June 12, 2015

June 8, 2015, the Historic Flag Pole at our Veterans Memorial Building was taken down, hopefully to go to our Cemetery on Feather River Blvd. On the wall to the entrance of the Memorial Building is a plaque that states “Memorial Building Erected A.D. 1926 By the County of Butte to Honor the Memory of the Heroes Who Gave Lives for Their Country.” A small group has been meeting at the Hall every Monday for about 12 Years now. Present this Monday was Wayne Brock, Bill Fox Sam Bebout and Stu. Sam and I went over to take pictures of the flag pole that was laying on a trailer to be taken to the Butte County Yard. To Sam and I it was a very Historic Moment. We think the Flag Pole is the Original one. I said to Sam if this Copper Ball was a camera it would tell the History of the Men and Women that went through the Front doors, many Men never cam home. As for many years this building was where thousands of young men signed up to serve our great country in its time of need. It would show the Great War (WWI) machine gun that set on the ledge above the doors. As I walked by the hall to go home as a young boy I would stop and wonder who brought it to Oroville. I’ve seen Machine Guns like it on the World War Documentaries, it had an oval steel plate that would give the Gunner some protection, I think it disappeared after the ‘50’s, where is it? In someone’s den to be admired only by their eyes? How selfish, but Sam and I were proud to see the Flag Pole off to who knows where. Sam used to Fly Flags on it on Special occasions. My thoughts on D. Day 71 Years Ago I did not read about the 71st anniversary anywhere. It was such an Important Day. The start of the Liberation of Europe, each day’s delay to that end meant Hitler and his evil cohorts would kill thousands more. About 7 million or more innocent Civilians were murdered including 6 million Jewish people. Hitler had to be stopped, sadly it took the blood of so many Americans. We must not forget the same terrible events were happening in the Pacific Theater of War. Our men were dying there since Pearl Harbor, to stop the evil leaders of the Japanese Government. The local men that I know of that died on D-Day or on the Beaches are from Chico 2nd Lt. Grover Hobson KIA Normandy Coast , Gordon L. Onstott, 1st Lt. Army, June 44 KIA Normandy. From Gridley Pvt. Army Aaron Asa Stoddard KIA, Normandy. Oroville Army Tech 4 Benjamin “Buddy” Joseph Arthur Stoney, Maidu Native American from Yankee Hill. Oroville Emery Guy Ledger Pvt. Army KIA June 6, 1944 Anzio.
(Stu – you can read more of Stoney and Ledger on our Web Site.)

Oroville Mercury Register
June 6, 1944
Local Churches Open Doors To Day of Prayer
Doors of all Oroville churches were opened wide this morning to remain open though out the day and evening and residents of the community were invited to enter at any hour for prayer and meditation. Chimes rang out and prayer hymns for worship were played from noon until 1 o’clock on the organ at the First Congregational Church. Similar music will sound there between the hours of 5 and 6 PM and from 7:30p.m through out the evening. Prayer sheets will be given for guidance in their worship to all who enter the church. Special prayer services will be conducted at 7:30 p.m. at the Assembly of God Church. Special D-Day services, with an hour of prayer, will be held in St. Thomas Catholic Church at 7:30p.m. The Rev. Father Patrick Donnelly announced. A mass to pray for success of the invasion will be held at 7:45 a.m. tomorrow, and the church will be open every day for private prayer.

By Nightfall, June 6th, a Bugler blew Taps on the Beach. The reason we picked a Bronze Bugler for our Memorial Center Piece is that all the services, Army, Navy, Air Force etc. had Bugler’s to wake you and to close the Day.

Stu’s Notes:
Hope to see you all tomorrow, June 13 from 5 to 8 PM at the Oroville Veterans Memorial Park Benefit, sponsored by the Native Sons of the Golden West enjoy Nacho – Taco Night, Build your own Nachos and 2 tacos for $10.00, Margaritas and Beer Available. Across from Gray Nurse on Huntoon St. Outdoors under the Tents @ Native Sons, Drawing for the SF Giants Getaway, thank you Marianne Aleck, and other goodies, Everyone Welcome. Also on Sunday, June 14th is Flag Day, come down at 1PM at the Liberty Pole on Montgomery Street in the corner of the Mike Ish Parking Lot, when The Flag will be raised by James Lenhoff and Alberta Tracy, then to Mug Shots for Ice Cream Sundaes for $3.