April 11, 2014

Oroville Mercury Register
April 12, 1945
One of Few pictures taken of Mr. Roosevelt and Mr. Truman Together.
Photo Caption: This picture was taken prior to the last election when both men were candidates. The late president (right) is shown here talking to candidate for Vice President, who is now the President of the United States.
Funeral for Roosevelt is Impressive
By Merriman Smith
Hyde Park N.Y. – (UP) – The body of Franklin Delano Roosevelt rested today in the soil of a sunny rose garden on the family estate overlooking the Hudson river. A few minutes before 10 o’clock yesterday morning, a lone gun in a nearby field gave the first round of a 21 gun salute. Forty-seven minutes later the simple service for the 31st president of the United States were over. Inside the garden, the late president’s aged aunt, Mrs. James R. Roosevelt, waited in a chair beside the grave. Planes flew across the procession, low on a straight course. A drum began a dirge. Three beats and a slow roll, three beats, slow roll, three beats, slow roll – endlessly. Behind the 76 year old Rev. W. George Anthony stood Mrs. Roosevelt with son, Brig. Gen. Elliott Roosevelt, on one side, and her daughter, Mrs. Anna Boettinger, on the other. Behind them stood her four daughters-in-law and her son-in-law, Col. John Boettinger. Behind them was another family – the nation’s official family, President Harry S. Truman, his assistants and heads of the armed forces. He then read the first verse of a hymn: “Now the laborer’s task is o’er . . .” At 10:46 the traditional three volleys were fired over the grave. A minute later, taps sounded softly through the garden.
Stu – I did the above story 10 years ago April 9, 2004

Oroville Mercury Register
April 7, 1945
Dobson Retired By The Navy
After 31 years and 4 months of service with the United States Navy, Vern Dobson, Oroville business man, has been placed on the inactive list. It is the second time Dobson has been retired by the navy. The first time was 1933. When the U.S. entered the second World War, Dobson was called back to service as chief water tender on U.S.S. Colorado, one of the navy’s battleships. Dobson had supervision of the boilers in the engine room. Dobson is a veteran of both World Wars. In the first war he served on U.S. destroyers and mine sweepers in the European theater. He was on a destroyer when it sank a German submarine and the mind sweepers to which he was attached cleared the North Sea of German mines. In the present war, he served on battleships in the south pacific and saw service in many hot engagements with the Japanese. When retired the first time in 1933 he left the U.S. carrier Lexington which later was sunk by the Japanese. Although released to inactive duty, Dobson can be called back into service at any time he is needed. He is a partner with C.E. Howard in the Ritz cigar store and bar. Dobson lives with his mother, Mrs. Eva Hodges, at 1480 Downer Street.

Stu Notes:
President Franklin Delenor Roosevelt gave his life for our country 69 years ago April 12 which is tomorrow, that date will probably go unnoticed to most of the world including American. Nevertheless I truly believe he gave his life for America and the world as commander in chief of all armed forces of the United States of America, you could say he sent 400,000 young men to their deaths, also I believe as my readers know by now that he cared for every one of them. It must have been a terrible weight on his mind. I can’t think of any other man that had the foresight and power to see the war as it was before we entered Dec 8, 1941. Remember almost 90% of the American people were against the war. I truly believe that he saw the need to raise an army and prepare for war that he knew would come to America. Without America in the fight I believe Hitler’s Germany and Tojo’s Japan might very well have conquered the rest of the world and we would be left all alone until Hitler had perfected this atom bomb and Japan was working on poison gas and other terrible weapons plus Germany was working on a plane that could carrier their atom bomb to America or maybe a missile. Remember Wernher Von Braun worked for Hitler before we got him after the war and he became the father of our rocket program.

What a book that would make: Wilkie Beats Roosevelt in the election and America never goes to War ending with Germany and Japan Ruling the world and Mussolini, who wanted to bring back the Roman Empire.

Vern Dobson, 31 years of service to our country, what a hero. He retired 5 years before the start of the Korean War, June 1950. I would hope they said, stay home Vern. You’ve done way over your share for your country. Other than Chief Water tender was his rank I guess Chief Petty Officer?