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MEMORIAL ARTICLE
Published Asembly Mar '90
Eugene Emil Melo No. 16O89 Class of 1946
Died 29 July 1957 near Stewart Field, New York, aged 33 years.
Interment West Point Cemetery, West Point, New York |
EUGENE EMIL MELO’S parents were both born in the
northernmost part of Italy. After emigrating to the US, they
settled in New York City. Thus, Gene was born and raised in Woodside,
New York. As did many young men who grew up in New York
City in the 1930's, Gene visited West Point and becoming a cadet
became his ambition. Gene's father died when Gene was quite young
and he developed very close ties to his uncle, Gene Cavallero,
who was the owner and proprietor of The Colony, a world famous
restaurant in New York at that time. The people he met
through his uncle strengthened Gene's desire to attend West Point.
He graduated from Xavier High School in Manhattan with the rank
of cadet major in the Reserve Officers Training Corps program.
So, on 1 July 1943, Gene entered with the Class of 1946.
At USMA Gene was the prototype young military officer-to be,
full of life, energy and dedication to the highest of ideals.
Academics were a trial to Gene. He worked hard to maintain an
acceptable standing, but when he knew he had reached a level
where he could ease up, he did. His goal was to graduate,
but he felt academic standing would not affect his sanity or
pleasures.
His outgoing nature and pleasant personality made it easy for
him to make friends. He genuinely liked people and as a result,
everyone liked him. Gene was, by nature, neat and orderly. However,
he objected to the universally uniform requirements for arrangements
and locations of everything in cadet rooms. From time to time,
he would test the upperclassmen and Tacs with intentional variations
in locations of clothing, deviations in folding, and undusted
corners. When caught, he accepted the report with a grin-and-bear-it
attitude.
Gene opted for flight training and received his Wings
June Week with the Army Air Corps contingent of the Class. His
only brother, Robert, had also been a pilot in the Air Corps.
A captain, he lost his life in a crash in Greenland earlier.
Because of this, Gene's mother did not want him to fly, and learned
that he was a pilot only upon his graduation when he received
his wings.
Following graduation. Gene took transition training
at Enid, Oklahoma. He married Josephine Peters on 9 December
1946. His first assignment was to Bolling Air Force Base where
he was aide de camp to the commanding general. This was followed
by a tour in Europe. In1955, he was assigned as operations officer
for the Air Force Detachment at West Point. Gene and Jo joined
a large contingent of ‘46ers in the ''Grey Ghost'' housing
area. By that time, they had two children: a son, Peter,
and a daughter, Missy. Although heavily committed to his
flying duties, Gene still found time to help out with post activities.
Those of us who lived near Gene at that time still remember his
bright smile and effervescent personality when he would drive
up at the end of the day. Sometimes it would take him 30
minutes to get the 20 feet to his front door by the time he had
spoken to everyone on the block! On 29July 1957, Gene and
a classmate, Bill Bowley, took off from Stewart Field in a T-33
Trainer on a routine training mission. They were returning to
Stewart in a thunderstorm with Gene at the controls. As they
were approaching for a landing, radio contact was lost at 1235
hours. Shortly thereafter, the Stewart Field switchboard
buzzed with reports of an accident. The aircraft had plunged
to earth about a mile from the runway. Witnesses said there was
an explosion just before the plane crashed to earth. There
were no survivors.
Gene Melo was a good man. He epitomized our motto, "Duty,
Honor, Country." He loved life and he liked people.
Those of us who knew him are better for that privilege; those
who did not missed a great experience. When we think of him,
we remember that bright smile and his radiant personality.
It is a shame he couldn't have been with us on earth longer.
A truly, religious person, his reward is in heaven; but we mourn
for his loss here on earth. “Be Thou At Peace,"
Gene.
‘46 Memorial Article Project and his son
Peter and his daughter, Missy
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