February 9, 2007
More from “Recollections From Army Days” By Robert C. Brooks
Orville Wollenburg, who had tried to aid Bill Groves during our
attack near Uttweler, had been in the Army Specialized Training
Program before being assigned to our infantry platoon. The A.S.T.P.
had been terminated and the men sent to various line units. Wollenburg
had been commended for trying, under fire, to aid Groves. Groves
died while Wollenburg was trying to help him; he listened to Groves’
last words. Ironically, Wollenburg was mistakenly shot, during a
night attack, taken to a hospital, and died there sometime later.
He had written from the hospital to one of his friends in our platoon,
Harold Weege, and seemed to be getting along all right, when we
got word that he died. Weege was especially grieved, as he and Wollenburg
were from the A.S.T.P. and was present when Wollenburg was wounded.
Sometime later, Weege and I were on guard one night. Weege had been
obviously depressed, but we talked about the war and what we were
doing. He told me that no matter how he felt he wanted to keep going,
and do all he could until we finished the war. He said that no one
should think he had done enough as long as there was something to
be done to help end the war. (To be continued.)
Oroville Mercury January 2, 1951
Shaner begins Third Marine Corps Hitch
US-Sgt. Paul F. Shaner, son of Mrs. B. L. Mills of Thermalito, has
re-enlisted in the U. S. Marine Corps for a six-year term, it was
announced here today by T-Sgt. Charles Wilson, recruiting officer
for the Corps. Shaner is stationed in San Francisco where he is
a news writer and photographer with the public information service
of the Western Recruiting Division, USMC. He first enlisted in 1941
and served for the duration of World War II. After one year out
of the service he again enlisted. In addition to his mother, Shaner
has two brothers in the Oroville area. They are Walter Shaner of
Oroville and Stanley B. Shaner of Thermalito.
Oroville Mercury January 16, 1951
News From Oroville Men in The Service
An Oroville boy, who took part in three months of the bitterest
Korean fighting, has been sent home by the Army because he is only
16 years. C. A. Morrison Jr., son of Mrs. Margaret Pereda
of Virginia Avenue, is now in Los Angeles to attend school following
his discharge from the Army. Young Morrison joined the Army in June,
1949 and was sent to Korea last September. From his arrival there
until he was sent back to the United States Nov. 27, Morrison participated
in some of the United Nation’s forces heaviest fighting in North
Korea, including the battle for Chosin Reservoir, before the Army
learned his age. He is the grandson of Mrs. A. W. Mastelotto of
Canyon Highlands Drive.
HEADLLINES FROM OROVILLE MERCURY REGISTER
January 15, 1951
“We’re Staying", Chief Tells 8th Army Officers Tank-Led
Yanks Take Osan From Enemy
American troops and tanks exploded a counter-attack south of Seoul
Monday and reoccupied the highway center of Osan. A three-pronged
Allied drive carried to within 23 miles of Seoul in a swift thrust
which the U. S. 8th Army said was designed to “fix the
location and number of enemy on our front.” U. S. Army Chief of
Staff J. Lawton Collins visited the front and told 8th
Army officers that “as of now, we are going to stay in Korea and
fight.” He promised more troop replacements within the next few
months.
January 23, 1951
Peking Proposal Divides Allies
Britain Not Ready To Support U. S.
Prime Minister Clement Attiee made it clear today that Britain was
not yet ready to support an American proposal to brand Communist
China an outright aggressor in Korea.
January 24, 1951 Willing to Negotiate, Peking Reports
Immediate Talk On Korean War Sought by China
January 25, 1951 New Peace Overture Received From China January
29, 1951 Allied Vanguard Drives On Seoul
Stu’s Notes: I am really proud of my Uncle Paul, he was in three
wars as a volunteer. He was a combat gunner in a B-25 in the South
Pacific (shot down once), Combat Photographer in Korea and ran a
TV station for the troops in Vietnam. He came to Oroville quite
often. What a young hero C. A. Morrison was, a volunteer at 16 years
old. I hope the Mastelotto family can let us know more about him.
Korea, what a brave group of fighting men we had over there. The
Head Lines I’ve used the last month or so to tell the story, within
a few weeks of almost loosing Korea they came back and fought their
way back to the North Korean Border and past. Funny, now that our
guys are winning, China wants to come to the Peace Table. It seems
like America does more than most countries, Our Boys were dying
and we knew by whom.