Oroville Mercury Register
June 2, 1945
In The Fight
Gets CPO Rating
Leon R. Basye, 20, has been promoted to Chief Petty Officer
in the U. S. Navy. He is a radio mechanic and has been in the navy
nearly three years. He was transferred seven months ago from the
Atlantic to the Pacific area. His wife, the former Cleo Griffin,
of Jamesville, N. C. Lives on Brown Street. Basye is the son of
Mrs. Ethel Platzek of Stafford Street.
Clyde Russell Gets Mail By Armful
Clyde A. Russell, S 1/c of the Navy CBs, 70th Battalion,
is now thought to be based somewhere in the Mariana Islands after
having been in operations at Saipan and Okinawa. He told his mother,
Mrs. Orval Owens of C Street that on arrival at camp he found seven
packages, 30 letters. And an armful of Mercury’s waiting for him.
It was good to get news from home, he said. Mrs. Owens also received
a beautifully-bound book containing pictures and history of the
CB’s and of the 70th Battalion. Russell has been operating
a landing barge transferring supplies from ship to shore. He has
been in the navy over two years. Before going to the Pacific area
in October 1944, he spent eight months in Puerto Rico. He was a
student at Oroville High School and at Chico where he won his block
C for pole vaulting
Howard Taylor Heads Readjustment Division
Maj. Howard L. Taylor is using his experience in the financial
world to handle army problems. Chief of the readjustment division
of district procurement at Robins Field Georgia, he has charge of
changing and termination contracts for production of war materials
as needed. The functions of clearing the plants of excess or idle
equipment, negotiating for reimbursements of losses sustained by
cutback or termination and providing for adequate financing until
the contractor is ready to begin new production make part of the
responsibilities of Major Taylor. His district covers nine southeastern
states from West Virginia to Florida. A large corps of workers to
handle this complicated business is under his direction. Taylor
is the son of the late Sheriff Herbert Taylor and of Mrs. Herbert
Taylor Palermo Road.. After graduating from Oroville High School,
he engaged in business in San Francisco and Los Angeles. He has
been in the army over three years.
From the Chico Enterprise Record
January 29th, 1944
Lt. Robinson Is Killed in Plane Crash
Lt. Dennis (Red) Robinson widely known Chico State college graduate,
was killed in an airplane crash in England on January 19, 1944 according
to word from the government received yesterday by his wife who resides
in Hayward. Lt. Robinson was a pilot in the Air Transport Command
and had been overseas since October, 1943. At Chico State he was
an outstanding athlete, frequently leading the college football
team to victory. He graduated from Chico State in June, 1940, and
then taught Physical Education at the Willows grammar school where
he was greatly liked by teachers and pupils. He went into the army
June 1941, and was later transferred to the Air forces. He is survived
by his wife, Claire Shirley Robinson and 11 months old daughter
Kathleen, Hayward, California, his mother, Mrs. Bea Robinson, a
sister, Mrs. Merion Anderson, brothers Spence and Bert Robinson
all of Gridley.
Stu’s Notes: When I read the story of Clyde Russell of the Navy
CBs at first I thought what does CB’s mean? Finally it dawned on
me, C=Construction + B=-Battalion, C Bee’s. When I read of CPO Leon
R. Basye, I thought the name was familiar and sure enough I looked
up our tile list and found a tile for Lt. Bettie L Basye, an Army
Nurse in WWII. I wonder if they were related.
The Story of Lt. Dennis Robinson came to me from one of my faithful
researcher’s, Joan Lee. There are a lot of Robinson’s from Gridley.
Hopefully I will find one and get to know more of this Hero of America.
Joan Lee went to the Chico Enterprise archives from 1942-1945 and
found many stories of the Chico men that died.
The Motorcycle run went well. Thanks again to Feather Falls Casino
and the dedicated committee members who worked to make it such a
success.