1960 Roseburg, Oregon Rumble Bees Motorcycle Club - 1-Page Vintage Article

Description

1960  Roseburg, Oregon Rumble Bees Motorcycle Club - 1-Page Vintage Article
Original, Vintage Magazine Article
Page Size: Approx. 8" x 11" (21 cm x 28 cm)
Condition: Good
Award Winning Club —
The Rumble Bees
T HE Rumble Bees Motorcycle Club of Roseburg, Oregon,
which won the plaudits of a grateful community for emergency
disaster service, was named the outstanding motorcycle club in
the nation for 1959, by the American Motorcycle Association.
This citation was for the role its members played following
the explosion of a truck loaded with nitro-carbonitrate .The
blast, which was the equivalent of 52 World War II blockbust-
ers, wiped out most of twelve blocks in the city of 13,000 peo-
ple, claimed 13 lives, and more than 13 million dollars in
property value.
Reacting immediately after the blast, which was touched off
by fire at 1:07 a.m. on August 7, 1959, the Rumble Bees put
into action an emergency plan for which they had trained.
Within minutes, members reported to police headquarters and
were assigned to patrol the blasted-out streets, with instructions
to keep everyone out of the stricken area.
One member, Frank Copeland, was credited with rescuing
seven people from a burning apartment building. Another,
Charlie Scroggins, was blown 100 yards from his motorcycle in
the initial blast, yet helped in fire-fighting efforts and then did
patrol duty with a punctured eardrum.
In addition to patrol duty, the Rumble Bees functioned as
messenger couriers, and did relief work for the local chapter of
the Red Cross. For a time they were the eyes, ears, and arms of
the Roseburg law enforcement and fire-fighting agencies as
they battled to restore order to the blast-torn city.
The club and individual members were personally commend-
ed for their efforts by Governor Mark O. Hatfield, who stated,
“They showed that what could be done by such an organi-
zation should an even greater disaster occur.”
Governor Mark O. Hatfield, Oregon, presents Rumble Bees
members with the AMA award as the outstanding club in 1959.
Shown with the governor are D. L. Johnson, Wayne Hessel-
grave, and Frank Copeland.
Below: Members of the Rumble Bees MC of Roseburg, Ore.,
receive their award in the office of Oregon’s Governor Hatfield.
Club members with him include, from left: Barbara Johnson,
Mrs. D. L. Johnson, D. L. “Les” Johnson, club president, Mrs.
Dorene Pedersen, Mrs. Lillian Jones, Ted Jones, Harold Ped-
ersen, Mrs. Hazel Saxon, Gene Hesselgrave, Mrs. Barbara
Hesselgrave, Wallace Cox, Wayne Hesselgrave, Carol Marical,
Frank Copeland, and Myrna Saxon.
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