134th Infantry Regiment Website
"All Hell Can't Stop Us"
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134th Infantry Regiment Website"All Hell Can't Stop Us" |
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Mack Reeser Mellon, son of Jake Andrew and Katherine (Vaughn) Mellon, was born July 14, 1917 in Scott County, Virginia. The family moved to Tennessee sometime between 1920 and 1923. He registered for the draft October 16, 1940 when he was living in Church Hill Tennessee and was inducted into the Army February 6, 1942 at Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia. He was stationed at Camp Forrest Tennessee, Fort Brady Michigan, and Camp Butner North Carolina before departing for the ETO May 11 and arriving in England May 24, 1944 where he was billeted in Cornwall until crossing the English Channel and landing at Omaha Beach in Normandy, France July 7, 1944. He was a Rifleman in Company K, 137th Infantry Regiment and was wounded by shrapnel July 21, 1944 during the battle for St Lo, France. He was awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge August 2 and returned to duty November 21, 1944.
Pfc Mack R Mellon was reported missing December 17, 1944 in the vicinity of Frauenberg, France during an attempted crossing of the Blies River on the German border. According to the December 17, 1944 Missing in Action Report, Company K was to cross the Blies River at Frauenberg and secure the high ground on the opposite shore. Pfc Mellon was last seen in an assault boat crossing the river. The boat overturned and he was believed to be dragged under by his equipment. The heavy load of equipment and the cold water made swimming difficult and the assault boat was subjected to heavy enemy fire during the crossing. Seven other men in the same assault boat were also killed. Pfc Mack R Mellon was never recovered and he remains missing in action. He is memorialized at Lorraine American Cemetery, Saint Avold, France.
