War Memorial Stadium
Honoring the Bearcats of War Memorial Stadium
Joseph George “Buzzy” Crettol
Class of 1943
February 23, 1925 – September 1, 1943
Joseph “Buzzy” Crettol was the son of Jess and Blanche (Farriani) Crettol. In 1934, Father Wand, pastor of Mission San Miguel, invited the Crettol family to move from Wasco to San Miguel to help restore the historic mission.
Jess Crettol and his sons, Jesse and Joseph, initially planned to undertake a partial restoration. As the work progressed, however, the family committed to rebuilding the foundations of the old quadrangle, which had deteriorated almost to rubble. The Crettols made the bricks themselves and began by restoring the quadrangle.
Joseph enlisted in the U.S. Coast Guard on February 22, 1943, several months before graduating from Paso Robles High School with the Class of 1943. He attained the rank of Seaman Second Class.
On September 1, 1943, Joseph died in Santa Rosa, California, as the result of an accidental discharge of a firearm. He was 18 years old.
Joseph is buried at Mission San Miguel Cemetery in San Miguel, California.
Raymond Otto Dauth
Class of 1936
May 3, 1919 - January 27, 1945
Raymond Otto Dauth was the middle child of Otto E. Dauth and Sarah M. Rougeot. The family lived in the Lowe’s Canyon area east of San Miguel before moving to Paso Robles in 1928. Raymond graduated from Paso Robles High School with the Class of 1936 and was a standout member of the basketball team.
He enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps in November 1940 at Fort MacArthur in San Pedro, California. Raymond completed pilot training in Santa Maria, where he finished at the top of his flight class, and continued his training at Randolph Field in San Antonio, Texas, and Pratt Army Air Field in Kansas. He later served as a flight instructor before training to fly the B-29 Superfortress.
In October 1944, Captain Dauth was sent to Saipan in the Mariana Islands, where he was assigned to the 870th Bombardment Squadron, 497th Bombardment Group (Very Heavy).
On January 27, 1945, Captain Dauth served as pilot and aircraft commander of the B-29 Shady Lady (#42-24619) on a mission to bomb the Musashino Aircraft Engine Factory near Tokyo. During the mission, the aircraft came under intense fighter attack. According to accounts of the engagement, Captain Dauth attempted to take cover in the clouds, but the B-29 was struck head-on by a Japanese Nakajima Ki-44 “Tojo” fighter piloted by Master Sergeant Kiyoshi Suzuki of the 47th Sentai.
The Shady Lady is believed to have broken apart in flight. Captain Dauth and the other 10 members of the crew were declared missing in action. He was 25 years old.
Captain Dauth received the Air Medal, Purple Heart, American Campaign Medal, Presidential Unit Citation, Army Good Conduct Medal, and Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal. He is memorialized on the Tablets of the Missing at the Honolulu Memorial in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Raymond James “Jimmy” Farnell Jr.
Class of 1938
March 21, 1920 – March 5, 1944
Raymond “Jimmy” Farnell Jr. was the son of Raymond and Kitty (Sweet) Farnell. He attended Pleasant Valley School before enrolling at Paso Robles High School. At PRHS, Jimmy played baseball and was active in the drama program, including the junior class production of Growing Pains.
He enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps on October 6, 1941, in Los Angeles and served as a gunner with the 321st Bomb Squadron, 90th Bomb Group, Fifth Air Force.
On January 20, 1943, Jimmy was serving aboard a B-24D Liberator, serial number 41-24101, that departed from 5 Mile Drome near Port Moresby, New Guinea, on a patrol and reconnaissance mission over the Madang-Wewak-Manus-Vitiaz Strait area.
While flying over Wewak that morning, the crew reported enemy shipping in the harbor and observed Japanese fighters taking off to intercept them. The B-24 came under anti-aircraft fire and fighter attack, sustaining serious damage. The crew attempted to escape, but the aircraft was forced to ditch off Wewak.
The bomber broke apart on impact. Two crewmen were killed, while eight others, including Jimmy, survived. The survivors spent approximately two and a half days clinging to a four-man life raft before reaching Wageo Island, where local residents cared for them for nearly two months.
The men then attempted to make their way back to Allied territory, traveling by canoe through the islands and toward the north coast of New Guinea. On March 13, 1943, the surviving crew members were captured by a Japanese Army patrol and became prisoners of war.
