April 29, 2005
Oroville Mercury Register April 13, 1945
Melvin L. Rowe Missing In Action
Cpl. Melvin L. Rowe of Bangor has been reported missing in
action over Austria, according to a telegram from the war department
received by his wife who, with the couple’s nine months old son,
lives on Palermo road. Rowe is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Roy Rowe
of Bangor. An aerial engineer on a B-17, he had been operating from
a 15th Air Force base in Italy. He entered the service
Feb. 8, 1943 and begun overseas duty Feb. 20, 1945. The Rowe family
moved to Bangor in 1943. They had lived near Oroville for many years
previously. Another son, Staff Sgt. Jack Rowe, also an air corps
engineer, is stationed in the Philippines. Gene Rowe, a third son,
recently received a medical discharge from the Army.
LOCAL MAN SERVED ON CARRIER STRIKES
Harold E. Davis, chief photographer’s mate, U. S. N., has
returned from a tour of duty in the Pacific, where he was attached
to Air Group 20, based on one of the Navy’s big aircraft carriers.
During his cruise the air group’s planes fought in the Second Battle
of the Philippine Sea and inflicted substantial damage on enemy
shipping and shore installations during strikes against such targets
as the Bonins, Palau, Formosa, the Philippines and French Indo-China.
The 24 year old chief petty officer is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Marion
L. Davis and was educated at Oroville high school and Yuba College.
He is married to the former Flora Marie Lawson of Long Beach. Chief
Davis enlisted in the Navy in July, 1940, and has been awarded the
Air Medal and a Letter of Commendation.
UNION CHURCH SERVICE HERE
The Rev. Mr. Maurice DeVries has been appointed by Dr. Mills, president
of the Ministerial Association, to conduct the hour of music, prayer
and meditation Saturday afternoon from 1 to 2 as requested by President
Truman. The service will be held in the First Methodist Church at
the corner of Robinson and Lincoln. The ministers of the association
will participate, reading familiar passages of Scripture and offering
prayers. There will also be moments of silent prayer. Mrs. Herman
Cochran will be at the console organ. This will be a community service
to which all the people of the city are invited. There will be no
addresses or sermons. The association met at 1 p. m. today to make
further plans.
VOLUNTEERS FILL BANDAGE QUOTAS
Oroville volunteers are completing a quota of surgical dressings
not finished by neighboring chapter. Work is being done only at
the local Red Cross headquarters and during afternoon classes only.
Mrs. Harry Hills, chairman of the department said the quota would
be filled in approximately two weeks. She added that no further
work had been scheduled for the immediate future.
GRADE STUDENTS HOLD MEMORIAL FOR PRESIDENT
The student body of Bird Street school, acting on its own initiative
held a memorial program this afternoon under the direction of Raymond
Kilduff, mayor of the group. “Home on the Range”, the favorite song
of Franklin D. Roosevelt, and several patriotic songs were sung.
Talks included a resume of the life of Roosevelt by Raymond Kilduff
and a report on the reaction of local people as well as people of
national importance was given by Ralph Clark. Albert Walsh spoke
on the life of Pres. Truman. The Boy Scouts present gave the flag
salute and the Scout Oath. The group composed of all the grades
from the first to the eighth were led in the Lord’s Prayer by Raymond
Withrow. Joanne Schab was the announcer for the program.
Stu’s Notes: As far as we know Cpl. Melvin L. Rowe was never
found. Lost so close to the War’s end. He was a graduate of O. H.
S. early in the 40’s. I have a picture of Irene Rowe, a Gold Star
Mother in 1959. She was probably the Mrs. Roy Rowe in the Mercury
Story. Sad a mother loses her son and she’s just a Mrs. Somebody.
Al Mclain and Merle Johnson know a little about Melvin. He died
a Hero and we know so little. What happened to the Patriotic Bird
Street School Boys and Girls? I always like to know the rest of
the story.