December 12, 2014

Charles Leroy Myers (Chico High School Graduate and Prisoner of War, Wake Island 1941)
“After Capture", continued.
We caught the first ship we could get on, a freighter, headed for the United States. We made only one stop from the Philippines to San Francisco which was outside Pearl Harbor. Drew Foss a friend and camp mate was on board. Drew had been in the next squad to us in Camp 18. But was sent to another Camp when we left Camp 18. We met up again in the Philippines. A Foss Company tug boat came out to the ship and Drew, his son, was taken off. We wave good by and continued on to San Francisco. I was seasick again with no pretty girls to hold my head. I stayed on deck: sleeping and resting. I went down to the rest room and for meals: then up to the side of the ship. It seemed like a year but it was really only a couple of weeks. We were both thrilled at the sight as we passed under the Golden Gate Bridge and landed in San Francisco. What a wonderful sight that was! We were home at last. We were dropped off with no money or tickets to go anywhere. When we did get home they started working on me medically. First they removed my appendix, (nearly ruptured) next removed half my stomach and my gall bladder. They took all my teeth out and removed one eye. I now cannot hear in one ear. Then they turned me over and did a colonoscopy on my rear end. So I closed my eyes and said, “Lord, when are you going to take me?” The Lord replied, “I don’t know. I haven’t got a place for half a man. I’ll have to think about it.” So I turned to the Devil and said, “Devil, are going to take me?” He said, “I had you in hell once and you escaped. I don’t want you back to tell others how to escape.” So I stayed around and created my own Heaven on Earth.

Oroville Mercury Register
Aug. 24, 1951
Air Force Hero’s Infant Son Wears His Honor Medal
March Air Force Base, Calif.-(UP)- Gen Hoyt S. Vandenberg presented the only congressional medal of honor so far awarded for air force action in Korea to the red headed 10-month+old son of the late Maj. Louis J. Sebille in a stirring ceremony here today. Dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief, attractive Mrs. Elizabeth J. Sebille held little “Flip” as the air force chief of staff pressed the be-ribboned medal into the hands of the baby. A big grin broke over “Flip’s” face as he vigorously hugged the medal to his chest. Then with the strains of the National Anthem still echoing in the hearts of 1000 civilian and military onlookers, Mrs. Sebille and her little son stood at attention as 4000 airmen paraded in review in honor of her gallant husband. Flights of F-51S and Jet F-86S flew overhead and a giant half circle of B-29’s outlined the parade ground on the ramp of this massive bomber headquarters. Maj. Sebille died near Hamchang, Korea, Aug. 5, 1951, to become the only air force medal of honor winner in this war. His F-51 fighter was severely damaged by antiaircraft fire. Although realizing that he had only a few minutes more in the air he deliberately ignored the possibility of saving his life by parachuting from the plane. He continued his attack against Red forces threatening a U. N. ground unit, exposing himself again to intense enemy ground fire to dive into the flaming guns to his death. Maj. Sebille was commander of the 67th fighter-bomber squadron of the 18th fighter-bomber group.

Stu’s Notes:
Soon I will do a little more on Charles Leroy Myers about what he did after coming home to the area. Lynn and I got to stay on March Air Force Base when Daughter Debbie shipped out on one of her many service Missions. I was quite honored to stay amongst so many of my heroes. I wrote about it back in August 1, 2008. You can see that story on our Website, thanks to Daryl Autrey. I don’t know if any other Airman was awarded the Medal of Honor by the end of the Korean War. But I do know only 106 Congressional Medal’s of Honor were given out in that War and one went to Oroville and Chico’s Pfc. Robert Harley Young. See his story, where of course on the Web.

Two days ago myself and many of our Oroville Veterans Memorial Park Committee honoring all of Butte County Committee members went to the Monday Club to a City Sponsored meeting to talk about The Water Park proposed for Oroville, which is fine, but we are also competing for some of that Supplemental Benefit Funding (SBF). There should be enough money for several River Projects.