“SOME GAVE ALL”
Oroville Mercury April 24, 1944
2 Pilots Killed Near Marysville
Hamilton Field, California- (U.P.) - Two pilots were killed when
their single seat fighter planes collided in mid-air and exploded
last night 15 miles west of Marysville, Calif., Hamilton Field announced
today. The pilots, both of whom were stationed at Marysville army
air base, were: 2nd Lt. Kingsley M. Dickens, 20, son
of Mrs. Samuel Dickens, Fitzgerald, Ga., and F/O Newton W. Due,
Jr., son of Mr. and Mrs. Gem k. Due, Longview, Tex.
“Some Gave All”
Oroville Mercury March 2, 1944
Plane Explodes Near Maxwell; Two Killed
Sacramento-(U.P.)- Two fliers were killed yesterday when the B-25
bomber in which they were flying exploded at 3000 feet elevation
and crashed on a ranch near Maxwell, Calif., Mather Field officials
announced today. The victims were identified as 2nd Lt.
William Frederick Esser Jr., 21 St. Joseph, Mo., and 2nd
Lt. Ora Forrest Kinsley, 22, Springfield, O.
OMR April 28, 1944
Lt. Bell Arrives At English Base
Lt. John R. Bell of the army dental corps has arrived in England
according to word received by his mother, Mrs. E. E. Bell, Mitchell
Avenue. Lt. Bell, a graduate of Oroville high school in 1923, and
the University of Southern California practiced dentistry in Nevada
City 16 years. Bell wrote that he found the people of England very
hospitable. His wife and twin sons, John and James Bell, 4, are
living in Sacramento. A third son, Ronald, is living with Mrs. E.
E. Bell and is attending Oroville high school where he is a sophomore.
OMR April 24, 1944
Looking Backward Twenty Five Years ago (1919)
Lieut. Esque McAtee writes to his parents Mr. and Mrs. J. O. McAtee,
that he is in charge of a detachment of wounded men who are now
en route to San Francisco…. Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Strang have received
word from their son, Robert B. Strang that he has arrived in New
York from over seas.
OMR April 28, 1944
Twenty Five Years Ago (1919)
Lt. M. J. Howells, a son of J. M. Howells, chief engineer of the
Western Canal Company, has returned to his home after seeing service
overseas…
Stu’s Notes: Remember Pearl Harbor. This coming Monday will be
December 7th, I think most of my readers know what that means. For
years in the past I have gone to Gridley, where for a long time
Pearl Harbor Survivors have gathered to remember the day long ago.
When the bombs fell and killed close to 2500 Americans and started
WWII for us. Europe had been at war for over 2 years already. As
in the past there will be a survivor or two less than before, there
will be about 6 or 7 from various Media and a dozen or so ordinary
people like me. The ceremony is in the center of the Butte County
Fair grounds, where there is a small memorial and flag pole. It
starts at 9:55am, which is 7:55am in Hawaii the time of the attack
in 1941. The public is invited. It will be cold, but usually dry.
After the ceremony we retire to a small building where we hear the
Survivors Stories. I have heard them for many years but still look
forward to hearing them again. Usually the Mayor of Gridley comes.
This year I hope to take Bob Wolfersberger and Darby Miller over
with me. Bob was in the fight starting Dec. 8, as they were a day
ahead of Pearl, he and many brave Americans fought on for 5 months
in the Philippines where as I have written before, they ran out
of everything and had to surrender. Bob was a POW for the rest of
the War. Darby came to the Philippines at the end of WWII and narrowly
escaped death several times. What would our country do with out
men like Bob and Darby? I’ll tell you what, we would not be here.
Some might wonder why I wrote about the 4 men who died just a
little over our county line. Well by writing those stories there
name’s will go on the internet which will go all over the world
(Thanks Daryl) Some where, sometime a relative will find those little
stories and learn a little bit about what happened to their long
forgotten relative. I recently talked to Bob or Bud Strang, and
said your relatives go way back to WWI serving our Country, which
a man who overheard our conversation said Bob or Bud you sure look
good for being in WWI, the twin brothers served in WWII. I still
can’t tell who’s who.