They were transported through Wewak and Kairiru Island to Rabaul, where they were imprisoned. In November 1943, four members of the crew were sent to Japan and survived the war. Jimmy and three others remained prisoners at Rabaul.
In early March 1944, as Allied bombing intensified around Rabaul, prisoners were moved to a tunnel complex at Tunnel Hill. On March 4 and 5, 1944, 31 Allied prisoners of war, including Sergeant Farnell, were taken from the camp to the Tanoura area near Talili Bay and executed. The killings later became known as the Talili Bay Massacre, Tunnel Hill Massacre, or Tunnel Hill Incident.
Sergeant Farnell was 23 years old.
He is buried at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in Lemay, Missouri.
Edward Reekie Johnson
Class of 1937
August 16, 1919 – April 7, 1945
Edward Reekie Johnson was the son of William J. and Sarah Johnson. He graduated from Paso Robles High School with the Class of 1937 and later worked for Lockheed Aircraft Company before enlisting in the U.S. Army on August 10, 1944.
On December 24, 1944, Edward married Lois Fitzgerald.
Private Johnson served with Company I, 3rd Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment—known as the “Cacti”—of the 25th Infantry Division, nicknamed “Tropic Lightning.”
Following the Allied invasion of Luzon in the Philippines on January 9, 1945, the 25th Infantry Division was ordered north toward Kapintalan and then through the strategically important Balete Pass toward Santa Fe. The 35th Infantry Regiment was selected to lead the attack on Kapintalan.
On April 2, the 3rd Battalion began its assault on a heavily defended ridge south of the town, where Japanese forces were entrenched in caves and pillboxes. The fighting continued for approximately a week.
Private Johnson was killed in action on April 7, 1945. He was 25 years old. Allied forces secured Kapintalan later that month.
For his service, Private Johnson received the Combat Infantryman Badge, Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, and World War II Victory Medal.
He is buried at Golden Gate National Cemetery in San Bruno, California, in Section B, Site 117.
George Manuel Quintana
Class of 1942
August 26, 1924 – April 6, 1945
George Manuel Quintana came from a pioneering San Luis Obispo County family. He was the son of Manuel T. Quintana and Philomena (Miller) Quintana and grew up in the Creston area. George graduated from Paso Robles High School with the Class of 1942 and attended Cal Poly for one year before entering military service.
He enlisted in the U.S. Army on May 13, 1944, at the Presidio of Monterey and was assigned to Company G, 2nd Battalion, 253rd Infantry Regiment, 63rd Infantry Division. After training at Camp Van Dorn, Mississippi, the regiment arrived in France in December 1944.
By early April 1945, the 253rd Infantry Regiment was engaged in combat operations in southwestern Germany. George’s unit took part in the fighting around Buchhof and Stein am Kocher, part of a seven-day battle between American forces and Germany’s 17th SS Panzergrenadier Division in the region between the Neckar and Kocher rivers.
On April 6, 1945, Company G was fighting to capture the town of Buchhof against heavy German resistance. Private Quintana was killed in action during the battle. He was 20 years old.
The fighting in the area was costly. During the battle, the 2nd Battalion, 253rd Infantry Regiment suffered 66 men killed in action and 238 wounded.
Private Quintana is buried at Lorraine American Cemetery in Saint-Avold, France, in Plot A, Row 30, Grave 37.
Louis Francis Patriquin
Class of 1925
May 1, 1908 – March 22, 1943
Louis Francis Patriquin was born in Lake County, California, and raised in the Parkfield area. He was the son of Alexander G. Patriquin and Lulu (Stovall) Patriquin.
At Paso Robles High School, Louis was an accomplished athlete who competed in football, basketball, baseball, and track and field. As the baseball team’s shortstop, he was known as a dependable fielder and led the team in hitting with a .500 batting average. He was also vice president of the Spanish Club and a member of the Glee Club.
After graduating from PRHS, Louis lived in Kern County and worked for Kern Valley Packaging. He enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps on December 21, 1941, in Los Angeles. He trained as both a flight engineer and aerial gunner aboard the B-17 Flying Fortress and was assigned to the 301st Bomb Group.
Louis deployed to England in 1942 and flew combat missions over Europe, primarily over France. He was wounded in action during a mission over Lille, France, in October 1942.
