February 13, 2015

Oroville Mercury about 1940
Two Local Scouts To Be Awarded Eagle Rank Sunday
(caption of Picture)
Harold Dahlmeier and Arlin Rhine, who will receive Eagle Scout badges tomorrow at a ceremony in Elks Hall. The rank of Eagle Scout will be awarded to two Oroville boys tomorrow at ceremonies held at the Elks Lodge. Harold Dahlmeier, 16 and Arlin Rhine, 15, high school students and members of Troop 29 under Scoutmaster Hermann Schierenberg, are to receive the badges signifying the Eagle rank of Scouting. Eagle Scout is the highest scouting award a boy may receive and it requires study, work and a strict compliance with the Scout oath and laws. The program which will begin at 3:30 p.m., is not open to the public and will be presided over by Ernest Clewe, chairman. Chief speaker of the day will be Alden Barber, of Chico, national grand commander of the Knights of Dunamis. Also speaking will be Carl Fossette, Fred Shanks, district Scout executive, and J. H. Sharpe.

From Looking Back February 25, 2005
Ten Years ago Mercury Register
March 31, 1945
Cpl. Clifford Arlin Rhine died in the courageous capture of Japanese stronghold. Cpl. Rhine had expressed his satisfaction that his long training period was over and now “at last I can do something worthwhile.” He enlisted in the Marine Corps April 10, 1943, while still in his freshman year at the University of California at Berkeley, and went overseas in September, 1944. Cpl Rhine was graduated from the local high school in 1942. While a student there he was prominent in all student body affairs. He won his letters in tennis, basketball and football. With Walter Mitchell, now a private in the army, he organized the high school Royal Tigers Orchestra. At the university he was pledged to the Alpha Kappa Lamda Fraternity and was also a member of the freshman basketball and football teams. Mentioned in Letters- While training at Camp Pendleton and while based at Hilo, Hawaiian Islands, he played in the marine regimental bands. In San Diego he was graduated Honor man form Radio Operators School, having made the highest marks in his class. Cpl. Rhine’s parents had received no word from his since his landing on Iwo Jima after the invasion. Their first news that he was there came through military dispatches that the Fifth Division had landed on the island and through letters from two of his comrades, formerly his classmates at school, telling that they had seen Cpl. Rhine. Besides his parents his survivors in Oroville include a sister, Pamela: his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. J. F. Morganthaler, His great-grandfather, C. A. Coykendall, and an aunt and uncle Mr. and Mrs. C. E. Grafe.
(Stu-It’s the 70th Anniversary of Iwo Jima.)

Oroville Mercury Register
July 24, 1945
Libbey Flown To America
Mitchel Field, N. Y. – Sgt. Michael C. Libbey, 39, of Oroville, Calif., has been evacuated by air from Europe to the hospital at Mitchel Field. He was taken ill in a hospital in Germany, where he had been under treatment for a dog bite on his lip in April. A member of the 195th Antiaircraft Artillery attached to the Second Armored Division, he landed on Omaha Beach in Normandy on D Day plus five, and moved with the division across France, Belgium, Holland and Germany. Before entering the army in April 1943, he was a gold and copper miner. Oroville Mercury Register July 24, 1945 Social and Club News Soldier and His Nephew Celebrate Birthdays David Rabe and his uncle, Cpl. Don McCarty, celebrated their birthdays with a picnic at Bidwell Bar Sunday. They had two birthday cakes. David had seven candles on his, Cpl. McCarty’s cake, white with lovely pink roses on it was inscribed with “Happy birthday Don.” David is the son of Mrs. Louis Rabe. He and his mother and little sister are making their home with the children’s grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. J. McCarty of Thermalito while the father of the family is in the service. Cpl. McCarty is stationed at Chico Army Air Field.(Stu-David’s father, Louie (Mr.Rabe to me) was my Scout Master Troop 33, served over seas.)

Stu’s Notes:
This is the letter I wrote last year to the OUHS Hall of Fame Committee. “Hi my name is Stu Shaner president of the Oroville Veterans Memorial Park for All of Butte County. I cannot think of anyone more deserving of the Oroville Union High School Hall of Fame than Corporal Arlin Rhine. He gave the ultimate sacrifice to his country. I’ve read and written 1,000s of stories of Oroville’s heroes and Cpl. Arlin Rhine belongs right up there with them all. It is men like him that down through the ages, has made our great county safe and free, the freedoms we should never take for granted. They were won with the blood of men not words. When our country called they went. They didn’t run for the border, they proudly served. What more can I say – heroes all.” I’m pretty sure it was my fault that Arlin Rhine was passed by last year as I could not find all the information that was needed which is very important . This year I am better prepared thanks in part to Ray Sehorn, who does so much along with a lot of wonderful people to put on this program. Thank you Nancy.