Melvin was born in Missoula, Montana on 27 December 1893 to Leon and Mary Christina (Holmdahl) Le Francq. Eventually the family moved west, first to the Bingen area and finally Hood River. He had a number of siblings, Lewis, Oscar, who resided in White Salmon, Paula who 's married name was Ballieu, Julius and Paul. Melvin didn't get to spend Christmas 1917 at home because he left Hoboken, New Jersey on 13 December aboard the ship President Lincoln for the European front. He was a corporal in Co. C. 161st Infancy, 41st Division.

He married Mary Helen Manning on 9 March 1931 and resided in Seattle, where he died on 26 March 1950.

Charlott on 11th November 2020 @ 7:14am

My grandparents immigrated from Belgium right after the war. My grandfather had been a German prisoner of war, but was fortunate in that he worked as some kind of farm labor.
As a kid, I remember Grandma came from the chicken house and handed Grandpa an egg. He cracked it on top of a fence post and dropped the raw egg into his mouth. I gagged and must have said something because Grandma sternly told me that is what kept Grandpa alive during the war.

L.E. on 11th November 2020 @ 7:51am

Flag is up, heading to the Oregon Rail Heritage Center in a bit to participate in the Bells of Peace.....11-11-11. A time to reflect.........

Arlen L Sheldrake on 11th November 2020 @ 8:28am

Veteran's Day always causes me to remember the first veterans I knew. This takes me back to shortly after the end of World War 2. We had moved into an apartment in the Downing Building on 1st and Oak, and living in the other 4 apartments were couples. Each husband had just gotten back from the war. They were Russ Hawn, Don McConn, Homer Ireland, and Ken McQuary.

Bill Seaton on 11th November 2020 @ 4:10pm

Charlott,
Where do you get all your info?
Very nice

Judy on 11th November 2020 @ 10:49pm

Bill, the name was spelled Hahn. His wife's name was Sylvia.

Fritz on 13th November 2020 @ 7:10am