February 27, 2015

Oroville Mercury
February 15, 1945 (70 Years Ago )
Miss Vernelle Martin Becomes Bride Of Sgt. James McKim In Pretty Church Ceremony
Miss Vernelle Martin of Tacoma, Wash. Became the bride of Sgt. James W. McKim at a candle lighted ceremony in the Assembly of God Church at 8 o’clock on St. Valentine’s night. The Rev. Morse E. Hammond was the officiating minister. “I Love You Truly” was song by Lt. Leonard Barnes and Mrs. Kathryn Weston of Modesto sang “At Dawning” and “Oh Promise Me.” The church was beautiful with white calla lilies and palms. Candelabra held white candles. The bride wore white satin trimmed with lace cut on princess lines and having a long train. The two tiered, fingertip veil fell from a coronet of pearls. Her flowers were white carnations centered with an orchid. Miss Vivian McKim, in a pale green brocaded satin gown with matching head dress, was maid of honor, Mrs. Evelyn Hillebert in blue brocaded satin and Miss Myrtle McKim in pink satin were the bridesmaids. They wore head dresses to match and carried flowers of pastel shades. Candle lighters were Misses Barbara Houston and Shirley Vaughn. Sgt. Otis M. Gribben was best man for the groom and Lt. Barnes and Pfc. David Currier were the ushers. Following the ceremony, a reception was held at the parsonage. The traditional wedding cake was topped with a miniature soldier and his bride. Mrs. McKim’s going away costume was aqua with brown accessories and a brown, fur trimmed coat. After a honeymoon in San Francisco and Tacoma, Sgt. McKim will report to the east coast for further orders. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. J. W. McKim of Ft. Wayne Street and entered the army in January of 1941. He was sent to Tacoma for basic training and it was there that he met his wife. She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. L. A. Martina of Tacoma and has been engaged in secretarial work. McKim is in a photography unit of the air corps. He took part in the invasion of North Africa and was in Sardinia and Corsica. He returned to the United States in January.

Oroville Mercury
February 15, 1945
Goes Back To War To Find Peaceful Life
San Francisco-(U.P.) – Merchant Marine Lieutenant Charles Howard today cut short his 15 day leave after only three days ashore and signed up on a ship headed for the battle zone, where he said there was “a semblance of peace.” It was pretty harrowing on shore, said Howard, who just completed six-months sea duty in the Pacific. He couldn’t get a room in a war-jammed San Francisco. He couldn’t get gas for the car he rented. He had to wait 15 minutes to make a phone call and stood for 10 minutes in several other queues. The officer said he couldn’t find a place to stand at downtown bars, the city was too noisy and he ran out of cigarettes. Howard said he hoped delegates to the world peace conference here next April would find the city more “peaceful” than he did.
(Stu- I think that only in WWII were Merchant Marines given Military Status so many were killed.)

Oroville Mercury
February 15, 1945
Bells Learn Nephew Missing In Action
Mr. and Mrs. E.E. Bell of Mitchell Avenue learned today that their nephew, Lt. Ben R. Jackson, of Sacramento, had been reported missing in action since Jan. 31, somewhere in Italy. Lt. Jackson has spent many summers visiting in Oroville and has a wide circle of friends here. A member of the 37th Fighter Squadron, 14th Fighter Group of the Army Aviation Corps, Lt. Jackson is an accomplished flier, qualified to fly for both army and navy, his relatives said. They told of a letter recently received, in which their nephew said that his former plane had been wrecked and that he was flying a new one. Lt. Jackson’s wife and the couples infant daughter, whom he has never seen, reside in Sacramento.
(Stu- Was Ben R. Jackson ever found, will we ever know, it was so long ago?)

Stu’s Notes:
I have written before of Sgt. James McKim, you can find his stories on our Website. As a young boy he was an Oroville Mercury Paper boy. More on James Warren McKim soon. From the early days of San Francisco up through WWII it had a pretty wild reputation. As a young 17 year old girl, my Grandmother, then Betty Bocott, known in Oroville as Betty Mills, moved there with her family in 1906. She told me at the time the fires from the Earthquake were still burning. Her foster dad was a carpenter and he knew there would be lots of work to rebuild the City. After a few more moves she ended up in Oroville. That’s why I am here writing this. But that’s all another story.