Melvin Siegel was born on September 9, 1923, in Bronx, New York. He was the son of Harry Siegel and Adelaide Siegel.

Melvin registered in the military on June 30, 1942, in Kings, New York. At the time of his death, he was serving in the 839th Bomber Squadron, 487th Bomber Group, Heavy as a Staff Sergeant and Tail Turret Gunner on the B-24H 42-52624. On June 7, 1944, Lt Schwab's crew flew B-24H 42-52624 'BoxCar' on the 487th Bomb Group mission to bomb a tactical target at Angers, France, in support of the Normandy Invasion. Clouds obscured the target and the Lead Squadron bombed an alternate target, the Loire River bridge at Montjean, France, about 20 miles west of Angers. The Schwab crew flew in the High Squadron and bombed a railroad marshaling yard at Chateaubriant, France, about 50 miles northwest of Angers. Lt Smith and six of his crewmates were killed in action when their aircraft was shot down by flak near Rennes, France on the return from the mission. The aircraft broke up and crashed at La Rabine, just west of Bruz, France. Three men survived and became prisoners of war (including SSGT Siegel).

Source of information: www.ancestry.com

Source of photo: www.487thbg.org