Jamuary 9, 2015

Oroville Mercury Register
August 30, 1945
Service Corner
SOM 1/c E. Robblee Plans to Visit Here Word has been received here that Edwin Robblee, Sound Operator’s Mate, 1/c is at his home in Sacramento on 30-day leave and that he expects to visit relatives and friends in Palermo and Oroville before he returns to his duties with the navy at Mare Island. Robblee, who is the brother of William Robblee of Palermo and the son-in-law of the late John A Ross of Oroville, enlisted in the U.S. Navy in January, 1942. He went to boot camp at Farragate, Idaho, and received sound training at San Diego. Since that time he has been assigned with the fleet on destroyer duty in the Pacific war area and during his twenty months at sea has seen action in many major battles.

Acie Rhyne Receives Bronze Star Medal
A Bronze Star Medal was awarded Sgt. Acie I. Rhyne. He is the son of Mrs. L. M. Rhyne of Houston Street. Since his entrance into the service three years ago Sgt. Rhyne has been overseas twenty seven months fighting with his unit, the 36th Infantry, in Italy France and Germany. At present he is stationed in Germany but he hopes to return home soon.

Chief Robert A. Noel Returns To States
Robert A Noel, chief motor machinist’s mate, U.S.N.R., has returned to an east coast port after serving 16 months aboard an LST in the European Theater where he participated in the amphibious assaults at Sicily and Normandy. He wears ribbons for the American and European theaters of operations with three combat stars for the latter theater. His ship, the LST 294, sailed more than 38,000 miles on the invasion road since its commissioning in January 1944. The invasion of Normandy, on the bloody Utah Beach, was the high point of her invasion career. Later, she was a part of a convoy which carried British troops to Norway for the Army of Occupation. Noel is the son of Mrs. Mary R. Noel, Route 1, Oroville and prior to his entry into the Navy was employed by the Diamond Match Lumber Company.

PFC Sid R. Brown Released From Army
Private First Class Sid R. Brown recently received his honorable discharge from the army at Barnes General Hospital, Vancouver, Washington. He has served one year and eleven months, nine months of which he was overseas as a utility repairman in the Armored Engineers. He has been awarded the European Theatre Ribbon with two battle participation stars, the Purple Heart and the Good Conduct Ribbon. At present Mrs. Brown is with him in Vancouver but they plan to return to Oroville to make their home. Before entering the service Brown was employed by the Feather River Pine Mills.

Corp Johnson Expects To Go To Germany
Corporal L. C. Johnson has finished his basic training with the tank destroying unit in Camp Hood, Texas. He volunteered for service last March and expects to be sent to Germany on construction work soon. Mrs. Johnson, who is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W. A. Schwandt of Oroville, will remain in the Johnson home in Burbank with her three daughters during Johnson’s absence.

Paradise Man Has Returned To States
T/4 Avery Merrill of Paradise, according to word received here is back in the United States after 17 months overseas in the European war area. Tech. Merrill, who has been serving with the 79th Division, 779 Ordnance Co. in Czechoslovakia, arrived in the states August 19.

Stu’s Notes:
Well, I went down Tuesday night to see the swearing in of the new Oroville City Council Members. One was my long time friend Bud Hatley. He will do a good job for our City. Of course my main interest down there that night was the Oroville Veterans Memorial Park of which I spoke of in the 3 minutes allowed me. I said that this council has the opportunity, through Grant Money from the Supplemental Benefit Fund, which is money from the Department of Water Resources, over the next few years to finish Oroville Veterans Memorial Park for All of Butte County. And there will be enough money for other groups. Let’s do it. I’m tired, our committee is tired. 12 have passed on, 8 of them WWII Veterans. When we started this memorial in 2001 the youngest WWII Veteran was about 70, now they are about 85 or older.

The Pacific Ocean was the scene of many Navy Battles, many destroyers were lost out there I know of one battle in the Straits of some long forgotten place in the Philippines that 3 or 4 destroyers and a group of baby flattops (Aircraft Carriers) took on a whole Japanese Battle group, battleships on down and made them all run. Many Brave young men died that day but what they accomplished was amazing, saving thousand of our men on what would have been an unprotected beach. They would have been slaughtered. So many stories, so many brave men, there are so many Heroes in my stories, I wish I had the time to read them all over again.

Happy Birthday, today, to my brother Larry!