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<em>Harry Ripley Melton </em>was born on 31 August 1911 in Wickliffe, Kentucky. He was appointed cadet from at large and entered West Point on 1 July 1932. When June 1936 rolled around, he selected the Cavalry, with detail to the Amiy Air Corps. He trained at Randolph and Kelly Fields, Texas, and, in January of 1938, formally transferred to his preferred service.</p>
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From 1938 to 1940 he served in a succession of important assignments at Langley Field, Virginia, and then took station at MacDill Field, Florida, where he became group adjutant and then squadron commander. After serving as Commander, 84th Bomb Group, Hunter Field, Savannah, Georgia, he took command of the 311th Bomb Group in December of 1942 and in July of the following, year led it to the Pacific Theater. On 25 November 1943, while piloting a P-51, he was shot down over southern Burma and taken prisoner by the Japanese. Reported as missing in action as of September 1944, it was later officially determined that he had been killed in action on the 14th of that month, in the “Asiatic Area.” “Rip” was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Purple Heart (posthumously).</p>