Humboldt Hero: Staff Sergeant Mervin “Mickey” Foster

Press release from Scott Hammond Insurance:

Staff Sergeant Mervin “Mickey” Foster

The public is invited to attend this month’s Humboldt Heroes ceremony at noon on Friday, May 31st on the corner of 7th and G streets in Eureka. We will be honoring 91-year-old Staff Sergeant Mervin “Mickey” Foster.

Mickey was born on September 22nd, 1932, in Eureka California. In March of 1951, he enlisted in the Air Force because everyone was going to get drafted anyway and Mickey did not want to get drafted into the army. He chose to follow in the footsteps of his brother, who was in the Air Force in World War II in England.

Mickey attended Boot Camp at Lackland Air Force Base and attended school for A&E mechanic B-29 specialty in Wichita Falls, Texas. He also attended an Electrical School at Chattahoochee Field Air Force Base in Illinois. His permanent base was at David Monson out of Tucson Arizona, where he was in the Strategic Air Command group primary strike unit with the 303 bomb unit.

A&E squadron

During his service, Mickey was stationed at Sidi Slimane in French Morroco, Green & Common Royal Air Force Base, and Fairford Royal Air Force base in England. He achieved the rank of Staff Sergeant.

After his honorable discharge, Mickey came back to Humboldt County to be near his family. Being a hard worker, he was employed with Standard Oil as an assistant manager at a station on 4th and I streets, he worked for Mulkey and Kovacovich Tire Store on 4th Street, and then for Paoli Brothers selling foreign sports cars.

Mickey worked in the auto business for 10 years with McRae Motors and Gustafson Chevrolet. He also worked for Shafers Ace Hardware store for 26 years and finally retired from there. Mickey married his current spouse Betty Foster in 1998, and they happily celebrated 25 years of marriage this past December 12th, 2023.

Our nation owes a debt of gratitude to Mickey and other men and women like him that faithfully served their country in wartime and their community in peacetime.