVER MISSING
2nd Lt. James Harry Taylor February 3, 1946 -
February 15, 1971. Since his father was in construction work, the
Montana born James Taylor was raised all over the country, Washington,
Arizona and California. The family eventually settled in Oroville,
and Taylor attended Las Plumas High School, where he graduated from
in 1964. A car buff, Taylor used to race autos at local tracks and
won awards for his restoration of vintage cars. After high school,
Taylor went to Yuba College and later transferred to Chico State
College. He graduated from Chico in 1968, and joined the Army shortly
thereafter. Taylor was trained to fly Chinook supply helicopters
and was sent to Vietnam in May 1970. He served first with the 196th
Aviation Company, and when that outfit was deactivated, he was transferred
to the 101" Airborne Division near Da Nang. On February 15, 1971,
with less than three months to go in Vietnam, Taylor volunteered
to fly a load of fuel to a base in the field. The huge tank of fuel
was suspended by cable below the helicopter. While the Chinook was
flying over Laos, a shot was fired from the jungle below at the
fuel tank. The tank exploded, blowing up the helicopter. U.S. forces
could not land in the hostile territory and Taylor and five others
aboard are still considered missing in action."
From the Vietnam Wall 'Etched in Stone" James Harry Taylor, Army
Reserve 2LT, Latter Day Saints, single, Causality type- Hostile,
Died Missing, Air Loss, Crash, in Laos.
SSGT David Marshall Winters, as told by his brother Larry
Winters, who made a career out of the service. Larry spent 15 1/2
months in Vietnam. David was only 18 when he was listed as missing
in action. His mother is Lois Jonas and father Frank A. Winters.
He attended 8 different schools but started off at Burbank 1st through
6th grade. Then moved to Delhi where he enlisted in the Army. His
brothers were in Vietnam already and he wanted to be with them.
He was a 6'2" 207 pound, young man with a bright smile. He enjoyed
fishing. He was listed as MIA in April of 1967. He was lost in a
far off river. Larry told me, "He died as much a hero as any man
over there." David's dad went to Washington D.C. and did a
rubbing of his son's name from the wall which is now hanging
in the VFW Hall on Lincoln and Elgin.
Stu's notes: David's name came to me by his cousin Jan
Pinksion. He does not show up on the Oroville Vietnam list because
he enlisted while he lived in Delhi. His brother Frank was awarded
a Bronze Star in Vietnam and plans to be at our POW/MIA Recognition
Day Ceremony tonight. These young men are two more of Oroville's
long forgotten Heroes But no more! They will be remembered.