April 19, 2013

The Chico Record
May 2, 1945
“Some Gave All”
Paul Eutler Killed In Germany
April 18 Tech. 5th Grade Paul L. Eutler, 21 son of Mr. and Mrs. Walter L. Eutler of Rt. 1, Box 406, was killed in action in Germany on April 18, according to a War Department telegram to his parents. A graduate of Chico schools Eutler went into the tank corps in January, 1943. He was a member of Chico Post No. 1555, F.F.W. His father served in France during World War I.

The Chico Record
May 2, 1945
“Some Gave All”
Ted Martin Reported Killed On Iwo Jima
Theodore (Ted) Martin, 42, MM 2/c, native of Chico and resident here many years, was killed in action with the Seabees on Iwo Jima on March 26, according to a war department notification to his brother, Albert Miller of Chico. Martin moved to Lakeport about 18 years ago where he was employed as a ranch foreman. While in Chico he attended Chico High School and was employed at the Diamond Match factory. He joined the Seabees in April, 1943, and was stationed in the Hawaiian Islands over a year. Martin’s nephew, Cpl. C. L. Eads of Chico was also on Iwo Jima with the 3rd Division Marines but had not met his uncle there. The two had been together in the Hawaiian Islands also. Survivors include his brother in Chico, another brother, Lee Martin also in Chico and two sisters, Mrs. M. F. Fletcher of Chico and Mrs. William Maxley of Laytonville.

The Chico Record
May 2, 1945
Sgt. Carl E. Stalter Wins DFC for Heroic Action In Belgium
Sgt. Carl E. Stalter, son of Mr. And Mrs. William F. Stalter of Chico, was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross of extraordinary heroism in action against the enemy in Belgium on Dec. 16. 1944. Stalter was a member of the light tank platoon sent to reinforce a squadron facing a German counter-offensive. The enemy penetrations had surrounded the entrance to the town and the only evacuation route was blocked by an abandoned vehicle. With complete disregard for his own safety Stalter crawled to the truck under heavy fire and drove it back to his troops. On his return, Stalter assumed voluntary command and covered the troops withdrawal with a heavy stream of machine gun fire, inflicting heavy losses in the enemy ranks. This action made it possible to withdraw safely to a town held by American troops.
(Stu- DFC should be DSC, I think.)

The Chico Record
May 2, 1945
Nazi Radio Claims Hitler Slain In Berlin
Confirmation Of Reports Lacking
By Clifford L. Day
London, May 1, -(UP) – The German radio said tonight that Adolf Hitler died this afternoon, “fighting till his last breath,” in his Reichschancellery command post in battle-enshrouded Berlin after naming Grand Adm. Karl Doeniz, navy commander in chief, to succeed him. Doenitz at once pledged himself to continue the war “against Bolshevism”, but said he would fight America and Britain only “in as far and so long” as they hindered the fight against Russia. The report of Hitler’s death was not confirmed by any Allied source and was at once reported in well informed quarters here that the Allies in accepting unconditional surrender would demand his body in proof that World Enemy No. 1 was really dead, not hiding to escape justice. The German report of Hitler’s death said he met a hero’s end and sought to give the impression that he was killed in the savage battle for Berlin where the Russians were only 300 yards from his chancellery. If the report was true, the fuehrer, at 56, died 12 years and three months after he established the Third Reich that was to have endured a thousand years.

Stu’s Notes:
The above story “Some Gave All” about Paul Eutler came from the Chico Record, in its ninety second year, it has a little more about Paul than a previous story I did about him from the Oroville Mercury, May 14, 1945. In that story his name was spelled Entler. Which is right, we don’t know at this point. We want to get it right when it is carved in stone. Is Entler Road named for him or his family? Sadly he died less than 3 weeks before the end of the war in Germany.

Theodore “Ted” Martin was a name we did not have until now. Thank you again Buzz Huntington for those Chico Record papers. Since Ted moved away from Chico, he is not on any Butte County list. But he will surely be honored in our Oroville Veterans Memorial Park for all of Butte County. The search goes on and on. We know that we won’t have every name that should be on our Memorial when it is done. It will be in Granite and we will leave room to chisel more names if we find them.

This is all we know of Sgt. Carl E. Stalter, except looking at Bill Edmiston’s WWI list of those buried in Chico it seems Carl’s Dad served in WWI.

Well we know Hitler didn’t die fighting to the death, the coward left that up to little boys and old men, at the war’s end. He died like a rat at the bottom of a hole, the most evil man in the world.