July 5, 2013

Oroville Mercury Register
June 2, 1951
News From Oroville Men In The Service
PFC. Robert L. Scott, Jr. reported to duty in Korea. Mr. and Mrs. R. L. Scott of Route 5, Box 2191, Oroville have received word that their son, Pfc. Robert L. Scott Jr., is now in Inchon, Korea. Bob went to Idaho Falls, Idaho, last August to visit former school friends and relatives and wound up joining the Army along with a school chum. He took his first training at Ft. Ord and was transferred to Camp Stoneman. The 19 year old youth was sent overseas to Guam last March and was stationed there for six months. He then was sent to Japan where he remained for eight months prior to his transfer to Korea.
Stu- Things can happen fast in War!

Mortimer A. Collins, gunner’s mate, second class, USN, son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert A. Pritchard of Paradise, is serving aboard the destroyer USS Brown in the Far East. A veteran of the 50-day naval siege of Wonsan and surrounding areas, the Brown is undergoing repairs and maintenance at the U.S. Fleet Activities, Yokosuka, Japan. Collins, who was ordered into active military service Sept. 5,1950, first entered the naval service June 16, 1943. Comd. Richard S. Rogers, son of Col. Joseph A. Rogers, Palermo, and Mrs. J. A. Rogers of Berkeley, has been awarded permanent citations for the Gold Star in lieu of the Third Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal, and Gold Stars in lieu of the second through sixth Air Medals. The Chief of Naval Personnel has forwarded to Cmd. Rogers with his congratulations the permanent citations that were previously awarded him on a temporary basis. Commander Rogers is stationed at the Naval Air Station, Norfolk, Va. The Gold star in lieu of the Third Distinguished Flying Cross was presented “For heroism and extraordinary achievement in aerial flight as pilot of a fighter plane in Composite Squadron 68, attached to the USS Kalinin Bay, in action against enemy Japanese forces in the Marianas Islands area from June 27 to July 1, 1944.” The Air Medal awards were presented for achievements in aerial flight in action against enemy Japanese forces…”in the Marianas Islands area from June 15 to 17, 1944 …”in the Marianas Islands area from June 17 to 22, 1944”…”in the Marianas Islands area from June 23 to 26. 1944.”… “ in the Marianas Islands area from July 3 to 5, 1944”…”in the Marianas Islands area from July 6 to 9, 1944”… “in the Philippine Islands area from Oct. 15 to Oct. 23, 1944.”

Oroville Mercury Register
June 2, 1951
Cooties, Cootiettes Have Dinner Meeting, Plan Their Activities Cooties and Cootiettes, members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars fun organization, are making plans to attend a meeting in Orland Memorial Hall, June 17, following their monthly get-together in Memorial Hall here. Preparations also are being made to attend the Hospital Day observance at Yountville Veterans home July 15. Cooties and Cootiettes from Oroville, Chico, Paradise and Orland attended the meeting here last Sunday. A chicken dinner was served and entertainment was provided by pupils from Etchart Dance Studio. Those on the program were Barbara Duggan, hula: Sarieta O”Daniel, tap dance: Pam Unfried, Linda Voss and Flory Rigmaiden, tap: Judy Dallas and Sandy Dallas, acrobatic dance.

Stu’s Notes:
For so many WWII Veterans it must have been quite a shock when they got home from the big war, started a family, maybe just got married when all of the sudden up pops this War in some place called Korea. Since they are already trained for War Uncle Sam comes a knocking on their door. Hey we need you again, be here on this date. Which must have been way too soon, being a non veteran I can’t even visualize taking orders that so disrupt your life and you had no recourse but to do what you were told. The last time I had to do something someone told me was probably my teachers at Oroville High School. Sure I had many jobs throughout my life, but if I didn’t like it I could drag up (Ironworker term for Quit.), although I usually finished most jobs I started.

Last week’s story on 2nd Lt. Walter D. Bean brought good news and sad news from a cousin of his. My good friend and Oroville Veterans Memorial Park member Philip Scortino, who lives up in Clipper Mills called and said he knew some of the Bean family and got me in contact with Ralph and Florence Prater. Florence was a Bean and remembers her cousin. She said 2nd Lt. Walter came home from WWII living in Los Angeles and became a Policeman. Sadly shortly after he was married the Korea War broke out. Who would be called first, Pilots and boots on the ground, the Army, and that her cousin is Missing In Action, MIA. The Prater’s would be coming to Oroville soon with the rest of that sad ending. I did find his name on the Marysville Honor Roll.

The Cooties and Cootiettes still meet at our Veterans Hall. My three sisters, Peggy, Kathy and Betty and for one year my daughter Paula, all took dance from Johnnie Etchart. Peggy went on to teach dance for many years in Des Moines, Washington and for the several years has been teaching here in Oroville. We just went to see our granddaughter Jessica dance in Peggy’s Circus Recital at the State Theater.