January 31, 2014

This is a letter from, Committee Member of the Oroville Veterans Memorial Park honoring all of Butte County, Doug Krause:

Dear Stu,
The recent item in the Oroville Mercury Register; “City Opens Bidding for Communication Tower Lease”, brought to mind of the committee that I worked on several years ago to improve the levee, landscape, lights, and promenade from Bed Rock park to the Veterans Memorial Park, and utilize the Radio Tower, by painting the tower a gold color, with spot lights on at night , just like the Tower Bridge in Sacramento. What a beautiful sight, marking the center of the “City of Gold”, it can be seen from Hwy. 70 and miles around. What other city has this opportunity at no cost to build a tower and put their city on the map? Don’t let this opportunity pass, or be lost, like the century old palm trees in front of the new senior housing on Robinson Street. The trees removed after promising the city that the trees would stay (palm trees don’t get root rot, the trees die of old age, usually 200 plus years). The levee project that I worked on, did not advance, due to all funds at the time going to the Centennial Park. By the way, the park is one of the most beautiful and well planned parks in Northern California, and when completed to Montgomery Street, will be outstanding. In closing I urge you to consider: keep the tower; no leasing or other use; make the tower a permanent fixture; gold color with spot lights. I have been in Oroville since 1938, and have seen many changes I am really excited with all the proposed projects, and thank you for your time and effort to promote and improve this great town!
Thank You, Sincerely, Doug Krause.
(Stu- Doug left Oroville briefly, he went to war.)

Oroville Mercury Register
February 9, 1946
Service Corner…..Sgt. Hayes Home After Overseas Duty
Sgt. Harold V. Hayes, who was discharged Feb. 1 from the U. S. Army is at the home of his parents, Mr. and Mrs. V. B. Hayes of Oroville. Sgt. Hayes entered the service in Nov., 1942, and was overseas 18 months. During that time he served with an anti-aircraft unit of the 9th Army. He was on the Elbe River when the war with Germany ended. After the end of the war he was stationed at Mons, Belgium, guarding soldiers implicated in the black market. He has the Good Conduct Medal, two battle stars, and the European theatre campaign ribbon.

Major Hines Released: Returns To Feather Falls
Major Robert F. Hines, who recently received his discharge from the Army Air Corps, is back at Feather Falls, where he is carrying on his former business, service station and garage. Hines was in the service 3 ½ years, spending one year in Florida and two years in the South Pacific. Since returning to the states last summer, he has been confined to various hospitals. Hines, together with his new partner, Allen P. Williams, has recently purchased the Feather Falls Stage Route from Dee Dodge and is operating it in conjunction with his other business. Williams, a lieutenant in the Air Corps, spent 33 months in the South Pacific, receiving his discharge in October.

Brothers Discharged One Day Apart
Two sons of Mrs. Mary Stafford, Wyandotte Avenue, received discharges a day apart. On Oct. 3, Alexander Stafford, who served in the armed forces for nearly three years, was discharged and is at home here. He was a corporal in the United States Army. Pvt. Walter Stafford, who served about the same length of time, received his discharge on Oct. 4. He was a prisoner in Germany for five months, and received the Good Conduct Medal.
(Stu- In the past I’ve written of Mary’s big family, many went to War.)

Stu’s Notes:
As my readers know I, like Doug, am a champion of saving the Historic Radio Tower. Well, we of the Veterans Memorial Committee heard that 3 million dollars was coming to our town to enhance our river as our Veterans Memorial was part of the River. We went all out to get our share, we hoped for 1 million. When the man came to town to build it, we met him on the levee with our plans, as the City did also. But we said “hi” first. Anyway, that lead to a series of meetings on where the 3 million should go. We attended them all but in the end we left empty handed and all the 3 million went to Centennial Park. Which I, like Doug, think it is a great park and I go there often. Looking back we weren’t ready for a million dollars yet. With our other money we could have built the park back then. But I and other’ had so much research to do finding all those who died and there were many other loose ends. Besides we didn’t even own the land yet! Later on the city of Oroville did buy the House next to the Veterans Hall for us. So not as good as 1 million we moved on. Then, as Butte County was helping us more and more, I got the committee to vote to go county wide and we changed our name by vote to “Oroville Veterans Memorial Park for all of Butte County. Now years later just look at how far we’ve come. This summer I’m going to lay on that grass in the sun and be happy. Wow almost a year since V. E. day, “Victory over Europe and 4 months since V. J. Day “Victory over Japan and thousands of our boys are not home yet.