October 12, 2007
I recently received an email from an Oroville man who read this
column online. He now lives in the Bay Area. He was wishing I would
write some stories on the Vietnam Veterans. I know I have done very
little on the Vietnam War for several reasons, the main one being
is that I don’t have the newspapers of those years. If someone out
their has time to research newspaper stories please let me know.
The Mercury and E. R. are on Micro-film at the libraries. Another
reason is I wanted to get the WWII Stories out while those men are
still with us. Anyway I do know that at least 44 young men from
Butte County Died in Vietnam or while in the service of their country
in that era, 1960 to 1975. I think the 1st American’s
died there in 1954. Wallace Buford and James McGovern, the first
combat troops sent were there in 1965. I will start doing some of
these Heroes of Vietnam each week. Stories, hopefully will follow.
Listed in the order that they died or were missing in action., names
taken from Vietnam Veterans Memorial Directory of Names, a 2- inch
thick Green Book that I Bought on my 2nd trip to the
Vietnam Wall in Washington D. C. 6 years ago “Some Gave All” Vietnam
War 1959-1975 PFC THOMAS CHARLES VAN CAMPEN, army, Dec 28, 1945-June
24, 1965, Oroville, CA (Panel Number) 2E, (Line Number) 17. PFC
DENZIL DAL PETTIT- Army, January 7, 1945-August 2, 1966, Bloomington
CA 9E – 100, (Lived in Chico when he entered the Service.) 1stLT
HAROLD EUGENE KNUDSEN JR. A.F. January 30, 1941-September 14, 1966,
Paradise CA. 10E-95. CAPT. EDGAR ERWIN NUSCHKE, AF. May 17, 1922-
January 21, 1967, Austin, PA 14E-64. (For this brave man, the Army
Air Force and then the Air Force was his home, his wife and kids
are natives of Chico area where he is buried. .
Oroville Mercury Register
November 1, 1945
BRADFORD RECEIVES HONORABLE DISCHARGE
Pfc. Eugene Bradford, son of Mr. and Mrs. Roy T. Bradford, Greenville
St., has received his honorable discharge from the Army at Torney
General Hospital, Palm Springs, where he has been hospitalized for
the last two months. Bradford reported for duty with the armed forces
in April, 1943 and trained at Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri, as a truck
driver with the 5th Inf. Div. He served in France, Germany
and Luxembourg for 13 months, participating in four major campaigns.
He has been awarded the American theatre, European, African and
Middle East ribbons, the Combat Infantry Badge and four Bronze Battle
Stars. In August Bradford was evacuated from the European Theatre
and sent to the hospital for a complete checkup.
KENNETH DEIRUP NOW IN MERCHANT MARINE
Kenneth C. Deirup, who went overseas with the army and returned
with the merchant marine, is in Oroville between voyages with his
new outfit. Son of Superior Judge and Mrs. Harry Deirup, the former
army master sergeant received his honorable discharge in France
where he had been a chief non-commissioned officer in the training
and flying section of the 302nd Transport Wing. Undecided
as to whether he will remain in the merchant marine for long, he
will be in Oroville for several weeks before signing up for his
next voyage. Deirup entered the service early in 1941 and trained
in this country until July, 1942, when he was transferred to England.
There he took part in transporting ammunition, arms, food, clothing,
gasoline, blood plasma, medical supplies and other high priority
cargo to forward airstrips. Deirup was with the cost guard for three
years prior to Oct. 1940. After that he was employed by an oil company
in San Francisco until he joined the army.
C. E. BRYSON VISITS HERE AFTER DISCHARGE
Discharged from the army at Fort MacArthur in San Pedro Monday afternoon.
Charles H. Bryson was in Oroville Tuesday visiting friends and wanting
to go salmon fishing. As 1st machine gunner with the
87th Mountain Infantry Ski Troopers, Bryson had been
overseas for 28 months of his 3 years service to his country. He
spent 19 months in actual combat and was awarded the Purple Heart
for a wound he sustained at Salerno Beachhead. He received a Silver
Star for having shot down a ME 109 over Foggia with a twin 50 caliber
machine gun. He recovered from a wound received there that added
an Oak leaf Cluster to his Purple Heart and was back in the front
lines to earn a Bronze Star in April, 1945, when he stayed with
his gun during fighting so heavy that everyone else had left the
gun post. He was wounded while alone by the gun and a second Oak
leaf Cluster was added to his Purple Heart. Bryson, formerly of
Oroville, now lives in Greenville, and was en route there. In additions
to the Bronze Starts and Purple Heart he wears the Expert Combat
Rifleman badge, good conduct ribbon, European Theatre ribbon and
nine combat zone stars and an arrow for beachhead landings and the
victory ribbon.
Stu’s Notes; We will be out at Feather Falls Casino tomorrow, Saturday,
October 13th for a Motorcycle Rally, Iron Pigs Poker
Run, Bike Show with vendors, food and a live band. You can call
Feather Falls Casino for more information. All proceeds
from this event will go to the Oroville Veterans Memorial Park,
Honoring all of Butte County. Also on Wednesday, October 17th
The Art Of Food and Wine A Southeast Asian Odyssey “the fine delicacies
of Southeast Asia.. Breathtaking entertainment and an Art Show…Plus
a wine and sake tasting event! Also at the Feather Falls Casino
and to Benefit Oroville Veterans Memorial Park, Honoring all of
Butte County. It still amazes me when I read these stories of our
local heroes. So many went above and beyond the call of duty. The
Veterans Day Parade Committee, of which I am a member, voted to
Honor the Oroville National Guard as Grand Marshals of our Parade.
This is long over due. They have served their country well and will
continue to do so where ever they are needed. Many people in Oroville
don’t even know they are here.