Oroville Mercury Register
Dec. 20, 1967
Butte County Servicemen
Garry L. Stafford
Marine Private First Class
Gary L. Stafford,
son of Mr. and Mrs. J. Williard
Stafford of Greenville St., Oroville, has reported for duty
with the Third Battalion, Seventh Marine Regiment, First Marine
Division in the Republic of Vietnam. The primary mission of
the unit is to search out and destroy enemy forces operating in
South Vietnam. They accomplish this through daily patrols
and ambushes as well as large scale operations. The unit is
also engaged in a civic action program designed to assist the Vietnamese
people in completing self-help projects, such as the building of
wells, culverts, small bridges and schools. Equipment and
materials for the projects are made available through the Marine
Corps Reserve Civic Action Fund. Marines in Vietnam provide
the know-how and guide the Vietnamese people in carrying out these
projects.
Jerry D. George
Aviation Structural Mechanic Third Class
Jerry D George, USN,
son of Mr. and Mrs. T.D.
George of Robinson Street, Oroville, and husband of the former
Miss Betty Jo Smith
of Lexington, Ky., has reported for duty with “Fleet Tactical Support
Squadron One at the Naval Air Station, Patuxent River, Md.
The mission of the squadron is to provide immediate airlift capability
of personnel and supplies in support of units of the U. S. Atlantic
Fleet.
Philip B. Curry
Naval Reserve Ensign Philip
B. Curry, son of
Mr. and Mrs. Walter A. Curry of Fresno Ave., Oroville, has
completed courses in basic aerodynamics and aviation physiology
at the Navy’s Flight Preparation School at the naval Air Station,
Pensacola, Fla. In addition, he received courses in air operations,
air navigation, power plants and accessories, as well as physical
fitness and swimming. After completing his next phase of instruction
under the Naval Training Program he will receive his “Wings of Gold.”
Gary D. Metzdorf
Seaman Gary D. Metzdorf,
son of Mr. and Mrs. Glenn
Metzdorf of Route 1, Quincy, has reported for duty at the
U. S. Naval Air Facility, Naha, Okinawa. The facility provides
logistic support for ships, aircraft and personnel of the U. S.
Seventh Fleet. Okinawa, 65 miles long and varying from three
to 12 miles in width, is a semi-tropical Pacific Island located
about 850 miles southwest of Tokyo, Japan.
Training Ends - Private
Carol J. Bonham,
daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
Charles E. Bonham, Route 2, Oroville, has completed eight
weeks of basic training at the Women’s Army Corps Center,
Ft. McClellan, Ala. She received instruction in Army history
and traditions, administrative proceedings, military justice, first
aid and diet training.
Stu’s Notes: Rex Buress and I sat on a downed log and surveyed
the site of logs cut up all around us. Three mighty eucalyptus
trees came down that morning by an expert Tree Man, James Morgan,
owner of Morgan Tree Service. He specializes in Hard To Do
Tree removal. Unlike a mighty oak, there were no signs any
where that anything had ever live way up in those lofty perches.
No nests of any kind, no woodpecker holes, no bugs, bee hives, spider
webs, nothing. Why did we take the trees down? The Veterans
of our Great County that’s why. Since 1926 the only parking
they had has been on the street on a hill shared with a bus zone.
By golly when we are done they can park all around their home.
The home many went through, through the years and never came home.
Rex and I sat there and talked about the Birds and Bee’s when all
of a sudden that big log started to roll quite fast, we both had
to do some fast maneuvering as I was sure our feet would be crushed.
Why that log could roll I don’t know as the ground seemed level,
but it did roll, ask Rex. Any way the old “River Watcher”
wasn’t angry at me for taking the trees down and we are still friends.
Oh by the way there were some pretty dangerous limbs up high in
those trees. Three trees on the ground makes a lot of work.
Lucky Ted Bigilow, Oroville Veterans Memorial Park Committee member,
and former Marine, brought down his back hoe, big dump truck and
grand son and with some old veterans from WWII and others along
with Retired master logger Jim Short who made quick work of those
big logs we cleaned up the mess and took it to Ted’s Work lot.
Maybe we will have a fire sale.
I hope to find more on our
Vietnam Soldiers and Sailors.