Jamuary 30, 2015

Oroville Mercury Register
September 11, 1945
Gridleyan Dies In Japanese Camp
Gridley- Leland Richard Criddle, 28, gunner’s mate, second class died in the Osaka prison camp in Japan, the navy department has notified his father, M. R. Criddle, Gridley rancher. Date of the death was not given. The department advised the father March 5 that the son was a prisoner. In the second communication dysentery was given as the cause of death. The navy department received its information through the International Red Cross. Criddle is survived by his father, a sister, Mrs. Marjorie Hermle of Uvalde, Tex., and a brother, David who is in the armed forces in Hawaii. Criddle has been in the navy eight years, and had served in Asiatic waters four years of that time. A native of Santa Ana, he came to Gridley as a child when his parents moved here. (Stu-A true Hero of America.)

Oroville Mercury Register
September 11, 1945
F.F. Airman Decorated In South Pacific
First Lieut. Henry W. Evans of Feather Falls has been awarded the oak leaf cluster for distinguished services to his country on flying missions in the Southwest Pacific, it was announced yesterday in a delayed dispatch from general head-quarters in that war theatre. Lt. Gen. George C. Kenney, commander of the Allied Air Forces in the area, awarded the decoration. The cluster was given in lieu of “additional distinguished flying crosses for “extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight missions.” The oak leaf cluster also went to Captain Noel A. Wright of Westwood, and other member of the Southwest Pacific air forces, who distinguished himself in similar operations.

Oroville Mercury Register
September 11, 1945
150 Attend Dance At Recreation Center
One hundred and fifty persons, including guest service men, participated in a Wednesday night dance at the Oroville “Recreation center, (The Municipal Auditorium)The center’s Junior hostesses and members of the Oroville Girls’ organization served as dancing partner. Music was by the center’s phonograph instrument. After dance entertainment was provided the visiting service men. Unique table decorations were arranged by Miss Alma Ghianda. Luncheon cloths from Hawaii covered the tables, centered with blue bowls of Red geraniums and cocks combs and white zinnias gave a patriotic thought of Pearl Harbor. Mrs. Geo. Brown, hospitality chairman of the USO provided home made cakes through the ladies of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary. Members of the Motor Corp of the American Red Cross served the refreshments and took charge of the canteen. – Stu- Oroville was good to its servicemen and women, back then on the home front.

Oroville Mercury Register
September 11, 1945
From an Ad:
“DANCE Tonight at El Medio Community Club Hall (West Elgin St., 1 ½ miles south of Oroville on Palermo Road.)
Good Music
Admission 50c ‘till 9:30
75c after 9:30
Ladies Free
Service men 50c
Dancing 9-2 Air Cooled Now!”

Stu- The place is now owned by a Veterans Group and Dances and food events still go on out there. Help the Veterans and see what they do. Stu’s Notes; Today in History. 70 years ago the Russians come into Poland and liberated the Nazi Death Camp at Auschwitz. The Holocaust did happen regardless of what some people claim. They are wrong, wrong, about 6 million or more Jewish people, men, women and children were murdered in terrible ways over about a 7 or 8 year period. About 1 million others were also put to death. As I write this, Tuesday, January 27th I send this article to my Enterprise Record, to the Editor Steve Schoonover I flipped the TV. to my favorite channel, American Heroes and there, big as life was one of my many Heroes, Ernie Pyle, who died a hero with the soldiers he loved in a far off Pacific Island, close to Iwo Jima. Today’s story was the invasion on D-Day of course Ernie was there. I recently saw the movie “Unbroken”, from what I’ve read of the men who died there and how they were treated the movie was pretty tame, as to what really happened and remember I’ve talked to two men that were there, Bob Wolfersberger and most recently Charles Leroy Myers. Supplemental Benefit Fund Meeting February 4, 2015 at 5:30pm at City Hall, our project is ready to go!