November 8, 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 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 22nd and 27th 1945

LT. CAMPBELL NOW AT NEW MEXICO AIRFIELD

Lt. Robert A. Campbell, son of Mrs. Inez E. Thatcher, Oroville, has reported for duty at the Carlsbad Army Air Field, Carlsbad, New Mexico. His wife is the former Bonnie Jane Thatcher, Oroville, California. He was commissioned March 27, 1943 upon completion of cadet training at Albuquerque, New Mexico.

LUCY PRADO HANDY NOW IN SHOOTING PISTOL

Pfc. Lucy Prado of the Marine Corps. Women's Reserve was a prize winner in an individual pistol match held at Camp Matthews, San Diego, recently. She enlisted in the Marines about a year and half ago and was assigned to the rifle range detail. A letter home tells of a dinner given at the La Jolla Beach Club by the recreation department honoring officers and enlisted members who have completed one year of service at the camp. it was attended by women from all over the United States.

T/S Robert B. Land of the 820th Ordinance Base Depot Co. is the youngest son of Mr. and Mrs. A. H. Land and prior to his induction into the army operated the R. B. Land store at Feather Falls. In a letter headed "Somewhere in France" he tells of meeting Capt. Clyde Masteller, a former Oroville boy whose wife and son are living here. They had been working in the same building for some time but neither knew the other was there until they met by accident. Capt. Masteller is the commanding officer of an ordinance evacuation company.

LEVULETTE ASKS TO GO BACK; GETS TINIAN ISLAND POST

M-SGT. Wilmer (Tine) Levulett has been stationed in Tinian Island four miles south of Saipan, following his request for reassignment overseas. He is crew chief at a B-29 bomber base there, having charge of the ground crews of three B-29s. Levulett observed his 26th birthday Jan. 6. He is the son of Mrs. Norma Wallace of Yreka and Morgan Levulett of Oroville.

WM. RIFFEY LEAVES FOR SAN DIEGO AFTER VISIT HOME

William Riffey, S 2-C, has returned from the South Pacific, where he was on a destroyer for the past 14 months. He has been spending a month at the home of his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Roscoe Riffey of Forbestown while waiting his turn to enter the San Diego Naval Hospital for treatment of an injured knee sustained while on board ship. Mr. and Mrs. Riffey have another son, Robert Riffey, who is a seaman first class aboard an aircraft carrier somewhere on the Atlantic. The boys enlisted in the Navy in Burbank about two years ago. They both hope to be home on leave in about two months when they will have a chance to visit together.

Stu's notes: My family and I moved to Oroville from Pennsylvania, shortly after the war in 1946. My grandmother, Betty Mills and my uncle, Stanley Shaner, who spent three years in the war in Europe, bought the old Masteller Chicken Farm in Thermalito and invited my family to live with them and run the Chicken ranch. Lynn and I are still living on that old Chicken Farm!