Oroville Mercury Register April 24, 1944
Oroville Soldier Guards Trail On New Guinea Drive
How Raymond A. Lerner, 25, Oroville army private, stood guard over
a trail after the American had forced a landing at Tanahmerah Bay
in northern New Guinea was described today by a United Press war
correspondent writing of the attack. William C. Wilson, the correspondent,
said the Americans poured into the beachhead almost without opposition
after United States warships had ripped the beaches with explosives
and carrier planes had strafed the Japanese positions, driving the
enemy back into the hills. Wilson reported thousands of engineers
in the first landing wave immediately began the formidable task
of trying to bulldoze roads into the jungle hills. “The force landed
11 miles from the airdromes area and must push across a difficult
cliff-like range rising more than 700 feet,” he said “The beachhead
is surrounded by deep sago swamps, but the troops quickly extended
the perimeter 2,000 yards.” “I just returned from the furthest outpost
and can testify that it is the most difficult terrain encountered
on any landing thus far on New Guinea or New Britain. The group
I was with had to climb over slippery rocks, though gorges, waded
knee deep in swamps, and climb hills by hanging onto vines. Guarding
what little trail there is was Military Policeman, Pfc. Raymond
A. Lerner, Oroville, Calif. Military Policeman Lerner is the son
of Mr. and Mrs. F. H. Lerner of Palermo Road. He was drafted three
years ago and has been over seas eighteen months. Until recently
he had been stationed in Australia. His parents received a letter
from him two weeks ago from “Somewhere in the Southwest Pacific,
they told the Mercury. Before he went into the army he was employed
at the Wyandotte Olive Growers Assn. cannery here.
OMR April 15, 1944
Hislop Hen Has Sabotage Tendency
A saboteur among John Hislop’s hens yesterday laid her fifth “rising
son” egg since Pearl Harbor. On it appears a circular mark and lines
radiate from it. Hislop found the egg in a nest in his hen house
on his place at Thompson’s Flat on Cherokee road. “She never lays
the eggs in the same nest,” he said, “and I can’t find her.”
Not Proud Of Japanese Palm
The first “typically Californian” spot westbound travelers over
the Western Pacific see is Oroville, and the plot at the railroad
passenger station planted to tropical and semi=tropical fruits attracts
keen interest. One can ascertain what the trees are by reading the
neat signs: “Avacado, Kadota fig, jujube, Satsuma orange, loquat,
mission olive, pomegranate, fejoa… One sign displays only a white
blank space on the railroad side. The lettering has been turned
carefully toward the trees trunk now. If you walk around to the
other side and look carefully you can read the words: “Japanese
Palm.”
April 27, 1944 Twenty Five Years Ago (1919)
The 159
th Infantry, California unit of the Fortieth Division
was welcomed here today in a gigantic celebration drawing people
from all over the country – leading the returned soldiers and sailors
in the parade through the streets of Oroville were: Major Lon Bond,
Major John Dooley, LT. Comm. D. H. Moulton, Capt. N. T. Enloe, Capt.
Allison Ware, Capt. A. A. Courtney Jr., Lt. B. B. Meek, Ensign S.
L. Spoul and Ensign Lee.
OMR May 8, 1944
Looking Backward- Twenty Five Years Ago (1919)
German people know they have been beaten but they are not penitent,
according to Captain Arthur Wilson who returned to Oroville yesterday
on a short furlough- Wilson spent a long period with the Army of
Occupation in Germany… Sgt. And Mrs. Koenig have returned from San
Francisco where Koenig received his honorable discharge… Charles
Henderson of Palermo is back from San Francisco with his honorable
discharge.
Stu’s Notes: I have written about the Lerner men before, Pfc. Raymond,
Sgt. Percel and Pfc. George. With 3 men in the fight Mr. & Mrs.
F. H. Lerner had plenty to worry about all those years. I think
they all came home safely. My free roaming chicken always moves
her nest around the place. I don’t recall if all those trees are
still at the Depot. If not they should be replanted for the 100
year Anniversary. Maybe tree expert Rex Burris will check it out,
Now our wars never seem to get over and the men and women never
come home en-mass but I hope someday soon we can have a big Parade
just for those that have and will come home. Sadly Butte county
has lost young men over there. About 40 people came out for the
Pearl Harbor Day Memorial to those that never came home. It was
well done. The only Butte county dignitary there was the Gridley
Mayor and I didn’t get her name. Channel 12 as always was there
and did a good job. The Mercury was there, yours truly, Marysville
Paper and a few other of the media. I have been going for 12 years
and I see a few less faces that I recognize every year. Many were
17-20 years when the bombs and bullets fell, which add 68 years
come to over 85 years old. Oroville’s Bob Wolfersberger and Darby
Miller went with me. To me it was a most exciting day, to get to
spend it with those two WWII heroes. They even let me buy their
lunch. More on what they did someday. Although Darby says if I write
about him anymore he won’t tell me anymore stories. Happy Birthday
Betty.