The following month, elements of the 301st Bomb Group were transferred to North Africa. On March 22, 1943, Technical Sergeant Patriquin was serving as flight engineer and top turret gunner aboard the B-17F Junior, serial number 42-5179, assigned to the 352nd Bomb Squadron.
The crew was flying a high-altitude bombing mission against the harbor at Palermo, Sicily, with the objective of striking docks and shipping. While over the target, the aircraft was hit by anti-aircraft fire in the left wing, igniting a fuel tank. The fire spread into the aircraft, and as the crew fought the flames, the B-17 exploded in flight.
Five members of the crew were killed. At least two others survived the explosion and parachuted to the ground, where they were captured by Italian forces. Technical Sergeant Patriquin is believed to have been killed in the explosion. He was 34 years old.
For his service, he received the Purple Heart, four awards of the Air Medal, the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, and the World War II Victory Medal.
Technical Sergeant Patriquin was initially buried locally before his remains were recovered and reinterred in an American military cemetery. He is buried at the Sicily-Rome American Cemetery in Nettuno, Italy, in Plot E, Row 2, Grave 29.
James Leroy Pearson
Class of 1940
September 24, 1922 – December 26, 1944
James Leroy Pearson was born in Hemet, California, to Thomas Branson Pearson and Bernice Irene (Howard) Pearson. His father died in 1929, and his mother later married Thomas B. Howard. James attended school in Hanford before moving to Paso Robles and graduating from Paso Robles High School with the Class of 1940.
He entered the U.S. Army Air Corps on December 11, 1942, and trained as a navigator at Columbus Army Air Field in Mississippi. In January 1944, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant.
First Lieutenant Pearson was assigned to the 455th Bomb Squadron, 323rd Bombardment Group, flying aboard Martin B-26 Marauder medium bombers from a base at Laon, France.
On December 26, 1944, James was serving as navigator aboard the B-26 Mission Belle, serial number 41-34955, on a bombing mission against Houffalize, Belgium, in support of American forces fighting in the Battle of the Bulge.
During the mission, the formation encountered difficulty identifying the target and was forced to make a second bombing pass. As the aircraft released its bombs and turned away, it was struck by anti-aircraft fire between the left engine and the fuselage. The blast punctured the left main fuel tank and severely damaged the wing.
The aircraft went down near St. Vith, Belgium. All members of the crew were killed. James was 22 years old.
For his service, First Lieutenant Pearson received the Air Medal with four Oak Leaf Clusters, the Purple Heart, the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, and the World War II Victory Medal.
He is buried at Hanford Cemetery in Hanford, California, in Section New, Lot 261.
Robert Laurence “Bob” Rogers
September 23, 1921 – December 1, 1942
Robert “Bob” Rogers was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Bill Schmidt. He entered Paso Robles High School as a sophomore before enlisting in the U.S. Navy in 1939.
Bob served aboard the heavy cruiser USS Northampton (CA-26) as a Fire Controlman Third Class. Commissioned in 1930, Northampton became a veteran of the Pacific War and took part in major operations including the Battle of Midway, the Solomon Islands campaign, and the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands.
On the night of November 30, 1942, USS Northampton was operating with Task Force 67 during the Battle of Tassafaronga near Guadalcanal. American warships were attempting to intercept a Japanese destroyer force carrying supplies to troops in the Solomon Islands.
The American force opened fire using radar-directed gunfire, but the Japanese destroyers responded with a devastating torpedo attack. Several U.S. cruisers were struck and forced out of the action.
Near the end of the battle, two torpedoes struck Northampton on her port side, causing severe damage, cutting electrical power, and starting fires throughout the ship. Her crew fought for hours to save the cruiser, but uncontrolled flooding caused the ship to list heavily.
USS Northampton sank in the early morning hours of December 1, 1942, in Ironbottom Sound. Fifty members of her crew were lost, including Fire Controlman Third Class Robert Rogers. He was 21 years old.
Bob is buried at Paso Robles District Cemetery, Plot 61-16.
Benjamin Franklin “Bennie” Sauret
December 18, 1914 – July 24, 1943
Benjamin “Bennie” Sauret was the youngest of 13 children born to Jacques Henri Sauret, a French immigrant, and Catherine (Mohr) Sauret. His parents were ranchers, and Bennie grew up in the Paso Robles area. He attended Oak Flat School, where he enjoyed camping and hunting. Like his older brothers, he also played baseball as an infielder.
