June 14, 2013

Oroville Mercury Register
April 12, 1945 (66 years ago)
Roosevelt Dies Death Is From Hemorrhage At Warm Springs
Washington-(U.P.) President Roosevelt died this afternoon at Warm Springs, Ga. Secretary Stephen T. Early announced here. Death was caused by cerebral hemorrhage at the resort where the President had been resting for some ten days. Vice President Harry S. Truman, who succeeds to the nation’s highest office, was called to the White House immediately. An immediate cabinet meeting was summoned. The four Roosevelt sons, all of whom are in the service were notified of the President’s death by messages from Mrs. Roosevelt, she told them the President had done his job to the end and that she knew he would want them to do so too. Mrs. Roosevelt, Early and Adm. McIntyre, the President’s physician, arranged to leave for Warm Springs by plane almost immediately. “We expect to leave Warm Springs tomorrow morning by train for Washington,” Early said. “Funeral services will be held Saturday afternoon in the East Room of the White House. “Interment will be at Hyde Park Sunday afternoon.” Mr. Roosevelt apparently had been wearied by his long trip to Yalta. Despite his confident assurances to Congress in a report on the big three meeting that he never felt better, old time newsmen noted new lines in his face. He went to Hyde Park twice for long week end rests in the weeks after his return from Yalta and then went to Warm Springs March 29 for a more extended rest. Warm Springs- which he liked to call his “second home” – since March 30. The week preceding he had spent at his home in Hyde Park, N. Y. He was 63 years of age and had served as President longer than any other American. With the President at the time of his death was Cmdr. Howard G. enn, who was on the staff of Vice. Adm. Ross T. McIntyre, the president’s personal physician. News of Mr. Roosevelt’s death came from Secretary William D. Hassett. He called in three press association reporters who had accompanied the President here and said: “It is my sad duty to inform you that the President died at 3:35 of a cerebral hemorrhage.” Simultaneously the news was telephoned to the White House in Washington and announced there too.

In Washington the cabinet was immediately convened in emergency session at the White House with Vice President Harry S. Truman, who will become the nation’s new President. The President had spent a leisurely two weeks in Warm Springs. At no time was there any indication that he was sick, beyond the fact that he had not made his usual visits to the Warm Springs swimming pool where in 1924 he began his life-long battle to overcome the withering effects of infantile paralysis. Almost daily during his stay the President took long automobile rides in the soft Georgia spring sun and had been keeping up constantly with developments in Washington and abroad by telephone and through official papers flown to him every morning. On April 5, the President conferred for a day with President Sergio Osmena of the Philippine Commonwealth. He told Osmena that he hoped the Philippine independence would be restored far in advance of the congressional statutory date of July 4, 1946. The Occasion of his meeting with Osmena on April 5 was the last time the three wire service reporters accompanying the President saw him talk for any length of time. He was in gay spirits then and chatted lightly as he sat behind a paper-laden card table, waving his long cigarette holder jauntily and wises cracking with reporters.

Stu’s Notes:
The above Headline says Looking Back of Oroville’s Heroes, well to me and most people, I think, President Roosevelt was a hero of Oroville, our cities, our county and State, our Country and maybe the World. He had the foresight to see that War was inevitable. Hitler, Togo, and Mussolini and others were really out to destroy anything in their war and wanted to rule the World. True he said in the late 30’s “I think America will not go to War” Well he saw that the future of free people would be death. He died doing his duty and can and will be honored in our Tile Wall as Commander in Chief of All Armed Forces. Our project has been held up, I hope and pray the problems can be worked out soon.

FLAG CELEBRATION, Friday, June 14, 2013, 10:00 am, Flag Raising at the Liberty Pole, Corner of Montgomery & Huntoon followed by a No Host Luncheon, Bird Street Café – International Room, Myers Street, Downtown Oroville. Sponsored by: Oroville Heritage Council, “Loyal and Patriotic Order of Liberty Pole” Butte County Historical Society, Oroville Downtown Business Association, City of Oroville, Oroville Area Chamber of Commerce