Melvin Walter Demmin
Military
Roy E. Guy Crew
466th BG - 787th BS
Standing Left to Right: Patrick Homentowski (TG), Melvin Demmin (R/O), Burl S. Garrett (FE), Russell Todd (BTG), Wayland Buchholz (WG), Marvin Creech (WG)
Kneeling Left to Right: Ray Brasch (N), Roy Guy (P), Allen Wiedman (B), Merl Hoyle (CP)
This crew was shot down by flak on 8 September 1944. Guy was able to affect a crash landing, which all the crew survived. All the crew were captured and made POW. 466th Bomb Group collection
Attlebridge Arsenal - Brassfield & Wassom
Object Number - UPL 16645 - Crew #738 Roy E. Guy Crew 466th BG - 787th BS Standing Left to Right: Patrick Homentowski (TG), Melvin Demmin (R/O), Burl S. Garrett (FE),...
Immediately after high school, Demmin entered the USAAF. He survived 14 missions and the long march to Germany from his POW camp in Poland. After the war, he completed college in Peoria, IL and then worked as an engineer at Caterpillar for 35 years. While in college he married Barbara McKellip, and they had five daughters. He also learned to fly and was an instructor at a flying club in Peoria for several decades.
Connections
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Units served with
- Unit Hierarchy: Group
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
- Unit Hierarchy: Squadron
- Air Force: Eighth Air Force
- Type Category: Bombardment
People
- Military/Civilian/Mascot: Military
- Nationality: American
- Unit: 466th Bomb Group 786th Bomb Squadron
- Service Numbers: O 817834
- Highest Rank: First Lieutenant
- Role/Job: Pilot
Places
- Site type: Airfield
- Known as: Attlebridge Arsenal, Station 120
Events
| Event | Location | Date | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Born |
Peoria, IL, USA | 3 December 1924 | |
|
Enlisted |
Peoria, IL, USA | 14 April 1943 | |
|
Other Shot Down/Captured |
Wittingen, Germany | 8 September 1944 | |
|
Died |
Farmington, IL, USA | 7 November 2017 | |
| Peoria, IL, USA | |||
|
Other POW |
Tychowo, Poland |
Revisions
http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/pjstar/obituary.aspx?pid=187185412
http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/pjstar/obituary.aspx?pid=156922739
Also, my visit with him in late summer of 2017.
I met with Mel recently and asked if he had a nickname during his time in the service; he replied he didn't. I'll try to get him to provide a brief biography when I next see him early Sept. 2017. KWK