Oroville Mercury Register (OMR)
March 5, 1943
Social and Club News
Seaman Cecelia Matskovich
Yes she’s a seaman, 2nd class. Miss Matskovich
left today for a point in the middle west to take training in radio
work. She will learn to receive and send in code, the fine
points of military courtesy, including how to address an officer
and when to salute. She’ll study naval law, strategy and fleet
action. She doesn’t expect to be an admiral, but it’s all
necessary, she has been told in order that she will be able to talk
to naval officers intelligently as a WAVE. Where she’s going
they give 16 weeks of training, and there’ll be a thousand WAVES
and SPARS under one roof.
Trains Navigators Gives Instruction In Pinpoint Flying
T/Sgt. Frank D. Axtell
the son of Mr. and Mrs.
L. D. Axtell of Oroville, is an instructor operator and maintenance
specialist on the APS-10 and APQ-13 at the Fairfield-Suisun base.
With his equipment, a pin point navigation trainer using a radio
and radar impulse, navigation flights can be simulated in any section
of the world. This was originally a bombardier training aid,
but is now used for pinpoint navigation during inclement weather.
Axtell, holder of the Distinguished Flying Cross the Air Medal and
Chinese Medal of Honor, is an Oroville schools graduate. He
received his first two medals for 75 of his 200 cargo flights over
the Himalayas Mountains from India to China. Before enlisting
in 1939, Axtell was employed by Western Union and Montgomery Ward.
IN THE FIGHT
Watkins Graduates From Radio School
Lloyd Watkins graduated
Feb. 10 from the U. S. Army Air Corps radio technical school at
Truex Field, Madison, Wisc., he wrote his mother, Mrs. Sally Watkins of
Oroville. Watkins entered the service last August and having
completed his radio course he is now waiting for assignment.
His wife, the former Mabel
Inman of Oroville was with him for several weeks in Wisconsin
and she is now employed at Vallejo.
Railroading His Specialty In Army
Pvt. William H. Henderson,
who was inducted into the army Dec. 26, 1942, has been assigned
to a railroad battalion and is receiving basic training in New Orleans,
La. He wrote recently that Louisiana is beautiful in
the springtime, but that he misses California. “I receive
the Mercury – Register all the time and enjoy it very much, he wrote.
Henderson is the husband of Mrs. Viola Henderson of B Street, and
the son of Mr. and Mrs.
C. C. Masterson of C Street, Oroville.
Charles Wiedman Ensign In Navy
Charles Wiedman of
Palermo is an ensign in the supply corps of the United States naval
reserve, in which he received his commission in June, 1942.
A graduate of Oroville High School in the 1937 class, he attended
the University of California, where he received his degree from
the College of Commerce. He was stationed at Terminal Island
for two months after entering the navy. He visited his parents,
Mr. and Mrs. Charles T.
Wiedman of Palermo while he was en route to the Navy Supply
School, Harvard Graduate School of Business Administration, at Boston,
for further training.
Stu’s Notes: The Mercury had a picture of Seaman 2nd
Class Cecelia Matskovich, you can tell by the picture she is very
proud to serve her country. I think she had a brother Rudy
in the Navy. The Medal of Honor in America is the Highest
Medal given out by the U. S. . Less than 500 in all of WWII.
One posthumously to an Oroville manr, Lt. Thomas Wigle. I
wrote his story in 2002. It is on our web site. Perhaps
for my new readers I will do another story on that brave Lt. who
“Gave All” for us. T/Sgt Frank Axtell’s Chinese Medal of Honor was
given by China to American Aviators that flew in China. Another
of Oroville’s Heroes that were truly “Forgotten”. Another
Oroville Hero who flew over the hump is Oroville’s and Chico’s own
Morris Taylor, I must get more of his story. He also worked
at Wards.