January 9, 2004

This picture was taken in 1946, the young men in this picture all attended school in Oroville and entered the service for their country at different stages of the war, they were all good friends. Pictured top left to right are: Don Sawtell, U. S. Army Air Force, Al Vasquez, U. S. Navy, Gib White, U.S. Army, Art Wells, U.S. Army. Bottom left to right; Troy Ambrose, U.S. Coast Guard, Harold Long, U. S. Merchant Marine, Clyde Russel, U. S. Navy , Walt Frazier, U. S. Army, Earl Higgins, U.S. Navy, John Higgins, U. S. Navy. Front on the right, Ray Dabs, U. S. Army. They all served with honor in the South Pacific and European Theater of War.

I recently received a letter from one of my readers (I hope more will write). His name is Troy Ambrose, Oroville High class of 1945. He skipped school and went into the Coast Guard and WWII, it seems the coast guard got a long way from our coast. Like in my daughters case the National Guard is serving in Iraq. Troy is going to write some of his war stories for me. This picture is some of the many of Oroville’s hero’s. I’ve known John Higgins, as I went to his bar in Thermalito when we were building the Dam. John has his arm in a sling in the picture. We had a long conversation with Debbie this week on her satellite phone. It was jus like on CNN, with about a five second delay, hard to know when to talk but so good to hear her voice after about 5 months. She should be home for 2 weeks soon. Maybe today as you read this.
December 31, 2000 I met Peter Maki at the Nature Center and said, “Peter I will dedicate the Oroville Dam Memorial in May. Let’s organize a committee and build a Veterans Memorial.” He said yes, let’s go for it. Lynn said why so soon. But didn’t say no. Three years later, we’ve come a long way.

These are the men and one woman from the Oroville area who lost their lives during our times of War. Some died in accidents, but most in Action while in the service of our country.

WWI
Arthur Heathorn, John Feliciano, J. S. Tolan, Lt. Charles Faul, Pfc Gus Alm, Frank Lucas and Don Rowe.

WWII
Pvt. Elmer Ashley, Byrl Babcock, WAC, Emery B. Johnson, Pvt Emery Ledger, Pvt. Vernon Capps, John Flatter, Daryl Porter, Leslie Bidwell, Edwin Morgan, Francis Pulliam, Arlin Rhine, James Whitmark, 2^nd Lt. Walter Turk, Alphie Worthy, Cpl. William O’Kelly, Rudy Sorenson, Donald Anderson, Lt. Richard vanWoer, John Forrest Sheehan, William Evans Rush, Lt. Hubert L. Wiedman, Pfc. Wendell L. Turner KIA
Kernick Smith, Mr. Stauss, E.L. Harris, Lester Morgan, Robert Phelps, John Casner, Lloyd E. Bailey, Carl C. Denny, Pvt. Jack B. Averrett, Pfc. George Beard, Cpl., Fred Kabkee, Lt. Howard King, 1^st Lt. Earl Jacobes, Robert Gass, Lloyd Bachey, Lt. Don Waltrous, Lawrence Gianella, Merchant Marine, Pfc, H. H. Juchtzer, John Barrett, William Pinkston, Pfc.William R. Harris, Harold Strang, William R. Phillips, Howard Gould, Roy McBride, Robert Tieck, Pfc.Donald L. Powell, Cpl. Edward Rabe, Pfc. Carl M. Robertson, Ted Ingraham, Pfc. Lester “Bill” Onyett, Everett L Morningstar, Pfc. Morris Tims, Melvin Rowe, 2^nd Lt. Gerald A Rutherford, Lt. Thomas Wigle, Medal of Honor, Harold Wickman Civilian, died as POW, Sgt. David Shaw MIA, Walter W. Gerhart, Civilian POW, Missing in Action, Lt. Robert F. Brown , and Bill McFerrin.

KOREAN WAR
Don Raymond Bradish, U. S. Army, David Joe Dunham U. S. M.C., Richard Jensen, Cotton Karr, S/Sgt. Roy E. Steed Jr., Jack Moseley, Robert Harley Young, Medal of Honor, and Gene Slavick.

COLD WAR
Lee Lawson, Capt. Leonard Campbell, Thomas Doyle and Cosie Steel.

VIETNAM WAR
Robert Chamberlain, David Christianson, Lanny Cummins, Michael David, William “Steve” Illman, Dale Evan Hill, Billie Loomis, Michael Lucas, Jerry Morgan, Jake Newberry, David Richards, Dale Sievers, Thomas Van Campen, James H. Taylor, Barry Unfried, James E. Pscherer, David Winters, Teddy Hart, Larry Liss, James Roy, Paul Smith, John Vorris, John Robert Young, Jay Richards.

WAR ON TERROR AND IRAQ
Army Staff Sgt. David Perry.

We know this list is not complete if you know anything about these men please call Stu at 533-8147.