Oroville Mercury Register
December 30, 1943
“Some Gave All”
Ray Orner Missing Over New Britain
Master
Sergeant Ray Orner of Paradise has been missing over New Britain
in the South Pacific since Dec. 16, his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Ray
Orner of Paradise were informed yesterday by the war department.
He was a gunner on a bomber, and had been stationed in the
New Britain area since September.
Oroville Mercury Register
December 30, 1943
In The Fight
Former Bangor Man Operates Radio Unit
Bangor- Pfc. Roy E. Anderson former Bangor resident and a
1941 Oroville Union high school, is, at present, receiving his training
at Drew Field, Tampa, Fla.He is operating a radio
unit there.In a letter to his parents, Roy says he
enjoys army life but would like to be in California.
In answer to the question of what he wished for Christmas,
Pfc. Anderson said the only thing that would especially interest
him would be photographs of friends and of home scenery.
Roy lived in the vicinity of Bangor for 16 years.
He entered the army in Feb. of 1943.
Pfc. Sanderson Handles Machine Guns In Hawaii
Pfc. Clifford
Sanderson left the U. S. mainland six weeks ago with a U.S. infantry
replacement battalion for service in the Hawaiian Islands.
He has been trained for heavy machine gun duty.
Sanderson entered the Army in August, 1942, at Camp Elliott,
San Diego.He had been employed by a Fresno bank having
graduated from the Oroville Union high school in 1940.
Mrs. Sanderson is now visiting with Sanderson’s parents,
Mr. and Mrs. J. L. Sanderson of Oroville.
James Savercool With Seabees In Pacific
James Savercool
of Oroville, who enlisted in the Seabees a year ago last July, is
in the South Pacific.He is with the marines, and is
in his 15th month out of the states.Savercool,
who was a shipfitter first class, when he entered the service, wrote
his wife recently saying he is in good health and that the weather
is very warm there.Mrs. Savercool, who is living in
San Francisco, wrote here recently saying that he sent his best
wishes to his Oroville friends.
Map of Africa Outlined In Verse On V-Letter
Typed
in the outline of the map of Africa a V-mail letter has reached
John C. Bowersof Myers street, from his son
Pfc. Lewis F. Bowers, with an army signal construction battalion
that served in North Africa.The letter, in verse,
contains thelament of the doughboy fighting flies,
mosquitoes and dust on the Dark Continent, and ends with a warning
of what will happen to Hitler when the Americans catch up with him.
Stu’s Notes: A long time dream of
mine has now come true; City Council lady Cheri Bunker has just
informed me that the first Gold Star Street Sign has gone up in
Oroville. Better yet in my Thermalito.
Actually it is a complete new sign on a new street
off 20th Street.
Go out Highway 162 (Oro Dam West) or as older Orovillians
know The Lateral. Turn right on 20th
street then soon you will see on the right Russell Proctor Way,
with a Gold Star on top. Hopefully
houses will be built there someday soon.
The Gold Star represents a soldier that Gave All for
his or her Country. Maybe this will
bring back what was done on some Oroville streets shortly after
WWII. I had a contractor that was
going to do this for me about 4 years ago, but sadly, those streets
were never built. So Contractors
and others out there that built streets we have plenty of names,
sadly that could be used to honor a fallen Soldier.
Some Gave All
I just found this short story of Hero Master Sergeant Ray Orner.
Daryl does have him on our Paradise Honor Roll with
the words Gunner on Bomber died returning from Guadalcanal over
The New Britain in South Pacific.
If he was ever found, we don’t know. The South Pacific is a
lot of Ocean, many were lost out there.
There was a Savercool plumbing contractor in Oroville,
I’ve seen that name on pipes in old houses, even mine.
Maybe James 1st Class
Shipfitter went from ships to houses.
Remember the Veterans Day Parade on November 11, 2011 at 11:00AM
Oh and look for the upcoming Wild Flowers my son,
Rick and I planted in the side walk islands at our Memorial site.
Now if we can just keep the bicycles off.