October 11, 2002

Looking Back on Oroville's Heroes                        

By Stu Shaner

 

These stories are about the men and women who went to war so that we might be free. This column is dedicated to all our Veterans. It will use articles taken from past Oroville Mercury Registers. Many of those mentioned in these stories came home. But as you will learn, many young Oroville men did not. They gave the ultimate sacrifice. Bill Connelly and I are co-chairmen of the Oroville Veterans Memorial Committee. Our plans are to build a fitting memorial in Oroville to honor all of our veterans past, present and future. If you have any articles that will help us please contact me at 533-8147.

 

Oroville Mercury January 2 and 12th 1945

 

V-RATIONING COUPON CHART

Tire Inspection- Inspection on passenger tire will no longer be necessary, but mileage rationing records must be saved.

Gasoline - No. 14 Coupons in A Book valid for four gallons through Mar. 21

Shoes - Airplane Stamps No. 1, 2 and 3 in Ration Book 3, attached, valid indefinitely.

Canned Fruits and Vegetables - Blue Stamps X5 through Z5 and A2 and B2 valid. C2 and G2 will become valid Monday.

Sugar - Stamp No. 34 in Ration Book 4, good for 5 pounds. A new stamp will become valid Feb. 1st.

Meat, Cheese, Fats, Oils, Bufter, Canned Milk - Red Stamps, Ration Book 4 Q5, R5 and S5. T5 through X5 will become valid Sunday.

 

IN THE FIGHT: MOONEY AWARDED MEDAL FOR COURAGE, SKELL OVER GERMANY

An Eighth Air Force Bomber Station, England-Sergeant Howard Mooney, 24, of Oroville, Calif, has been awarded the air medal for, “courage, coolness and skill" displayed on bombing attacks over Germany. The airman is a waist gunner in the 490th Bomb. Group, a B-17 Flying Fortress unit of the Eighth Air Force, commanded by Colonel Frank P. Rostrom of Bangor, Maine. Sgt. Mooney is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Mooney of Route Two, and his wife, Phyllis, lives on Bird Street. Prior to entering the army air forces in December 1943, the sergeant was employed as an installer by the Western Electric Co., in San Francisco.

 

TRANSFERS TO INFANTRY

Cpl. Roy Ingwerson, has been transferred to Camp Howze, Texas for advanced infantry training with the 64th infantry battalion. He has been stationed at Fort Lewis, Wash. for the past six months with the Army Medical Corps. Cpl. Ingwersen has been in the army for over two years. He was inducted from Oroville following his graduation from Oroville Union High School and was a former Mercury carrier boy. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. O. E. Ingwersen.

 

Son Is Born To Harold Corkins

Mr. and Mrs. Harold Corkin became the parents of a son, Thursday afternoon at Oroville Curran Hospital. Mrs. Corkin is the former Freda Schurr, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Fred L. Schurr. Mr. and Mrs. Harry Corkin of American Farms are the paternal grandparents. The baby has two uncles in the service. One, Lt. Tom Corkin is a prisoner of the German government. The other, Pfc. Walter Schurr is stationed in the Hawaiian Islands. Morris Schurr of Oroville is also an uncle to the baby.

 

Stu's notes: Everyone had ration cards, men, women and children I still have some of mine that my parents didn't use. They came in a book like miniature stamps, with pictures of planes, tanks ships and other war symbols Not every one could use their ration cards up,-they did not have the money 7hose on the Home Front during WWII, probably had to make more sacrifices for the war effort than any war since