March 25, 2005

Oroville Mercury, April 18, 1945, March 2, 1944

Mrs. Jones Killed While at War Work
A recent report received in Oroville concerning the death of Mrs. Alice Jones of San Pedro indicated that her death occurred as the result of a traffic accident. A more recent letter from Mrs. C. F. Owens of Richmond states that Mrs. Jones was killed at her job in the Navy Supply Depot when a towmotor car, out of control, crushed her against a concrete wall. Mrs. Jones, 55, lived in Oroville for twenty years and has many friends still here.

Former Local Youth Killed
Gerald A. Rutherford, 24, second lieutenant in the Army Air Force who was killed Saturday near Washington, Fla., When struck by a passenger bus, was a student at Oroville High School from 1933-36. While attending the local school, Rutherford made his home with Mr. and Mrs. A. J. Vaughan, on High Street. He visited here last summer while stationed at the Chico Army Air Field. Son of Mr. and Mrs. Walter A Rutherford, the lieutenant was a native of Redding . His parents reside there. He had been in the Air Corps three years, receiving his pilot’s wings and commission in November when he was graduated from Stockton Field.

Stu’s notes: “Rosie the Riveter”; Although she might not have ever driven a rivet as many of my friends have, she did go away from home to serve the war effort, as many Women did. There is a “Rosie” living at Prestige, I’ve just been informed. My grandmother, Betty Mills, at age 53, left Montana to work in a defense plant in Washington state, before moving to Oroville and buying a chicken ranch that I live on today. Mrs. Alice Jones gave her life in this effort. As many other women did, they were dangerous jobs so far from their homes. Some way we must find a way to honor these women in our memorial. I read the papers of the war years, most women didn’t even get their first name in print. Then it was usually, Mrs. Sam Jones or Tom, Mike, or George. This is all I know of Alice Jones, hopefully someone knows more.
Gerald A. Rutherford, didn’t die of a bomb or a bullet, but he died serving his country, so far from Oroville and so young. We will honor him in our memorial as a soldier who died for his country. This is all I know of this young man. If anyone has time and could research on the computer for me it would be great!

We are applying for a grant through Congressman John T. Doolittle, hopefully we will receive it for our Veterans Memorial Park here in Oroville. In light of the price that Oroville Veterans have paid for our freedom we feel it is well deserved here in Oroville. Also the fact that so much is spent on memorials on the East Coast, Oroville is long over due for some of this money. I know that a lot of the money for Veterans Memorials comes from private donations. The land that they are on is usually public land. We need money to acquire a suitable site to build our memorial. The memorial it self should be built with the donations of the people of Oroville. The site we have chosen next to our Veterans Memorial Hall, is exactly where a Veterans Memorial should be. It was often the last place in Oroville that our young boys were the day they boarded the bus for WWII. For the many from Oroville that lost their lives it was the last Oroville ground they walked on. The land will be owned and maintained by the City of Oroville. All can be proud that the Oroville Area finally has remembered its FORGOTTEN HEROES. Please write a letter and even include this story to Congressman John T. Doolittle 2410 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20515. You may want to call him at (202) 225-2511 or fax him at (202) 225-5444. He also has an office in Granite Bay 4230 Douglas Blvd. Suite 200, Granite Bay, California 95746. (916) 786-5560.