Oroville Mercury Register
September 16, 1950
“Some Gave All”
Paradise Soldier Killed In Action
Cpl. Clarence H. Collins, 23, of Paradise, has been killed in action
in the Korean fighting. His death was reported today by the Department
of Defense. Collins was the stepbrother of Lawton Nunneley, Butte
County’s first causality in the Korean War, and the son of Mrs.
Vivian Augusta Nunneley of Paradise. Nunneley was transferred to
Latterman General Hospital in San Francisco for treatment following
his injury early in the fighting and now is home on a 15 day furlough.
Nunneley and Collins both attended high school in Chico.
Oroville Mercury Register
September 12, 1950
James Andrews Reports For Officer Training James H. Andrews, 22,
son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles J. Andrews of Nelson avenue, Thermalito,
left Sunday to resume officers’ training at Fort Ord. Andrews, who
previously had completed part of his course, served as a paratrooper
in the 11th airborne division in Japan during World War II, and
was discharged with a sergeant’s rank. He served 18 months during
the war. A graduate of Oroville High School, he was majoring in
languages as a student at Chico State College when he received orders
to report at officers’ school.
Oroville Mercury Register September 14, 1950 Overseas Duty
- Pfc. Harry Lee Coleman, son of Mr. and Mrs. Joe Coleman of B street,
has completed an airplane and engine mechanic’s course at Sheppard
Field Air Force Base, Wichita Falls, Tex., and has been assigned
to overseas duty.
Oroville Mercury Register September 14, 1950 Collins Tells Senate
Worst Over In Korea Washington – (U.P.)- General J. Lawton
Collins, Army chief of staff, told the Senate Armed Services Committee
today that “the worst is over in Korea” unless Chinese Communists
intervene. Collins appeared at a closed committee session for a
two-hour briefing on the Korean war. Acting Chairman Virgil Chapman
(D), Ky., said all members were “very much pleased” by his description
of the situation. “He left us with the distinct impression that
the worst is over in Korea unless there should be an invasion by
the Chinese army.” Chapman said. Chapman and other committee members
declined to say whether Collins had discussed a counterattack by
United Nations forces.
The Birth Of Oroville Veterans Memorial Park now for all of Butte
County, by Stu Shaner. For years growing up in Oroville
I wondered why we didn’t have Memorials with names of Oroville men
who died in our wars like we had in my birth place New Brighton,
Pennsylvania. My first memory of that memorial park was when we
went back on the train from Oroville in 1948, I was 7 ½ , one of
my few memories of my Grandfather William J. Stewart. He walked
me to the park just down the hill from the house he built and where
my mother, Martha Stewart Shaner grew up. The house was big with
7 fireplaces. Any way the park had Bronze plaques with 1700 names
of all WWII Veterans of that area. And names of those that died
in WWI and II. My father, Walter C. Shaner and I had gone to our
cemeteries over the years but no names. Over the years Lynn and
I had gone to many Memorials throughout our great Country, including
Pennsylvania. Up to the year 2000 we had made 3 of these trips around
my world, as the only time I left the United States was Niagara
Fall and when we paid a penny to walk over a bridge from Texas into
Mexico. So with this background I knew Oroville needed more to honor
our Heroes. The summer of 1999 and 2000, while camping at Ft. Bragg,(We
hardly missed a year over there since 1972, the year Lynn and I
married.). Ronnie Scharbor, a friend we knew camped there next to
us. Ronnie was very much involved in the American Legion Post 95
and we talked of the need of a Veterans Memorial in Oroville and
that we would get people together to help us. He talked to Bill
Connelly, the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars,
I would recruit Bill Fox, who worked hard with me on the Memorial
to the Men Who died while building the Oroville Dam and veterans
from my First United Methodist Church, Ted Grainger, Ed Ewalt, Doug
Krause, Darby Miller and Peter Maki. I had previously talked to
Peter about an Oroville Memorial then on Sunday, December 31, 2000;
I thought maybe Peter is at the Nature Center, as he was very involved
it that project. Sure enough as I walked down the road I saw Peter
coming my way with a walking stick and a plastic bag full of trash.
As we approached each other I said Peter its time we must start
the Veterans Memorial. But I won’t do it without a co-chairman.
He immediately stuck out his hand and said let’s do it co-chairman.
(to be continued.)
Yes Virginia it wouldn’t be Santa Clause coming over the Chinese-North
Korean Border, it will be the Chinese, hundreds of thousands. Why
didn’t others listen to the possible Chinese attack before it came.
We only knew Cpl Clarence H. Collins by name, now we know a little
more.