Yuba City airman dies overseas
Airman First Class Owen Little had a lot to celebrate: he turned 21 just two weeks ago, he was stationed at an Air Force Base in Italy, and he was married in August.
But the former Yuba City man was found dead early Monday at Aviano Air Base, officials said, and his death is being investigated by Italian police with support from the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, according to a press release. The cause and manner of his death have not been released.
Little was assigned to the 31st Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, 56th Helicopter Maintenance Unit at the Aviano Air Base – a North Atlantic Treaty Organization base -- in northeastern Italy, according to the release.
His wife, Melody Little, 20, said he had been in Italy for a year and a half and before that was in England. They met at Yuba City High School and dated for two years before marrying at the Delta King in Sacramento this summer. She said he had planned to return to Yuba City for leave Dec. 20.
“Owen was just a loving person all around,” Melody Little said Friday. “A loving son, loving husband, loving friend. He was great all around.”
She planned to join him in Italy next year while they waited for his Yuba City native and Airman First Class Owen Little died at Aviano Air Base in Italy on Monday. He and his wife, Melody, married in Sacramento on Aug. 10.
next assignment, and they hoped to start a family soon. She said when they video-chatted for his birthday, he was excited to have his first drink with friends in Italy.
“He loved his job, I can’t explain that enough,” she said.
She said there will be a memorial service at the Aviano Air Base on Monday.
“The entire Aircraft Maintenance Squadron mourns the loss of Airman First Class Little,” Maj. Abraham Smith, acting commander, 31st Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, said in the release. “Right now, our focus is providing support to those who loved him. He was an essential member of our maintenance team and he will be dearly missed.” piecing their lives back together this holiday season, there are a few ways Yuba-sutter residents can pitch in to help with the long recovery process.
Habitat for Humanity Yuba/sutter has a fundraising campaign specifically to help Camp Fire victims. The organization joined with Thrivent Financial, which will match every dollar given to Habitat for up to $250,000.
The funds generated so far have helped the organization provide gift cards to victims so that they can purchase items specific to their needs.
“Locally, we’ve given – since the start of the fire until the local shelter shut down – about $4,000 worth of gift cards. With the Orland and Gridley evacuation centers, we’ve issued another $1,000 gift cards,” said John Nicoletti, public information officer for Habitat for Humanity Yuba-sutter.
Another local group that has helped North State wildfire victims this year is 4G Foundation, a nonprofit organization recently formed by Jerry Handy. The organization has raised funds through Facebook and its website – www.4gfoundation. org.
“We started by going out and feeding folks,” Handy said on Friday. “We teamed up with Rolling Stone Pizza and Ozark Backwoods BBQ and have been serving sandwiches and pizza. We’ve served over 4,000 people in the last three weeks, so it’s been quite an effort. We’ve just had a ton of volunteer support and funding coming in to help us go out and buy all the stuff we needed to be able to feed all those people.”
Nicoletti said the outpouring of community support has been tremendous.
Locals have provided temporary recreational vehicles and temporary shelter to victims. Those with business networks have assisted Habitat and others in finding job opportunities for victims. There have even been employee groups from companies – locally and out of the area – that have reached out to Habitat, offering to raise money this holiday season instead of purchasing gifts for Christmas parties.
“It really has been a source of pride in our community. It’s sad to say but we have so much experience in flood and fires and rapid evacuations in our community,” Nicoletti said. “The Camp Fire victims are quickly moving toward the recovery process. Red Cross and FEMA will eventually leave, but the locals will be the ones still there to help. That’s been the biggest sense of reward: we have a community that recognizes those needs and symptoms and we treat them. That’s when we shine.”
To donate time or money to Habitat, visit www.yubasutterhabitat.org or call Nicoletti at 701-1773.
A website was created to help Camp Fire victims find response and recovery information all in one place – www.buttecountyrecovers.org. The website has a section dedicated to “Donations and Volunteers.”
Supply donations are not needed at this time. Instead, the website states, the best way for people to help is through volunteering and monetary donations.
Those interested in volunteering can sign up to help the American Red Cross, FEMA, the Salvation Army and North Valley Animal Disaster Group.
Organizations accepting monetary donations include the North Valley Community Foundation, North Valley Animal Disaster Group, Caring Choices, United Way, American Red Cross, Salvation Army, the Butte County Office of Education (Schools Fire Relief Fund), Wildcats Rise Fire Recovery Fund, Oroville Hope Center, Search and Rescue, Tri Counties Bank and Golden Valley Bank Community Foundation.