134th Infantry Regiment Website "All Hell Can't Stop Us"

Sgt Melvin Yeager

Company C - 320th Infantry Regiment

Melvin Yeager, son of George Washington and Frances Jane (Covel) Yeager, was born November 5, 1909 in Freedom, Oklahoma. The family moved to Kansas sometime during 1914 - 1915. He relocated to Idaho sometime after 1930 and married Merie Charlotte Lindskog in 1934 or 1935. The couple had 2 children, a daughter Juanita Ellen born in 1936 and a son Melvin Boyd born in 1939. He registered for the draft March 18, 1942. At that time he was living in Lewiston, Idaho. He was inducted into the Army December 13, 1943 at Spokane, Washington.

He joined the 320th Infantry Regiment from the 48th Replacement Battalion on August 9, 1944 and served as a Rifleman in Company C. On September 29, 1944, he was wounded by a machine gun bullet to the leg while fighting in the Foret de Gremecey, southeast of Metz, France. After recuperating from his wounds, he returned to duty November 13, 1944. He was promoted to Sergeant December 1, 1944. Sergeant Melvin Yeager was initially reported missing, but it was later confirmed that he was killed in action January 19, 1945 in the vicinity of Bastogne, Belgium. He is buried at Luxembourg American Cemetery, Hamm, Luxembourg.

Thanks to Pam Thomsen for these pictures. She is the granddaughter of Pfc. John Pergolizzi, 60th Combat Engineers Combat Battalion, 35th Infantry Division who was killed in action October 10, 1944.