December 24, 2004
Oroville Mercury May 28, 1945
PARADISE MAN KILLED
S. Sgt. Gordon P. Foster, son of Mrs. Grace Foster of Paradise,
has been reported killed in action in the Pacific area, according
to an official announcement of the Office of War Information.
Oroville Mercury May 17, 1943
News About Thermalitans In Service
THERMALITO- Ensign Robert (Bob) Bartley has been spending
a two weeks furlough with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. William Bartley,
Twelfth Street, Thermalito, Bob received his commission April 23
when he was graduated from the naval training school connected with
Northwestern University, Chicago, Ill. He has already received his
assignment and will report for duty soon. He leaves Monday for Chicago.
DONALD (JACK) BARTLEY, who is a student in chemical engineering
at the University of California, was home over the weekend. He is
in the Naval Reserves.
JAMES (JIM) FORBES, who enlisted in the navy some time ago
but who was not called until last month, has been stationed at Camp
Peary, Va., and has been appointed master-at-arms over a large force
of men. Forbes is a veteran of the first World War.
PVT. VERN HUNT is home on furlough from Selman Field, La.
He is visiting his parents, Mr. and Mrs. E. A. Hunt, and other relatives
and friends. He will leave by plane next Tuesday to return to camp.
ALFRED (MIKE) WRIGHT who was inducted into the army last
month has been assigned to Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., for his basic
training.
McManus Sees Plane Crash
Thomas McManus of Oroville, and observer at a nearby listening post,
reports that he saw the two pursuit planes collide in the air last
week and then fall to the ground and burn. McManus was conversing
by phone with the Redding filter station while watching the planes.
He immediately informed his headquarters of the crash, he said.
He had been working a 15-hour emergency shift on the day of the
accident.
Palermo Item
Pvt. Joe Magrl, who is stationed in Tennessee, is home on
furlough and is visiting at the home of Mrs. David Roses.
Mrs. E. R. Dotson and family, Miss Betty McFadden, Roger and Wade,
all of Susanville, and Glenn McFadden, aviation MM 2-C USN,
who is home on furlough after 22 months in the Pacific, have been
visiting relatives in Palermo and Oroville. Mrs. Dotson is a sister
of Mrs. Everett Burns.
Stu’s notes: I was watching the Discovery Wings channel and learned
this about General Billy Mitchell, who fought in two wars.
AN AMERICAN HERO
Billy had amazing foresight and knowledge of what the Airplane could
do. But the war department would not listen and he was court martial.
Guilty of insubordination. At his court martial, 1925, he said soon
soldiers will jump from airplanes, fly faster than 1,000 miles an
hour and the Japanese will bomb Pearl Harbor. In 1947 he
was promoted to Major General, and given the Medal of Honor, posthumously.
His love of our country was so true that he gave up his career to
help it. It was too bad that the army didn’t listen, especially
on Pearl Harbor.
The little article, about the Paradise, man was on page 3 of the
Oroville Mercury Register and is probably all that I will read of
this young brave soldier who died so far from home. Most of those
that died from out lying towns were soon forgotten. Mrs. Bartley
was my 8th grade teacher, a wonderful lady. Does anyone
remember that airplane crash of 1943? Those airmen that might of
died over our town should be honored.