Oroville Mercury Register
March 1959
New Enlistee- Daryl Argie Autrey, son of Mrs. Eva
L. Autrey, Rt. 5, Box 5227, Oroville, has enlisted in the U. S.
Navy. He was active in the young people’s group at First Baptist
Church and in the high school band here. He will be assigned to
trade school in the aviation branch of the navy after completing
nine weeks recruit training.
Chico Enterprise Record
November 5, 1945 - By Gene Davis
Myers Father, Son Saga In Japanese Prison Camp Not Soothing Bedtime
Story
The Myers father and son saga covering 44 months in Japanese prisons
of war does not sound like a southing bedtime story. Yet Charles
Myers, 49, and his son Leroy, 25, have related only some of the
milder details of their imprisonment. Continued from last week.
Although the prisoners were denied contact with anyone except their
prison guards, they were ingenious enough to keep informed about
the trend of the war. They watched and listened to the Japanese
24 hours a day and learned a great deal this way. The first Red
Cross packages were distributed to the prisoners at Christmas in
1943. There was one package to every six men and the packages were
well looted. In August 1944 additional well looted Red Cross packages
were given out – one to every 11 men. In August 1945 a large stock
of Red Cross vitamin pills and first aid material suddenly materialized
and on August 14, 1945 the beatings suddenly stopped. The Americans
felt sure the war was over but they were too fearful to celebrate.
The Japanese staff was still on guard but were suspiciously civil.
On the 18th the prisoners were called to the parade ground
shortly after their noon meal. The Japanese commander announced
the Japanese had surrendered to the United States and that the Americans
were free to leave the prison compound. He also expressed the hope
the Americans would be friends to the vanquished Nips. The Americans
enjoyed the freedom of driving around Kyushu until the Japanese
advised them American troops had landed at Konoye. The released
prisoners traveled to Konoye by train and from Konoye to Okinawa
and Manila the journey was made by air. They were issued complete
GI outfits for their trip home.
When asked how they felt about allowing the Japanese to return to
the Pacific Coast, Charles Myers stated he could never feel good
about it. “I kept my sanity during all those months in prison camps
by making a thorough study of the Japanese character. We saw them
in their natural light-free from pretenses. They considered the
American civilian construction workers in the same light as their
own coolie war workers. In other words we were lower than dogs and
they treated us just that way. When they knew the war was lost they
couldn’t bow and smile often enough. Even before the surrender was
announced the Japanese told us they were going to give up in this
war and start preparing for the next one. That was the national
idea in Japan. If America had lost the war we would all become acquainted
with the real character of the Japanese. “We should make sure the
Japanese can not plan another war by seeing to it they we have a
strong and a permanent army of occupation in Japan. Then if we would
keep the spies off the Pacific Coast we could feel fairly safe.”
The Myers father and son were able to remain together during their
entire internment. Upon arriving back in Chico they made one more
trip together to the selective service office where they both registered
for the draft. This week the Myers family are really enjoying a
reunion. With Charles Myers in his Pleasant Valley home are all
of his children including Leroy, Captain Harold Myers-home from
70 missions as a pilot in Italy; J. Wesley Myers of Pleasant Valley,
Mrs. Reynolds of Chico and V. Myers, who attends the Pleasant Valley
school.
Stu’s Notes: I printed the above letter word for word changing
only the word Japanese, it might seem quite harsh but it is history
and history should not be changed. I will say it was found out that
almost all the Japanese on the west coast were true Americans and
very loyal to America. Many of the young men fighting for their
country in Europe, as the famous 442 Army Division, a most highly
decorated outfit, many died and a few of these young Japanese men
were from the Oroville area. My brother and I were classmates of
Doug and Edmond Tokuno. Class of 1956 and 1958. They had relatives
that fought “Over There”. See Daryl’s Archives for Sgt. Tim T. Tokuno.
Daryl Autrey is very actively involved in our Veterans Memorial
Park, without Daryl we would not have the most wonderful, an unbelievable
web site. All of the stories of Oroville and Butte Counties Veterans
that I have written for over 7 years now are there forever. The
index he has created, printed out is now over 80 pages, about 400
pages of stories. Sounds like a book, maybe someday, hey, Daryl.
Daryl served his country well and then as a civilian at Lawrence
Livermore lab continued on.