June 30, 2006

Oroville Mercury Register February 1, 1943

THIS MAN INSISTED ON GETTING INTO THE ARMY
John K. Doering, 28, son of Mrs. Barbara Doering of Gridley, was one of the first men called into the service from Butte county. At the time of his induction, he received special mention in the Mercury because he was a Canadian citizen but applied for his first naturalization papers so that he could do his share for the United States. After training at Fort Leonard Wood, he refused a chance to stay and help train others in order to go overseas with his unit last January. He has been in New Guinea since October and his letters to his brother-in-law and sister, Mr. and Mrs. Dan Raynor of Thermalito say that he is not sorry to have gone. He also tells them that he finds the days very long and so much alike that the men forget what day it is. “The country is not much for scenery except for the beautiful sunsets.” Mrs. Raynor has been sending the Mercury to her brother and he writes that after reading them, “with folks like that at home we can’t miss out here.” Doering’s people are very proud of his and want his friends to know that the boys at the front appreciate what is being done at home to help win. Doering was employed by the Western Pacific Railroad here prior to his entry into the service.

GAYLORD WEARS MARINE UNIFORM; DOESN’T LIKE SAN DIEGO
Wm. H. Gaylord, a member of the field marine corps, located at San Diego, flies in the face of those who consider that city has the best climate. In a letter to the Rotary Club Gaylord says: “The weather here is the worst of my experience. You rest during the day and freeze at night.” Gaylord is a Navy man in the medical corps but is wearing a Marine uniform, having been transferred to the Fleet Marine Force battalion. The Marines don’t have their own medical corps, he explains. “San Diego is too crowded for comfort,” he writes.

CORP. PHILLIPS VISITS PARENT IN OROVILLE
Neuce Phillips, a corporal in the signal corps of the Army Air Force, stationed in Orlando, Fla., arrived home last week on a furlough to visit his parents, Mr. and Mrs. J. S. Phillips of D Street. Corporal Phillips entered the service Nov. 5, 1941. Two brothers are in the army. Private Donald Phillips in radio intelligence in the signal corps stationed in San Francisco. The other brother, Lloyd, is with an engineering unit, and believed to have arrived in Africa recently.

WALDREN TO ATTEND DIESEL SCHOOL, DAN DIEGO
Leonard Waldren has finished “boot camp” in San Diego and is now rated as seaman second class, having had the good fortune to receive an assignment to a diesel school, also in Dan Diego. Waldren is the son of Mr. and Mrs. L. A. Waldren, Twelfth street, Thermalito. He graduated from Oroville high school last June.

Stu’s Notes: I have know John K. Doering’s Nephew, Jim Doering ever since the first grade at Thermalito Grammar School. During WWII Americans and Canadians even fought in each other’s Armies. Now I know that his uncle was a hero. I have written about Wm. H. Gaylord twice before, he served his country well. Last year I met his son William Jr. quite by chance. We were leaving the Aircraft Carrier Hornet, which is open to the public in Alameda, close to Jack London Square. He was a docent there. Since then he has purchased a tile in our Memorial. Our Memorial tiles will be made of polished granite 6’’X 12’’, they are for sale at $60 each. They are to honor all American veterans, from the Revolutionary war to the present and the future, living or dead, having served in war time or peace time, from Maine to Hawaii and Alaska. Each tile can have up to four lines of information, all caps, 16 letters per line, no punctuation, any information you choose. To get order forms call or write me or a committee member. Soon 7,000 of these tile forms will be mailed to Las Plumas and Oroville High School Graduates, going to way back when. This will be for the Oroville High School District All Class Reunion, October 13th and 14th, 2006