October 18, 2013

Oroville Mercury Register
August 20, 1951
News From Oroville Men In The Service
Two Oroville sonarmen seamen, USN, Villa V. Ricketts, husband of Mrs. Jean Rickets of 39th Ave., San Diego, and son of Mr. and Mrs. V.V. Ricketts of Sixth Ave. Oroville and Robert L. Schleigl, son of Mr. and Mrs. L. L. Schleigl of Wyandotte Ave. have recently completed a course in anti submarine warfare at the U. S. Fleet Sonar School, San Diego. The graduates received instructions in the latest tactics for conducting this type of warfare.

Walter H. Liddicoat Jr., son of Mr. and Mrs. Walter H. Liddicoat, Route A., Greenwood, California, has been promoted to the grade of Sergeant in the United States Air Force. Sgt. Liddicoat attended high school in Oroville, and has served a total of two years, seven months with the USAF. At present he is a member of the 7th Bombardment Wing (H), stationed at Carswell Air Force Base, Fort Worth, Texas, home of Strategic Air Command’s intercontinental bomber, the B-36. His duties are those of aircraft mechanic.

Tech Sgt. Leonard D. Evans, graduate of Oroville schools, is now in Italy after spending nearly a year in San Antonio, Texas, following three years Army service in Japan. His wife and baby are staying with her mother in Texas. Bill Fleming, who graduated from Oroville High School several years ago, is now serving with the United States Marines after serving two years with the Navy in Seattle.

Oroville Mercury Register
July 5, 1951
Bangor Navy Enlistees Now At San Diego Bangor
Koe Woods and Ernest Carlquist, who enlisted in the Navy recently, are now in San Diego at the naval training station. (Stu- I remember B-36’s flying over our Thermalito School.)

Oroville Mercury Register
July 28, 1951
Nation Holds Rites For Adm. Sherman Arlington National Cemetery
(UP)- A sorrowing President Truman and a bereaved nation paid their last tribute yesterday to Adm. Forrest P. Sherman who died in action while carrying out a vital mission of the cold war with Russia. Mr. Truman, accompanied by Defense Secretary George C. Marshall, sat silently in the sun-drenched Arlington amphitheatre as service bands played “Christ The Lord Was Risen Today” and two clergymen read the solemnly moving Episcopal service for the dead. Joining the president in mourning for the 54-year-old chief of Naval operations were the highest ranking members of all the armed services he helped to hold together in harmony during the hard early days of the unification act. Sherman died unexpectedly of a heard attack in Naples last Sunday after completing a mission expected to win defense bases in Spain for U. S. air and sea power arrayed against aggression.

Stu’s Notes:
The Cold War Many years ago when our Veterans Memorial was in infancy I read articles in an American Legion book and a few other places about the Cold War and how those that died in that time, 1946- until the “Wall” came down, maybe a little later, that those service men and women who died while in the service of our Country during that period should be honored in Memorials. So we of the Oroville Veterans Memorial Committee For All of Butte County decided to do just that. This stone in our Memorial will have names of those that died in Butte County by accidents, or natural causes. Like S/Sgt Lloyd R. Keuht, Air Force who died in 1963 in a helicopter crash with 3 others near Oroville. Or like Oroville’s Marine Cpl Cecil M. Carter who died December 9, 1958 in a Helicopter crash near Niles California. Washington D.C. did it for Adm. Sherman, well by golly we in Oroville are doing it for our Heroes. See our Cold War list on our Website. It contains about 20 names. Mostly from Oroville, but I’m sure more names need to be found for All of Butte County.

Wow the parking lots are being built on the Veterans Memorial Site.

The 15th Annual Veterans Day Parade will be on Monday, November 11th , 2013 at 11AM. “Thank You Korean War Veterans” 60th Anniversary Sponsored by the Oroville Exchange Club, Chamber of Commerce, City of Oroville. Honor Our Veterans Past and Present. For Parade Entry Forms call the Chamber of Commerce (530-538-2542) pr Bob Hewitt (530) 534-8393.