February 2, 2007
More from “Recollections From Army Days” By Robert C. Brooks
Dirt and shrapnel zinged over us, and the high screams of the “88”
shells sounded terrifying. As if this wasn’t enough, we heard loud
banging and kicking and screaming of farm animals trapped in stalls
and corrals. It lasted for just a few minutes, but seemed like forever
before the firing stopped. If it had kept on they might have eliminated
everyone on the hillside, but perhaps they ran out of ammunition
or thought their position was spotted. We were called to get back
to positions just over the hill. Causalities were left that night.
Groves had been wounded, and died. One of our men Orville Wollenburg,
had stayed with him for a little while. We stayed in those positions,
and waited for morning, when the sky began to light up. It was unusually
quiet that morning, and the sun showed through the haze like a big
red ball over the hills. We heard far off in the distance a church
bell ringing, and could hardly believe it. Dick Koos and I listening
to it wondered if it meant the war was over, but of course it wasn’t.
There was a detail sent to get the bodies of our soldiers. One of
my friends, Marshall Place, told me later that he didn’t want to
go, but as he thought about it he came to feel it as an honor. We
stayed in those positions for several days. During that time the
Germans tried to attack our positions, but were as bad off as we
had been. They came in daylight, and the wind was blowing so hard
they were slanted against it. They were just as much targets as
we had been, though much farther a way, and they finally gave it
up. This took place over Christmas days, and a few of us at a time
went back a mile or so to the field kitchen, where we had a hot
Christmas dinner. Some days after that, in January 1945, we moved
back to another area in another village where we got some replacements
and rested. By that time there was a lot of snow. (to be continued)
Oroville Mercury Register December 17, 1952
Four members of the Oroville High School graduating class of 1952
have enlisted in the United States Air Force and are now receiving
training prior to regular assignments. They are Richard Wilson,
son of Mr. and Mrs. Claude Willson, Fallbrook Avenue; Robert Simpson,
son of Mr. and Mrs. Allan Simpson, Ft. Wayne Street; James Allen
son of Mr. and Mrs. Marion L. Allen, Rout 3; and Joel McKim, son
of Mr. and Mrs. James W. McKim, Quincy Road. The boys enlisted through
the Chico Air Force Recruiting Office and were sent to San Francisco
for processing and assignment to training camps.
CPL. PAUL W. SMITH COMPLETES COURSE
Cpl. Paul W. Smith, son of Mr. and Mrs. E. A. Smith, of Thermalito
has returned to England from Germany where he was graduated from
a language school after six months of study. Smith was graduated
from Oroville High School in 1949 and later attended San Jose State
College before enlisting in the Army in December, 1950. He has been
in Europe for the past 18 months.
WENDELL L. BROWN, son of Mr. and Mrs. C. A. Brown, Oroville,is spending
a 30 day leave from the Navy with his parents. Brown, who was formerly
a Mercury carrier and who graduated from Oroville High School in
1950, enlisted in the Navy in January, 1951. For the past 19 months
he has been stationed at Guam where he was assigned to the Welfare
and Recreation departments, as well as in the personnel department.
Upon completion of his leave he will report to Treasure Island for
future assignment.
Stu’s Notes: Chief Warren Officer Paul Wesley Smith who was born
in Oroville, Sept.18th, 1931 to Gus and Ruth Smith of
Thermalito, served our country well for over 15 years. He died of
small arms fire in a fire fight in Gia Dinh South Vietnam on May
5, 1968. He was 36 years old. My family was friends with his family.
And we know of no relatives other than a brother who was a Highway
Patrolman, somewhere. Family friends, Cliff and Ermaline Sawyer
remember him as a very intelligent patriotic young man who served
his country. He was an Eagle Scout and president of Oroville High
School Class of 1949. He was awarded the Silver Star, among other
medals. Cliff told me that Paul really loved the Vietnamese people
and served there way past his normal tour of duty. Robert Simpson
is the brother of Oroville’s own J.R. Simpson. I recently went to
the Funeral of Paul Kafader III, I didn’t know him but had talked
to him several times at our booth on Feather Fiesta Days. He was
an electrician and was looking forward to helping us build Our Veterans
Memorial. I’m sure he would have been a big help. We must build
soon as a man like Paul should be honored while they are still with
us.