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April 24, 2009

Oroville Mercury Register (OMR)
May 7, 1951
War in Korea is a battle for the hills controlling lower ground, according to Pfc. Charles Stafford Jr., 19-year-old paratrooper son of Mr. and Mrs. C. F. Stafford of Thermalito. Stafford, who has been in Korea six months, wrote to his parents; “Do you want to send me some more packages? I get them on the hills we are always on. We go from hill to hill. We stay for two days and go on to a bigger one than we were on before. We stay until they can find a bigger one and then we go over on it and stay there. That’s the way it goes all the time. We still get our mail.” Stafford asked for more pictures of “all the family,” explaining that the ones he carried with him were burned in a fire in one of the villages. He wrote on Feb. 17, in a letter received by his parents recently: “We have some of the men back that were hit when we first got over here. I was glad to see them come back, instead of seeing some of the boys that are coming in to the army.” The men had been wounded when his outfit made their first jump last October, Of 4000 paratroopers who took part, 185 were killed or wounded, Stafford wrote to his parents. Stafford enlisted in December 1948.

Albert Treichler, son of Mr. and Mrs. August Treichler, has been accepted for enlistment in the U. S. Navy and is now receiving training at San Diego. Treichler registered a score of 99, one of the highest intelligence examination scores to be attained at the Chico recruiting station in the last year, at the time of his enlistment. He attended Oroville high school.

Raymond Wesley Phelps, of Pomona avenue, has enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve and been assigned to active duty. He is now at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego, where he will be given eight weeks recruit training. Phelps, married, and the father of two children, was born and raised in Oroville where he attended Oroville High School. His family lives at the Pomona avenue address here. After completing his boot camp training, Phelps will be advanced to the rank of private first class.

Robert Earl Beavers, son of Mrs. Louise Pearl Martin, Route 5, Oroville, was accepted into the U. S. Marine Corps, and is now in training at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego. Beavers was student at Oroville Union High School where he was a member of the football team during the past two years. He enlisted for a period of three years in the regular Marines. At the end of eight weeks’ training at San Diego, he will be advanced to the rank of private first class

Stu’s Notes: The Oroville Veterans Memorial Park Committee is putting on a Spaghetti Dinner and Dance on May 1, 2009. It will be at the Oroville Veterans Hall. All you can eat for $10 and the ticket will get you into the dance. Dance to the music of Jim Halsey’s Country Duo. The dinner will be served from 5pm to 8pm the dance will be from 8 to 10pm and a No Host Bar will be provided by American Legion Post 95. Come have fun, enjoy yourself. The proceeds got to help build the Veterans Memorial Park. For Tickets call 534-9889 or 532-0336. Next event will be Memorial Day Ceremony at the Oroville Memorial Park Cemetery on Lincoln Street. Starting at 11AM on May 25, 2009. Followed by a ceremony on the Old Green Bridge at 1pm and a Barbeque lunch at the Veterans Memorial Hall. The cost will be $7 for Adults and $2 for children under 12. Offered by the American Legion Post 95. Vene Thompson, Chairman of this event Call Joan Lee 589-1058 for more information

The fighting Stafford Boys, they served our country well, I got to know the Stafford Family when I was 7 years old. In 1948 we moved to 4th street in Thermalito and they lived across a big field from our back yard. Leonard was one of my best friends in grammar school. We (brother Larry and sister Peggy) were always traipsing through the field to their ranch. A loud holler from Mom or Dad (no cell phones) would bring us home for dinner. I remember the stories about Jr. Jumping out of Airplanes, getting shot in the foot coming down. Leonard went on to fight in Vietnam; someday I hope he tells me more of his story. Type in Stafford on our web site and read more of this large extended Oroville family of heroes. Their Mother Stella was a most wonderful lady. Always Mrs. Stafford to me.