Melvin R. Jones graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in early 1942. In December 1941, The United States entered WWII. He then joined the military and became an aviation cadet in the Army Air Corps. He underwent flight training to become a pilot.

He completed primary pilot training after flying in a PT.17 airplane, at Stamford, Texas. He then went on to basic training at an airbase in Enid, Oklahoma. The airplane used in basic training was designated a BT15. He was selected to attend multi-engine advanced training in Frederick, Oklahoma. The cadets flew in AT-13's.

After graduating from advance training, he became a "flying officer," wearing the "wings" emblem, which designated him a pilot. Training continued at an air base in Liberal, Kansas. He qualified to pilot a four engine B-24 bomber aircraft. Based on orders from Air Force Command, his crew of 4 officers and 6 enlisted men was then assembled. They flew practice bombing and navigation missions in the USA.

In January of 1944, his crew received orders to proceed to the 459th Bomb Group, 15th Air Force, which was located in Cerignola Italy (just south of Rome). He acquired a new B-24 in New York and flew the aircraft over the Atlantic Ocean from Natal, Brazil to Dakar, Africa, and on to Cerignola, Italy. B-24 formations were consistently attacked by German fighter aircraft (FW-190's and ME 110's) when flying to and from targets. Before a mission our crew engineer-gunner, Wilfred Jahn, examined our B-24 to assure that all systems were operational and performing properly.

On May 13, 1944, our aircraft was shot down by enemy fire. Our crew all parachuted "out" safely. Along with many other flying officers, I was captured by German infantry troops. We were sent by rail cars (box cars) to a prison camp, Stalag Luft III, in Sagan, Germany (90 miles south east of Berlin).

My daughter, Mary Maier, was born while I was in Stalag Luft III. In January 1945, with the Russian army advancing near Sagan, Stalag Luft III was evacuated and all prisoners were forced to march for many days in blizzard weather conditions to Stalag VIIA in Moosburg, Austria (a small part of this journey was by box car). The conditions of this camp were unspeakable.

On April 29, 1945 General Patton's 14th Armored Division liberated us from the Moosburg prison. We were then flown to Camp Lucky Strike in Le Harve, France. Two weeks later, I boarded the troop ship, Lejune. We crossed the Atlantic Ocean and arrived at the New York City Harbor. Home at last! While I was on leave, President Truman ordered the "A" Bomb dropped upon Japan. The war was over! I was discharged at Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania.
Laura Lowman Ed.