September 13, 2013

Oroville Mercury Register
October 19, 1950
Chico Marine Brings Plane Back Despite Wires and Bullets With First Marine Air Wing In Korea
“I always wonder what it would be like to fly through a power line,” 1st Lt. Vernon Bruce, of Chico, said as he climbed out of his Corsair fighter and examined the high tension wire wound around its right wing. The Marine pilot didn’t see the 350-foot-high electric line strung across the Han River, as he and Captain Bert J. Perkins of Los Angeles, flew into the early morning sun. Lieut. Bruce’s plane seemed to handle all right, so the two continued on their mission east of Seoul. They rocketed a truck and left it burning. The pair then went machine gunning after a concentration of North Koreans hurrying along a road. On their return trip, the flyers saw four downed wires from the power line lying along the sand of the river bottom. Back on the ground, Lieut. Bruce noted the wires had cut gashes into the right wing, tail, and engine cover. There w as also a bullet hole in an auxiliary gas tank. “It’s lucky the tank was empty,” Bruce commented.

Oroville Mercury Register
October 19, 1950
Marine Corps Seeks Birthday ‘Presents’ to Assist Campaign
With Nov. 10, as the birthday of the U. S. Marine Corps, the best present the Corps could receive from its veterans would be a “new Marine,” Sgt. Charles Wilson, recruiting officer said today. Wilson appealed to active Marines and Marine Corps veterans to persuade young men to join the Marine Corps as their part in the expanded recruiting drive launched recently by the Corps. Each Marine and veteran will receive a card in the mail within a few days, Wilson, with a request that the card be returned with the name and address of a prospect for service in the Corps. “The rest will be up to me,” Wilson said. Headquarters of the Marine Corps is 1946 Bird Street.

Stu’s Notes:
Wow! We have a contractor for our Veterans Memorial Parking lots, one by the Veterans Hall and one by the Boss Burger. Butte County Board of Supervisors Agenda September 10, 2013. 3.14 Award of Contract to Construct the County of Butte, Oroville Park and Ride Lot- The County of Butte, Oroville Park and Ride lot project will construct two parking lots on County owned property adjacent to the Oroville Veterans Memorial Hall. This project includes storm drainage improvements, 29 regular parking stalls, four (4) accessible parking stalls, landscaping, lighting, bike racks, bike lockers, and other amenities. The invitation for bid was published in accordance with Public Contract Code and Federal requirements and includes publication on the Public Purchase website providing for electronic notification to a wide range of contractors and contractor’s exchanges. The Engineer’s estimate for this project totaled $466,000 and a total of four (4) bids were received ranging from a low of $387,776.11 to a high of $573,573. Staff recommends the Board approve the plans and specifications and award the contract in the amount of $387,766.11 to RJ. Heuton Construction of Chico, the lowest responsible bidder. Full hard-copy plans and specifications are available for review at the General Services facility located at 2081 2nd Street in Oroville. This is a federally funded project and no additional appropriation is required - action requested – 1)Appoint the General Services Director as the Officer of the Project; 2) Approve the plans, specifications and estimates for the project; and 3) Award the contract to R. J. Heuton Construction and authorize the chair to sign. Bill Connelly opened the meeting with the Flag Salute and a moment of silence, then talks about our Memorial, 3.14 on this Agenda. Yea, we are moving forward.

National POW/MIA Recognition Day is Friday, September 20, 2013, 7PM on the steps of the Oroville Veterans Memorial Hall at 2374 Montgomery Street. There will be a Remembrance Service, including the “Missing Man Table”. This is the ninth anniversary of this program here in Oroville. Light refreshments will be served following the service. I hope my readers realize that those North Korean were soldiers and were in a hurry to find Americans and our Allies and kill them. It had to happen it was war. The newspaper, back then, didn’t sugar coat their stories.

There will be a Motor Cycle Run on Saturday, September to benefit the Oroville Veterans Memorial Park For All Of Butte County beginning at the Feather Falls Casino. For more information please Call James Townsend at 589-5748 for more information.