General’s Widow Receives Medal
Washington-(Up)- Secretary of War Henry L. Stimson today presented
to Mrs. Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., widow of the brigadier general
son of the late President Theodore Roosevelt, the Congressional
Medal of Honor in recognition of the general’s “gallantry and intrepidity”
on D-Day in France.
Japanese Souvenirs Put On Display
Japanese soldiers’ equipment sent here by Pvt. William Vaughn
is on display at A. Vaughn & sons Feed Store on Huntoon Street.
Vaughan, son of Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Vaughan shipped the articles
here soon after he had landed at New Guinea in April. The following
items are included in the display; a wooden handled tooth brush,
thin towels, Japanese uniform and hospital robe, rubber soled tennis
shoes, work shoes, sox, cigarettes, writing tablets, G-strings,
packages of tea, and a bandage. Vaughan has been in the service
since April 1943. He went overseas in November of the same year.
He is a graduate of Oroville high school class of ’42. At high school
he was a member of the cadet corps for four years and was prominent
in baseball. In his last letter home, Aug. 28, he said that he was
in a hospital being treated for a jungle disease. He expected to
be released soon. He told of having American nurses at the hospital.
Camp Beale Band To Play At Center
The First Battalion Post Replacement Depot Band will play at
a special dance Friday, beginning at 8:30 p.m. at Recreation Center,
it was announced by A. L. Scott, director. Buses have been chartered
by the battalion to bring the band and 250 men from Camp Beale to
the dance. Soldiers from Oroville and Chico are also expected to
attend. Members of the Junior Hostess Corps will be dancing partners
for the soldiers.
Looking Backward - From Files of the Mercury and Register.
Twenty Five Years Ago (1919)
Dr. F. M. Whiting, who has been with the American Expeditionary
Forces in France for the past few months, passed through Oroville
yesterday on his way to San Francisco… Charles Schleck, who left
Oroville with Company I when the United States first entered the
war, returned to this city yesterday and plans to make his home
here. During the war Schleck obtained a lieutenant’s commission…Miss
Hattie Evans of Dallas, Tex., has arrived in Oroville where she
will make her home with her mother, Mrs. R. Wilson of Ora Vista.
Cadet Nurse Basye Now In Santa Barbara
Cadet Nurse Bettie Lou Basye, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ralph
Platzek of Safford Street, has been transferred from the Fresno
general hospital to the army’s Hoff General Hospital in Santa Barbara
to complete her last six months’ training. Miss Basye who enlisted
a year ago, said she was about to begin drilling and calisthenics,
and that inspection is held once a week. Civilian clothes, she said,
are only a memory. Miss Basye and two other cadet nurses were entertained
by the Fresno American Legion Post before they went to Santa Barbara.
Stu’s Notes: A young man, Hero of our Country dies far from home,
you’ve heard these words before in my columns and you probably will
hear them again as the research goes on. No he didn’t die in the
War although the Japanese missed a good chance at that. He died
here and will be honored here. His name will go on the World Wide
Web and maybe some far off relative will learn a little more of
this man who passed through our town so long ago. I have been in
communication with Bettie Basye, she lives in the Bay area and enjoyed
the article I wrote about her a while ago.
Our Memorial Park is moving forward, I know you’ve heard these words
before also, over and over. Well we have come a long way and the
project should move forward at a much faster pace. Thing are happening
behind closed doors, closed because of the cold, not to keep people
out, come on in. The store is still there for Motorcyclists, not
horses, cows, or chickens. Generals and famous people did die in
WWII, Heroes all. Happy Birthday, today, Son-in-law Bill!