Bennie attended Paso Robles High School through the 10th grade. Before entering military service, he worked for the Slate Almond Company and later attended college.
He enlisted in the U.S. Army on March 18, 1941, in San Francisco and was assigned to Company C, 185th Infantry Regiment, 40th Infantry Division.
While stationed in Hawaii, Bennie wrote home to his sister and described enjoying his time there. In one letter, he mentioned a group of performers from Hollywood who had visited to put on a show for the troops. He had also recently passed the examination required to attend officer training and was expected to return to the mainland for Officer Candidate School.
On July 24, 1943, Bennie’s unit was conducting jungle training in Hawaii when he was killed in an accidental hand-grenade explosion while fighting a brush fire. He was 28 years old.
Bennie is buried at Paso Robles District Cemetery, Section 181, A23.
Donald Sydney “Donny” Steiner
Class of 1940
March 5, 1922 – July 17, 1943
Donald “Donny” Sydney Steiner was born and raised in Paso Robles, the son of William N. Steiner and Bernice A. (Bunch) Steiner. He was well known throughout northern San Luis Obispo County and was highly involved in student life at Paso Robles High School.
Donny served as freshman class president, president of the Hi-Y Club, and a member of the Student Executive Board. He was also the starting quarterback on the football team during his senior year. After college, he hoped to become an electrical engineer.
Following his graduation from PRHS, Donny enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps on February 23, 1942. He attended Taft Junior College and later completed flight training at the Naval Air Station in Corpus Christi, Texas.
Second Lieutenant Steiner entered active duty with the Marine Corps Reserve on March 31, 1943. He was assigned to Marine Fighting Squadron 113 (VMF-113), known as the “Whistling Devils,” and was based at Marine Corps Air Station El Toro, California, where he trained in the F4U Corsair.
On July 17, 1943, during his final training flight before deployment to the South Pacific, Donny was one of three Marine aviators killed when two aircraft collided head-on near Murrieta, California. He was 21 years old.
Second Lieutenant Steiner is buried at Paso Robles District Cemetery, Plot 61-16.
Abraham Lemuel “Abby” Van Horn
Class of 1937
August 12, 1918 – January 7, 1945
Abraham “Abby” Van Horn was one of eight children born to Swiss immigrants George F. Van Horn and Emilie (Wyss) Van Horn. He was born and raised in the Adelaida area and attended Paso Robles High School, where he earned varsity letters in cross country and track. He was also a member of the PR Club and the Senior Hi-Y Club.
After graduating from PRHS, Abby moved to Fallon, Nevada. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy on October 8, 1942.
Machinist’s Mate Third Class Van Horn served aboard the high-speed minesweeper USS Hovey (DMS-11). During his time aboard, Hovey operated in the Solomon and Marshall Islands before taking part in operations supporting the invasion of Luzon in the Philippines.
In the early morning hours of January 7, 1945, while supporting the landings at Lingayen Gulf, Hovey came under Japanese air attack. At approximately 4:55 a.m., the ship was struck by a torpedo on the starboard side near the aft engine room. Electrical power was lost almost immediately, and the vessel began to break apart.
Within minutes, Hovey sank in deep water. Twenty-four members of the crew were killed, including Abraham. He was 26 years old.
A family member later recalled that when Abby was home on leave before returning to the Pacific, he said goodbye to his family as though he did not expect to return.
Abraham is memorialized at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial in the Philippines and has a memorial headstone at Templeton Cemetery in California.
Donald Smith
Class of 1937
Of the 12 Bearcats honored at War Memorial Stadium, Donald Smith has proven the most difficult to document.
Available records indicate that Don attended Paso Robles High School during his senior year and graduated with the Class of 1937. He later enlisted in the U.S. Navy before the United States entered World War II.
Because Donald Smith is such a common name, identifying his military service with certainty has been challenging. Navy casualty records include numerous servicemen named Donald Smith, and research to date has not produced enough information to conclusively determine which record belongs to the Paso Robles graduate honored at War Memorial Stadium.
Research into Don’s life and service is ongoing. As additional records, photographs, or family information become available, this biography will be updated.