“Some Gave All”
Oroville Mercury Register
September 28, 1948
Gridley Soldier’s Rites Are Slated
Killed in the Battle of the Bulge January
15, 1945
Pfc. Everett Lee Pike, who was 19 years of age,
will be buried with military honors in the Gridley-Biggs cemetery
Saturday, Oct. 2, at 10 a. m., it was announced today by the Block
Funeral Home of Gridley. North Butte Post No. 210, American
Legion, will conduct graveside rites and Rev. Ben Wofford, pastor
of the Gridley Baptist church, will be in charge of funeral services.
Pfc. Pike served with the 75th division, 291st
infantry. He was born in Oklahoma October 20, 1925.
Surviving are his parents, Mr. and Mrs. James F. Pike, Gridley;
four brothers, Kenneth and Chester, Richmond, and Alvin and Ivan,
Gridley, and two sisters, Mrs. Emma Williams, Delano, Cal., and
Mrs. Beatrice Dewsnup, Gridley.
Oroville Mercury Register
November 2,
1951
Sheriff’s Order Countermanded Sheriff
Larry Gillick sent out a letter during the deer
season to all special sheriff’s deputies instructing them they were
not to carry loaded guns in their cars or validate their own deer
tags. Today one of the deputies acknowledged receipt of the
edict. Somehow or other it seemed a little incongruous to
Pfc. Darrell Kister, in Korea, all that business about not carrying
a loaded gun. Kister, son of Mr. and Mrs. Wilton Kister of
the River district, is with an Army headquarters outfit. He
entered the service last January 9.(Stu: Now I bet I know why Kister’s
riffle got its name.)
Oroville Mercury Register
March 17, 1953
News From Oroville’s Men In The Service
Pvt. Harry G. Metsker, formerly of Oroville,
has been assigned to the 44th Infantry Division at Fort
Lewis, Wash., for basic training. He is assigned to Company
F. 123rd Inf. Regt. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs.
H. A. Metsker, of Oroville. The 44th Division is
an Illinois National Guard unit activated in February, 1952, and
was stationed at Camp Cook, California until last December.
Andrew C. Hughes, of Oroville has been assigned
to Co. D. 95th Heavy Tank Battalion at Camp Roberts,
Calif. He is the husband of Dossie N. Hughes, who resides
in Oroville.
Lonnie F. Denney, seaman, USN son of Mr. and
Mrs. John W. Denny of El Noble avenue, Oroville, has reported aboard
the submarine USS Hammerhead for duty in the Pacific. Denney
was graduated from Oroville Union High School, and joined the Navy
in June, 1951. (Stu-Subs were
named after fish)
Raymond W. Swett, Jr. Serving aboard the
attack aircraft carrier USS Philippine Sea in the Far East is Raymond
W. Swett, Jr., aviation boatswain’s mate third class, USN, son of
Mrs. Ray Swett of Woodleaf Star Route, and husband of the former
Miss Sally Gregg of La Crescenta drive, all of Oroville. Swett
entered the Naval service in January, 1951, and received his recruit
training at the Naval Training Center, San Diego. Prior to
entering the Navy, he was graduated from Oroville Union High School,
and was formerly employed by Feather River Pine Mills.
Warrant Officer Harold E. Davis of the
U. S. Navy spent a few days last week visiting his parents, Mr.
and Mrs. M. L. Davis of Brown Street. He had been stationed
at San Diego since his return from Korean waters December 5 on the
USS Sicily. He is now returning to Japan by United Airlines
to join the USS Valley Forge.
Donald L. Martin, son of Mr. and Mrs. C. W. Spratt,
Villa Street has enlisted in the U.S. Army, it was reported today
by T. Sgt. Jack Horn, Chico Recruiter. Martin will take his
basic training at Fort Ord, near Monterey.
Stu’s Notes: The above little clip
of a young Gridley man dying in the war and coming home 3 years
later seems to be such a small story for a man that gave so much.
After researching for 10 years, now I wonder how many more stories
there are out there. I do have a knack for being able to pick
up an old paper to find these stories. I guess it is because
growing up I was always excited when I found an old news paper and
would read almost every word. Many people have asked me Stu
can’t you find all that died on the internet, well the answer is
no. I wish I did have more researchers, as I do not have every
Mercury, Enterprise Record, Paradise Post or Gridley Herald from
1917 to 2011.
Lynn and I have met Ray and Sally Swett,
I hope they are well. Bettie Lou Basye is coming to town tomorrow,
Wednesday, May 11, Oroville’s own she is from the Class of “41”
and such an outstanding Majorette, Hollywood called but she said
no. She then went off to serve her country in it’s time of
need. She has been writing a book and plans to help Oroville
again in the future. More about her later. I have already
written some about her.