December 30, 2005

Oroville Mercury February 22, 1944, June 21, 1945

Births
COURIS-In Oroville, Feb. 21, 1944, born to the wife of Corporal Theafanus (Tom) Couris of the U. S. Army, a son.

Home from Wars Major Henry Stapp,
former Oroville Western Pacific train master who arrived recently in New York after nearly a year overseas. Stapp wears the Middle Eastern Theatre ribbon centered with the battle star for the Sicilian campaign. As head of the 10th Port of Embarkation, his job has been the moving of troops and supplies. In a telephone call from New York, Stapp told his parents, Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Stapp, that he hoped to be in Oroville soon.

“Some Gave All”
Returned Mail Gives Word of Son’s Death
MARYSVILLE- News of the death in action of their son, Lt. Harry A. Skinner, Jr., army air force pilot, came the hard way to Mr. and Mrs. Harry Skinner of Marysville. Earlier in the day Mrs. Skinner had received in the mail letters addressed to her son on Luzon and returned marked “deceased.” An immediate wire to the adjutant general’s office in Washington brought the first official word of the tragedy. (Lt. Harry A. Skinner, Jr., is honored on a Yuba County Memorial)

Oroville Mercury June 21, 1945
Local colonel Awarded Medal
ARMY AIR FORCES, PACIFIC HEADQUARTERS- Colonel William J. Clinch of Oroville, Calif., director of personnel and administrative services for the AAF in the Pacific Ocean areas, has been awarded the Bronze Star Medal for meritorious service in connection with military operations against the enemy. A citation accompanying the award reads, in part:…”From August, 1944 to April 15, 1945, Colonel Clinch performed his task with outstanding initiative, energy and efficiency in an area of great distances and various headquarters.”

Stu’s Notes: Five years ago tomorrow, December 31, 2000, I ran into Peter Maki at the Nature Center, he was picking up garbage. I said, “Hi Peter, let’s build a Veterans Memorial” His reply “Let’s do it”. I had talked to him and other people that year that showed an interest in doing just that. Ron Scharbor said he could get some American Legion men involved. Peter and I knew Veterans from our Methodist Church that we could get on board. I just about had the Memorial to those who died while building the Oroville Dam, finished. We parted that last day of December with an idea set in motion. I was feeling very optimistic, as I knew Peter and what he could do. He had agreed to be my co-chairmen. We’ve come a long way in those five years. In a way I’m glad it is taking so long, as we are still finding Heroes that “Gave All” for our country.

I talked to Marie Beebe, Dan Beebe Jr.’s wife. She didn’t remember a lot about Dan’s service to his country, but said she was proud of him. He wanted to serve his country but had bad eyesight so went into the Merchant Marines (now recognized as a branch of the service in WWII) Although they didn’t have to serve and got paid more, and could quit anytime (I think) thousands stuck with the job and they suffered a big percentage of the causalities in WWII. Marie said Dan was sea sick all the time but he stayed the course. Oroville can be proud of him.

I would like to thank Bud Strang again for paying the annual fee for our Logo that is on the Oroville Host Lions Welcome to Oroville Sign.

I just talked to an old Classmate of mine, Nancy Long Gardner, OHS class of ’58. She is a well known sculptor in bronze. She is very excited to hear of our plans and that we want to have a Bronze Bugle Boy statue as part of our memorial.