December 3, 2004
Looking Back on Oroville’s Heroes
By Stu Shaner
The Oroville Veterans Memorial Committee plans to build a fitting memorial in Oroville to honor all of our veterans past, present and future. If your club or organization would like a presentation on our memorial Ted Grainger and I are always happy to come and tell you about our project. Please call me if you have any thing to add about the heroes that you read about in this column; my number is 533-8147.
Oroville Mercury Register Thursday, May 10, 1945
Former Oroville Man Recognized
(pictured here)
1st Sgt. Andrew J. Domich, left, former Oroville mining man, gets recognition for his work in supervising the repair of flak-torn B-17 Flying Fortress bombers that went back to help complete the Nazi downfall. Dominch Given Merit Award For outstanding meritorious performance of duty as crash inspector with a mobile reclamation crew at a large strategic air depot somewhere in England, 1st Sgt. Andrew J. Domich of Sacramento, formerly of Oroville, was awarded the certificate of merit. His commanding officer, Col. James F. Early of the 8th Air Force Service Command, made the award at impressive ceremonies at the command station. Domich, who used to engage in mining with the Gold Meadows Mining and Milling Company here tangled with a different kind of metal in England. He was charged with the duty of reconditioning B-17 bombers that the deadly metal flak had crippled. Son of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Domich of Sacramento, Domich is a graduate of Christian Brothers High School and Sacramento Junior College, and of Creighton University, Omaha, Neb. His wife, Dora, and daughter Sandra Jean, live in Sacramento.
Newcomer to Oroville Engaged to Local Man
Informal announcement has been made of the engagement of Miss Lila Massey to Karl W. Kramer, shipfitter 2/c in the Naval Construction Battalion. Miss Massey is the daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. James Humphry Massey of Oklahoma City. Okla. She moved to Oroville in January from Los Angeles where she had been living for several years. She is employed at Strang’s Drive In. Kramer, who is stationed in the Philippines, is the son of James S. Kramer of Lincoln Street. The couple met while he was stationed at Port Hueneme. They plan to be married after the war. While in Oroville, Miss Massey is making her home with Miss Edna Kramer, sister of her fiance.
Sgt. Long Visits At Foothill Home
Sgt. Bruce Long is home on 21-day furlough from Australia and New Guinea. He will report to Santa Monica after his furlough to be reassigned for further duty. Long married an Australian girl and she expects to join her husband soon. Long is staying with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. George Long on their ranch near Garden Ranch. This is his first visit to Oroville after three years of overseas duty. He has been in the army four years.
Mr. and Mrs. William Mumpower and Sgt. L. Mumpower were visitors in the Foothill district recently. Mr. and Mrs. Mumpower are from Los Angeles. Sgt. Mumpwer is from Las Vegas, Nevada.
Stu’s Notes; This is from the Oroville Mercury “ In Gridley , a service sponsored by the Feather River chapter 25 of the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association will be held at 9:55 a. m. at the flagpole and monument at the Butte County Fairgrounds. A no host breakfast will be held at the Black Bear Diner in Gridley preceding the ceremony. This year marks the 63rd anniversary of the battle of Pearl Harbor. All veterans and the public may attend. The service honors the more than 2,400 U. S. citizens killed and more than 1,100 wounded during the battle.” I have been going to this Remembrance Service for about 7 or more years. It is a very moving service. The survivors will be there, maybe one or two less than last year. Those that have gone on Must Never Be Forgotten.