July 1, 2005

Oroville Mercury June 17, 1945 and January 18, 1944
Lt. Gene Hill Visits Here During Leave
Lt. Gene Hill has returned to Camp Beale for further assignment after spending a 21 day leave with his mother, Mrs. Lillie Hill and sisters, Belva and Shirley, of Chico. He also visited in Oroville. He was one of the first pilots to graduate from Stockton about three years ago. He was a pilot of a transport carrying paratroopers. Lt. Hill is entitled to wear five battle stars for action in five different countries. He was one of the lucky ones to come through the action without a scratch. He had been in the European area for over two years before being sent home and given a furlough. Hill spent his boyhood in Oroville attending grammar and high schools here. He is a nephew of Frank Ford of Thermalito.

Jimmy Stewart Named State’s Best Young Man
Pasadena-(UUP)- Capt. Jimmy Stewart, slow-grinning movie star once dejected by the army because he was underweight, today carried the title of “California’s Outstanding Young Man of 1943.” A committee headed by Dr. Robert Gordon Sproul, University of California President, voted the United States Junior Chamber of Commerce distinguished service award to the air forces officer yesterday. Stewart, who gave up $1500 a week as a movie star to volunteer for the army at $21 a month became a buck private in March, 1941, a month after winning a movie “Oscar” as the best male actor of 1940. With 325 solo flying hours to his credit the former movie idol was transferred to the army air forces and became a lieutenant, in January 1942 and a captain July 1943.

Free State Show Planned Feb. 3 For Bond Buyers
TThe State Theatre will give a Bond Show on the night of Feb. 3, it was announced today by A. J. (Roy) Gault, chairman of the Oroville committee in charge of the 4th War Loan Drive. Manager Walter E. Tooley said there will be pictures and other entertainment on the program but there will not be an auction this time. The picture starts at 9:30 p. m. Tooley said that in order to attend the show, everyone must have a ticket, which will be issued free upon the purchase of a war bond. Gault said bonds are on sale at the State Theatre, both Oroville banks, at the Post Office and at the El Medio branch post office at Keener’s.

Stu’s notes: I received a phone call from my friend Juanita Anglin, she reads all my stories. She said in WWII it was the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corp, (W.A.A.C.) not W.A.C. as reported by Oroville Mercury Register in 1944. Juanita, an Oroville girl, Oroville Union High School graduate, raised proudly in South-side told me she enlisted in the W. A. A. C. in 1960. She caught the bus at the Oroville Veterans Memorial Hall and went off to an Army life and a war. After 1973 it became the Women’s Army Corp as part of the regular army. Now women could become Army Officers. Juanita served her country well, coming home from Vietnam with the Army Commendation Metal among others. She, like my daughter, was a good marksman. Some of her work in Vietnam is still classified so this story is not complete. Juanita is a lifetime member Post 1747 Veterans of Foreign Wars Oroville.

I am still waiting for someone to tell me a little more about Major Robert L. Sherman, the Oroville man who died in the B-52 Crash. The motto of our Oroville Veterans Memorial Committee is “Not Forgotten Veterans”, because so many seem to be forgotten.

Right under last weeks story of Gals Gone Off To War and not many Marriage licenses issued was this marriage license; Fowler-Grisley- In Oroville Feb. 29 1944 Charles F. Fowler Jr. 25 and Irma Rae Grisley 23 both of Oroville. Their sons John/span> and Randy are long time friends of Lynn and I. Irma Rae was a hairdresser in Oroville many years. A member of the First United Methodist Church and the Monday Club.

Jimmy Stewart has always been one of my favorite Hollywood people of the past. He was a true American Hero. And as my Mother’s maiden name and my middle name is Stewart we could be related. Who knows? I went to O.U.H.S. with Bob, Mr. Tooley’s son.