Melvin Sanford Anderson (1897 - 1976)

Born 28 Apr 1897 in Baileys Harbor, Door, Wisconsin, United States

Died Aug 1976 at age 79 in Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States

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Biography

Melvin Sanford Anderson was born on 28 Apr 1897^[1] in Baileys Harbor, Door County, Wisconsin^[2] to parents Albert Nilsen Anderson (born in Norway) and Caroline Gena "Jennie" Knutson. He was the first of six children.

In 1900, he was aged 3, and living in ED 37 of the Town of Baileys Harbor, Door County, Wisconsin with his parents Albert and Jennie (aged 36 and 23 respectively). His father was born in Norway and his mother in Wisconsin. His birth month and year was recorded as Apr 1897.^[3]

In 1905, Melvin was aged 8, and living in the Town of Nasewaupee, Door County, Wisconsin with his parents A N and Jennie Anderson (aged 48 and 28) and his siblings Esther (age 2) and Royal Anderson (aged less than one year).^[4]

Melvin enlisted in the United States Marine Corps as #4608275 on 10 Jul 1918 and was discharged as a Private on 21 Jun 1919.^[2] In training at Parris Island, South Carolina, he was in Company C. He then was assigned to 15th Company, 6th Machine Gun Battalion, 6th Regiment, 2nd Division. He sailed on the USS Dekalb from New York to Brest, Brittany, France, landing on Labor Day. It appears that Base 24 was where Melvin was stationed. The theater of warfare is described as "Meuse Argonne Metz at Alsace -- Army of Occupation Coblenz Germany Melsbach" At some point, he may have been injured and ended up in Camp Hospital 53. He may have been transferred to another hospital in Limoges, France. The return trip was taken aboard the SS Canada from Marseille, France to Oran, Algeria and then through the Strait of Gibraltar on the way back to America. The ship arrived in New York on 2 Jun 1919 after 18 days.

Melvin passed away in Aug 1976, just a month after the 200th birthday of the United States. His last residence was in the 53222 ZIP code. He was buried in Pinelawn Memorial Park on the Milwaukee-Wauwatosa border.^[5]

His Simmons military knapsack along with his gas mask was located in a building in Milwaukee in 2022 by salvagers. Written on the exterior of the knapsack is a wealth of information about his unit and his whereabouts, which is consistent with his military documentation.

Sources

1. ↑ "United States Social Security Death Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JRG6-B6R : 9 January 2021), Melvin Anderson, Aug 1976; citing U.S. Social Security Administration, Death Master File, database (Alexandria, Virginia: National Technical Information Service, ongoing).
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} Record of Military Service: "United States, Veterans Administration Master Index, 1917-1940," database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QP8H-H36X : 3 September 2021), Melvin Sanford Anderson, 21 Jun 1919; citing Military Service, NARA microfilm publication 76193916 (St. Louis: National Archives and Records Administration, 1985), various roll numbers.
3. ↑ 1900: "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MMKD-8QC : accessed 6 March 2022), Melvin Anderson in household of Albert Anderson, Baileys Harbor township, Door, Wisconsin, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 37, sheet 1B, family 21, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,241,785.
4. ↑ 1905: "Wisconsin State Census, 1905", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MMST-23N : 5 March 2022), Melvin Anderson in entry for A N Anderson, 1905.
5. ↑ Burial: Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/102285105/melvin-s-anderson : accessed 05 March 2022), memorial page for Melvin S Anderson (1897–1976), Find a Grave Memorial ID 102285105, citing Pinelawn Memorial Park, Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, USA ; Maintained by Grave Walker(L Kopet) (contributor 46819666).