Histories

He graduated from Newton high school [Newton, Kansas] in May 1936 and was inducted October 6, 1942 at Camp Beauregard, La. He was in training in radio school at Sioux Falls, S. Dak. November 17, was graduated and sent to gunnery school at Las Vagas, Nev. He graduated there May 1, 1943. He was sent to Salt Lake City, Utah, Moses Lake, Wash., Walla Walla, Wash., for flying practice. August 5, 1943 he was sent to Topeka, Kansas. On August 10th he had a short leave of 24 hours which he spent at Newton, his last trip home.

Melvin was shipped overseas August 21, 1943 and was stationed at Suetterton, England. He was on his thirteenth mission, December 20, 1943, when he went down. He was a ball turret gunner. Only four of the boys on the plane were saved.

Melvin is buried in a U. S. Military Cemetery in Belgium.