North High School Wall of Honor
Melvin Wellen
Class of January, 1938
Research done by Claradell Shedd, Class of 1953. PAGE IN PROGRESS
Melvin graduated from the North High class of January, 1938. He was drafted into the US Army in early 1942 in Des Moines, IA. When? At the time of his enlistment, his next of kin was E.W. Colwell, 1439 17th Street, Des Moines, IA. His service number was ________.
Melvin Wellen
Year x Rank x Status
January, 1938 x x x Graduated from North High, Des Moines, IA
date x Worked? Student? x Where and when?
1942 x Drafted; US Army x Had planned wedding. Two months before the date, Melvin was drafted and reported to Army location in San Francisco.
April 29, 1942 x Married x After being there one month, the prospective bride, Shirley Rupp, arrived from Iowa, and they were married at the Presidio Chapel.
date x Training x Melvin shipped out for the Pacific Theater via troop transport named? Destinations?
date x Stationed x In Pacific Theater for three years. Where?
date x Duty Station x Where and when?
date x Duty Station x Where and when?
date x Stationed x Where and when?
date x Retired x Discharge. Where?
date x Civilian x Des Moines, IA
Photos below are just samples. Will be replaced by appropriate Wellen photos.
Above: 1995 listing
Zarnow Entertainment & Orchestra Service;
Des Moines
Photo at left: Dagwell Orchestera
second from left, Dale Crowell;
third from left, Ralph Zarnow;
fifth from left, Roy Ramsay
457th Bomber Group? B-17 Flying Fortress 748th Bomber Squadron?
photo
New Caledonia (sample) Sample photo Guadalcanal (sample)
Philippines Okinawa Deployment
Melvin Wellen
Rank
Army Division/Group
United States Army

examples

Air Transport Command



Wellen Photo

Captain's Bars
Marksman; Pistol Badge
Marksman; Pistol Badge;
(Appropriate medals for Melvin Wellen.
)
References
(1) The World War II Army Enlistment Records contain information on more than nine million indivdual enlistments. These records can be found online at http://www.archives.gov

(3) The comprehensive list of names from North High's 1893-2018 graduation classes are from Claradell Shedd's North Des Moines High School website. The names of North High School graduates can be found online at: http://www.ndmhs.com/. Melvin Wellen's 1938 class page is: http://www.ndmhs.com/pages/yearclass1938(1988.50).html.
07/14/10: Died 04/22/08; Urbandale, IA.
Music: "Wind Beneath My Wings"
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