Oroville Mercury
September 1, 1950
Pointing to power tubes, Capt. Charles Yeager, of Oroville first
man to fly faster than speed of sound, describes X-1 Bell supersonic
research plane to Paul Garber, director of National Air Museum,
Washington, to which Gen. Vandenberg, air force chief, presented
record-breaking craft. (International.) (This was a caption under
their picture.)
OMR
July 7, 1951
News From Oroville Men In The Service
Ralph W. Dunham, 22, is undergoing preliminary training at Sheppard
Field, Wichita Falls, Tex., following his enlistment in the Air
Force, and his brother, David J. Dunham, 19, is in boot camp training
with the Marines, at San Diego. The brothers are sons of Mr. and
Mrs. Lloyd L. Dunham of Quincy Road. Ralph enlisted in the Air Force
June 6, and has passed all tests to start preliminary training as
an air force cadet. He graduated from Oroville high school in 1947
and attended Chico State for two years. For two years before his
enlistment he was an engineering student at the University of California
He was a member of the varsity football team at Oroville high school
in 1947. David attended Oroville high school for three years and
Yuba college for one year, before his enlistment.
Edgar W. Northcote, airman apprentice, USN, son of Mr. and Mrs.
W. E. Northcote of Route 4, Box 4084, Paradise, is with Air Transport
Squadron 8 based at Hickam Air Force Base, Honolulu, T. H. Squadron
8 gained world-wide recognition for the part it played in the Berlin
Airlift. Now it has been awarded the flying safety trophy, Pacific
Division, of the Military Air Transport Service, for the third consecutive
time. The trophy is awarded to the squadron that flies the most
accident-free hours in a three-month period. Squadron 8 was commanded
by Rear Admiral John M. Hoskins, USN, for the evacuation of 20,000
Combat casualties, 6000 evacuation patients, 86,000 personnel transported
to the Far East and 28,000 tons of cargo flown during the same period.
Bobby Gene Yocum, son of Mr and Mrs. Cleo Yocum, D Street, is stationed
at the Alameda Naval Air school after completing recruit training
at San Diego. Yocum visited his home here for two weeks prior to
reporting for duty at Alameda.
Earl A. Anderson, seaman apprentice, USN, of Route 2, has returned
to San Diego, Calif., aboard the attack transport USS Bayfield after
nine months’ combat duty in Korean waters. The Bayfield left San
Diego September 1, last year for duty in the Far East. The ship,
which was flagship of Transport Squadron One, participated in the
amphibious assault landing at Inchon in September, and at Wonsan
a month later. She also took part in the redeployment of United
Nations troops from Chinnampo and Hungnam.
Harold G. Mayfield, seaman apprentice, USN, son of Mr. and Mrs.
Andrew J. Mayfield of Ft. Wayne, is serving aboard the attack cargo
ship USS Skagit operating in the Far East with units of the Amphibious
Force. The Skagit helped move supplies and equipment ashore at Inchon
during the recent Communist offensive. Her crew is now enjoying
a brief respite and liberty in a Japanese port.
OMR
July 7, 1951
Clarence W. Brines, seaman, USN met movie actress Jennifer Jones
n the U. S. Naval Hospital, Yokosuka, Japan, when the star visited
Korean war veterans in the Far East. Brines is the son of Mr. and
Mrs. Clarence. S. Brines of Durham, and husband of Mrs. Doris J.
Brines of Chico.
Stu’s Notes: We have written of, now, General Charles Yeager
before, and I finally got to meet him when he and his wife came
to Oroville last May. He came to the reenactment of the Memorial
Day event done here in Oroville years ago on our 101 year old Green
Bridge. The above article claimed the Capt. As Oroville’s own, well
he did live in Oroville a short while and married an Oroville High
School girl, Glennis Dickhouse, but I think he belongs to all of
America, as one of our True Heroes. We do need to find out more
about his 357th Fighter Group, 364th Fighter
squadron that trained here in Oroville 1942-45 and fought all over
the world, 4 of those brave young men died flying out of our Army
Air Base. They will “Not be Forgotten”. I have written before of
the Dunham brothers, but not this article. Cpl Joe David Dunham
was killed in action in Korea the summer of 1952. If you type in
Dunham on our web site you will find their stories.