October 20, 2006
Oroville Mercury December 3, 1945
Tom Wheeler Joins The Mercury Staff
Tom Wheeler, Infantry major in the Marines, today became an employee
of the Mercury. He will cover the courthouse beat. Wheeler is a
graduate of the school of journalism of the University of Missouri,
class of 1940. Before entering the Marines in early 1941 he edited
a paper in Crane, Mo. He is a native of Kansas City, Mo. Recently
Wheeler was married to Miss Bobbie Zuber, also a Marine, of New
York. They will make their home at the High Pine apartments. Wheeler’s
military experience includes Tarawa, Saipan and Tinian.
Looking Back
November 4, 1957 15 years ago (1942 )
Celebrating Halloween and the close of Ward Week Sale the Montgomery
Wards personnel and their friends gathered for dancing and entertainment
Saturday night at the Country Club. The party was also in the nature
of a farewell party to James Jewel who will leave in two weeks to
enter the army. He was presented with a pen and pencil set. Many
hundreds of Oroville residents are expected to see the captured
two-man submarine when it is exhibited in front of the Municipal
auditorium today, according to Roy Gault, executive chairman of
the Oroville war savings committee.
Continuing from “Recollections from Army Days” by Robert C. Brooks
Homer Peterson was a big, blond, good natured fellow. He had a good
sense of humor. He liked guitar and fiddle music. Also did a certain
kind of old fashioned dance, where he tapped toes and heels and
shuffled his feet in a complex rhythmic pattern. One of his tricks
was to dance on a table. He would get to the edge, waving his arms
apparently about to fall off, then suddenly “regain” his balance
and keep right on dancing. He did this to the clapping and laughing
of the fellows watching. We did have some spare time and fun in
camp. In basic training we learned to do many things “by the numbers”.
Marching by 1-2-3-4, hand salulte by 1-2, manual of arms by 1-2-3-4.
It simplified actions and helped fix them in our minds. Homer and
I had a way to drink beer “by the numbers”: 1-hold mug, 2- raise
it up, 3-drink, 4-put it down. When we went through that some other
fellows used to take it up.
Homer went through Tennessee Maneuvers with us, and to Camp Barkley,
in Texas, afterwards. The 4th Armored Division needed
trained soldiers when it was shipped overseas, and Homer and several
other fellows from our company were transferred to Company “C”,
51st Armored Infantry Battalion in the 4th A. D.
After the war I received a letter from Gilmer Mays, (letter to follow)
who had also been transferred, and he told me what had happened
to them. Several had been wounded, and Homer had been killed. Gilmer
said that Homer was one of their best men. A few years after I got
home from a recall during the Korean War (was stationed at Fort
Belvoir, Virginia), I got married, and sometime later my wife and
I made a trip to see Homer’s parents and family, near Burnsville,
North Carolina. They were overjoyed that one of Homer’s buddies
came to see them. Homer had been returned there, and we went to
visit his grave. They treated us so well – had such wonderful southern
cooking and visits – that we will always remember. To be continued.
Stu’s Notes: Jimmy Jewel, a very good man. I grew up around him
at Montgomery Wards. Bought a few tires from him. His son still
lives in Oroville.
We had a great time at the Sock Hop on Friday night. It was packed.
Thank you Bob and Sherry Morehouse and Bill Fox for worrying so
much about it and many others that helped to make it a memorial
event. Jim Mangus did a wonderful job spinning those old tunes of
the 50’s and 60’s. Most of us 50 and 60 years olds loved the music.
The All Class Reunion all day and evening on Saturday was wonderful.
To see the down town full of friendly people all day.. I was very
proud to get to pin the new sergeant stripes on my daughter, now
Staff Sergeant Deborah Shaner, at the National Guard Armory. The
building is now 50 years old. My brother, Larry Shaner. a guard
member when the building was new, was there to witness the event.
I am currently on a committee of about 6 men, (names later), that
meet at Mug Shots every Tuesday, morning at 8:00AM to plan the 6th
or 7th annual Oroville Veterans Day Parade. It is always
November 11th. Veterans day was originally called Armistice
Day because that is the time the guns fell silent on the many battle
fronts of Europe and at Sea, on the 11th month, 11th
day, 11th hour and the 11th minute in 1918.
So long ago in the War to End All Wars. It was called the World
War as WWII, which made the World War WWI was 20 years in the Future.
(Try to read that sentence fast!) On November 11th at
Oroville Municipal Auditorium, Bob Sharkey and the Feather River
Recreations and Parks crew will put on a Dinner, Dance with all
proceeds going to the Veterans Memorial Park. More on this event
later.