From a local artist Machelle Conn
"Many children regard their parents as heroes. I felt that way about
my Dad. To me he seemed a quiet hero – dependable, honest, hard-working,
a not-to-much-of-a-fuss guy. It wasn’t until Dad was in his 70’s
before I learned that he was a genuine hero. I found that he had
been awarded the Silver Star during World War II. Bragging was not
in his character. He didn’t talk about the war. He was like many
of his generation, who kept to themselves the horrors they knew
first-hand. My father, Earnest H. (Bub) Brown, was born in Chico
in 1930. He was living in Paradise with his parents when Pearl Harbor
was bombed. At that time he was working for the California Department
of Forestry. Bub joined the U. C. Marine Corp. on September 2, 1942.
After the war, he returned to Paradise and to CDF. In 1956, Bub,
his wife Gloria and their three kids moved to Oroville. He completed
a 34 year career with CDF while living in Oroville. Gloria died
in 1971. He and his second wife, Mary Ellen Moak Brown, built a
house in Yankee Hill over looking Paradise Ridge. They named their
street Buzzards Roost. Bub died in 1998. He is buried in Paradise
next to his parents.”
The Chico Enterprise, May 5, 1944
Pfc. Earnest Brown, Paradise Marine Gets Silver Star for Work
on Tarawa
“For Gallantry and intrepidity during action against enemy Japanese
forces in Tarawa.”
Marine Private First Class Earnest Harold Brown, 23, of Paradise,
was awarded the Silver Star Medal at the Marine Barracks, U. S.
Naval Supply Depot, Oakland. He braved Japanese mortar, machine
gun and rifle fire at Tarawa, in order to get reinforcements to
fill a gap in the front line. The medal was presented him by Marine
Major J. R. Barreiro, Jr., commanding officer of the Marine detachment
at Oakland, in the name of the President of the United State. The
citation was signed by Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, commander of the
United States Pacific Fleet.
The citation read: “For gallantry and intrepidity during action
against enemy Japanese forces in Tarawa, Gilbert Islands, November
20 to 22, 1943, while serving with the Second Marine Division. He,
a company runner, without regard for his own personal safety, ran
the length of a pier which was under heavy mortar, machine gun and
sniper fire, to guide a platoon which was urgently needed to fill
a gap in the front line. Returning to the front, he continued to
dispatch messages for the following two days. Many of these messages
required passage across the airstrip which was exposed to machine
gun and sniper fire. On a return trip to the command post he was
wounded, but refused to accept first aid until the ammunition and
supplies, with which he had voluntarily loaded himself, were delivered
to his unit. His initiative and heroic devotion in duty were in
keeping with highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.”
Witnessing the presentation ceremony, marked by an informal guard
mount, were the Marine’s mother and an uncle, Marine Captain Eugene
Bradford, officer-in-charge of the Marine Detachment on duty at
Fleet Post Office, San Francisco.
Pfc. Brown, who was shot through the left hand at Tarawa on November
21, spent some time in hospitals overseas and at U. S. Naval Hospital,
Oakland, before assignment to guard duty here.
Stu’s Notes: What a beautiful sight, to stand on the side walk
of what used to be 2400 Montgomery and see our Table Mt. and the
river over the rise and the Historical green bridge. Close your
eyes and envision a beautiful grassy spot with benches and walk
ways and granite stones to honor our heroes who have been long forgotten
and flags flying in the breeze and people moving about quietly.
That is coming soon, sooner if the good people of Oroville and Butte
County realize what a small group has been doing for the last 7
years. It takes money, bottom line, oh sure we could apply for more
grants etc. But as the editor of an area newspaper once wrote, A
Memorial in a community is not the same if it doesn’t have community
involvement and he is right. Now it is time for the people of Butte
County to come forward and see this most wonderful project come
to the finish line. Years from now they can say to their children
and grandchildren I had a part in the Oroville Veterans Memorial
Park for All of Butte County.
At the recent Supervisors meeting Bill Connelly and I thanked
various people who have helped directly on the clearing. In the
future there will be more people to thank. Today I want to thank
3 men that were there 8 days, all day. Wayne Brock, the man on the
fire hose, Sam Bebout (whose name I have spell wrong 10,000 times)
he was all over the site helping where needed and Bill Fox, Videographer
and head camera man for the job.
I have known Machelle for quite a while. Her former father in
law, Earl Eves gave me a job as an Ironworker on the Oroville Dam
48 years ago. He was a most wonderful boss and taught me a lot as
I was a young farm hand knowing nothing about construction. Thank
you Earl. Very few Silver Stars are given out. Most of those are
posthumously.