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name
MELHADO, Charles Gordon - Date of
birth
25 March 1918 -
Age
26 - Place of
birth
New Orleans, Orleans Parish, Louisiana -
Hometown
Orleans Parish, Louisiana
Personal info
Military service
- Service
number
O-719128 -
Rank
Second Lieutenant -
Function
Navigator -
Unit
550th Bombardment Squadron,
385th Bombardment Group, Heavy
-
Awards
Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster
Death
-
Status
Killed in Action - Date of
death
21 November 1944 - Place of
death
East of Körbecke, near Warburg, Germany
Grave
-
Cemetery
American War Cemetery Ardennes
| Plot | Row | Grave |
|---|---|---|
| A | 28 | 5 |
Immediate family
-
Members
Charles Melhado (father)
Ilma Melhado (mother)
Kathleen Melhado (sister)
Verna Melhado (sister)
Marilyn Melhado (wife)
Carolyn Melhado (daughter)
Plane data
- Serial
number
43-38270 -
Data
Type: B-17G
Destination: Wetzlar, Germany
Mission: Bombing of the oil industry
MACR: 10413
More information
2nd Lt Charles G. Melhado attended college and was an office machine operator.He enlisted in New Orleans, Louisiana, on 30 March 1943.
Evidently overshooting the formation, the vertical stabilizer of this airplane hit the ball turret of another B-17. This airplane then continued forward and made contact with the nose and #2 propeller of the other B-17, cutting off the nose. The tail section of this #43-38270 was ripped off at the second impact. The forward section continued in flight for a few seconds and then started a downward spiral for about 1,000 feet and eventually disappeared into the clouds.
All nine crew members were killed. Lt Melhado and six other men were initially buried at the cemetery of Körbecke.
Source of information: Peter Schouteten, Raf Dyckmans, Terry Hirsch,www.abmc.gov, www.wwiimemorial.com - The Mc Elroy Family, WWII Draft Card, www.wwiimemorial.com, www.archives.gov - WWII Enlistment Record, www.ancestry.com - U.S., Headstone and Interment Records for U.S. Military Cemeteries on Foreign Soil / 1930 Census, www.fold3.com
Photo source: Peter Schouteten, Arie-Jan van Hees, Navigator Class book 44-05, San Marcos, Texas.