The story of Frank Arterberry

In the beginning, Huntington Beach was a quiet, peaceful beach town

that some would refer to as a paradise on earth, an idyllic haven

from the busy outside world to the north, a place to relax and raise

a family.

But as Adam and Eve found out, paradise is not forever, and so it

was with Huntington Beach.

It was on May 24, 1920, that our sleepy paradise ceased. A

Standard Oil Company well, Huntington A No. 1, struck oil, and

shortly thereafter Bolsa Chica No. 1 came in at 2,000 barrels a day.

Our oil boom was on.

Men from all over the country flocked to town with high hopes of

becoming rich. From a town of less than 1,000 people, our town

swelled sevenfold almost overnight.

Most of these men were farm boys and knew what hard work was all

about, and working in the oil field was backbreaking work.

As the oil boom waned, many of these men would move on to greener

pastures, but some remained here for the rest of their lives.

Such a man was Frank Arterberry.

People today can’t imagine America without good roads, but before

1920 most roads were just dirt trails, and on just such a trail Frank

Arterberry was born.

While traveling from Texas to Oklahoma, Frank’s parents, Ed and

Cora Arterberry, were passing through Kinsley, Kan., on Jan. 12,

1914, when Cora gave birth to a son.

The family would eventually settle in Claremore, Okla., where

Frank and his two brothers, David Francis and Buton John, grew up.

Ed, Cora and family made seven trips from their home in Oklahoma

to California before settling in Orange County.

They chose Huntington Beach for their new hometown.

Frank attended Central Elementary School -- Dwyer Middle School

today -- on Palm Avenue and graduated there after completing eighth

grade in 1927.

Frank would finish his education at Newport Harbor High School in

1931.

He met Alma Dye of Costa Mesa, and at the age of 22 Frank married

Alma on Aug. 18, 1936.

Frank went to work in our oil field for several companies, working

on the wooden derricks.

He would later become a driver, delivering oil in company trucks

and tankers.

When World War II came, Frank was inducted into military service,

and with his knowledge of heavy equipment was assigned to the armored

division at Fort Knox, Ky.

From there Frank was sent to Europe, where he was assigned as a

tank driver to the 5th Army Battalion under General George Patton.

During one battle in Italy, his unit was bombed, and he had his

tank blown out from under him.

After that, Frank gave up tank driving to become a footsoldier and

would see action from one end of Italy to the other.

Frank was one of the few soldiers who survived the infamous Poe

Valley Push, and in latter years he would recall the men who gave

their lives for freedom during that battle.

Returning home to Huntington Beach, Frank continued driving

trucks, and he and Alma lived at 1815 Pine St.

Frank ran a business dealing in oil field salvage and equipment at

19161 Crystal St., which is now Gothard Street.

Frank always enjoyed going on hunting and fishing trips.

Locals always found Frank to be a happy and jolly friend and pal

and knew he would go out of his way for his friends.

But life played a dirty trick on Frank. In 1971 he fell ill, and

as his illness continued through the years, it would put a financial

strain on Ed and Alma.

Frank remained cheerful and would relax at home with Alma and

their cat Buttermilk.

Frank passed away on May 12, 1978, here in Huntington Beach.

Although Frank is no longer with us, his memory will live on in

his many friends and neighbors.

* JERRY PERSON is a local historian and longtime Huntington Beach

resident. If you have ideas for future columns, write him at P.O. Box

7182, Huntington Beach, CA 92615.