Melvin Vernon FLAGER

Parents : Vernon & Lola Sumner Ensign Flager

Siblings : Donald E, Florence M, Herbert Lee & Nora E. Flager Beach

Source : Fold 3

CEMETERY TEMPORARY of  Saint Laurent N°3582

Story of Cemetery Temporary 

Map of Normandy American Cemetery

Source : Fold 3

Melvin Vernon Flager was born on August 7, 1923, in Tecumseh, Lenawee County, Michigan, to Vernon and Lola (Ensign) Flager. Melvin was one of five children; he had two brothers and two sisters. His father Vernon was a farm hand in Lenawee County and then eventually owned his own farm in Dansville, Ingham County, Michigan. Vernon was also a veteran of World War I. Vernon Flager died in 1964 and Lola Flager died in 1996.

Melvin attended school up through the eighth grade. When he was 18 years old, he completed his WWII Registration Card on June 30, 1942. At that time he was working at Tecumseh Products, a tool and die company making refrigerator compressors. During WWII, though, it changed over to making artillery shells.

Melvin Vernon Flager enlisted in the U. S. Army on November 9, 1942 (Service Number 16149968). He was assigned to Company H, 16th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division. Pvt. Melvin Flager completed his basic training at Fort Knox, Kentucky. Fort Knox, during WWII, was established as a Armored Force School and Armored Force Replacement Center with the goal being to train soldiers in specific areas such as armor tactics, tank gunnery and driving, communications and maintenance.

After basic training, Pfc. Flager was sent to participate in the North African campaign that had started while he was at Fort Knox and then the invasion of Sicily, Italy, which began in July of 1943. The 1st Infantry Division was called “The Big Red One.”

According to the First Division Museum website, “The 1st Infantry Division was the first American division sent to Europe, arriving in Great Britain in July of 1942. The Big Red One led the invasion of French North Africa near Oran, Algeria, on November 8, 1942. Dispersed among British units as they fought their way east across Algeria into Tunisia, the division learned hard lessons in combat against the Germans at the Battle of Kasserine Pass. The division had become a battle-hardened unit. The Big Red One scored the first defeat of a German unit at the Battle of El Guettar in 1943. On July 10, 1943, the 1st Infantry Division participated in its second amphibious operation during the invasion of Sicily. Backed by naval gunfire, the division beat back assaults on their beach head by Italian formations and then German Hermann Goering Panzer Division. The division fought across the center of Sicily to confront the Germans at the Battle of Triona.”

After the liberation of Sicily, the 1st Infantry Division was selected by General Eisenhower for Operation Overload, code name for the invasion of Normandy, France, a cross-channel invasion, also known as D-Day.

Pfc. Melvin Flager was one of the veterans selected for this invasion. As this would be the greatest challenge so far for the 1st Infantry Division, they participated in a rigorous training program before returning to Great Britain in November of 1943.

On June 6, 1944, D-Day, the 1st Infantry Division was reinforced with two regiments of the 29th Infantry Division. The 1st Infantry Division led the assault on Omaha Beach and encountered a hailstorm of intense fire from the German defenses. The 1st Infantry Division eventually overcame enemy forces and penetrated inland, but not without heavy casualties.

Pfc. Melvin Vernon Flager was one of those casualties. He was fatally wounded and died from his injuries the same day. His parents received news on July 12, 1944, their son Melvin was “seriously wounded” on June 6, 1944. A few days later they received a war department telegram stating their son had died of his injuries the same day. At the time of Pfc. Flager’s death, two of his brothers were in the armed forces.

Pfc. Melvin Vernon Flager is buried in the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial in Normandy, France. He was awarded the Purple Heart for his heroic actions on that day.

1^st INFANTRY DIVISION - THE RED ONE

Activated/Activé	Normandy/Normandie
17 Jun 1917	Days of Combat/Jour de Combat  443
	Casualties/Victimes 20 659
Entered Combat/Entré au combat
8 Nov 1942 North Africa
Commanding Generals/Commandants généraux Maj. Gen. Donald Cubbison (Feb 41 - Aug 42) Maj. Gen. Terry de la Mesa Allen (Aug 42 - Jul 43) Maj. Gen. Clarence R. Huebner (Jul 43 - Dec 44) Maj. Gen. Clift Andrus (Dec 44 - Aug 46)	Campaigns/Campagnes Algeria-French Morocco (8 Nov 42 - 11 Nov 42) Tunisia (17 Nov 42 - 13 May 43) Sicily (9 Jul - 17 Aug 43) Normandy (6 Jun 44 - 24 Jul 44) Northern France (25 Jul 44 - 14 Sep 44) Rhineland (15 Sep 44 - 21 Mar 45) Ardennes-Alsace (16 Dec 44 - 25 Jan 45) Central Europe (22 Mar 45 - 11 May 45)
PLAN DE ROUTE DE LA CAMPAGNE de MEDITERANNEE - CAMPAIGN ROUTE MAP
PLAN DE ROUTE DE LA CAMPAGNE - CAMPAIGN ROUTE MAP
DIVISION CHRONICLE The 1st Infantry Division saw its first combat in World War II in North Africa, landing at Oran and taking part in the initial fighting, 8-10 November 1942. Elements then took part in seesaw combat at Maktar, Medjez el Bab, Kasserine Pass, Gafsa, El Guettar, Beja, and Mateur, 21 January-9 May 1943, helping secure Tunisia. The First was the first ashore in the invasion of Sicily, 10 July 1943 ; it fought a series of short, fierce battles on the island's tortuous terrain. When that campaign was over, the Division returned to England to prepare for the Normandy invasion. The First Division assaulted Omaha Beach on D-day, 6 June 1944, some units suffering 30 percent casualties in the first hour, and secured Formigny and Caumont in the beachhead. The Division followed up the St. Lo break-through with an attack on Marigny, 27 July 1944, and then drove across France in a continuous offensive, reaching the German border at Aachen in September. The Division laid siege to Aachen, taking the city after a direct assault, 21 October 1944. The First then attacked east of Aachen through Hurtgen Forest, driving to the Roer, and moved to a rest area 7 December for its first real rest in 6 months' combat, when the von Rundstedt offensive suddenly broke loose, 16 December. The Division raced to the Ardennes, and fighting continuously from 17 December 1944 to 28 January 1945, helped blunt and turn back the German offensive. Thereupon, the Division attacked and again breached the Siegfried Line, fought across the Roer, 23 February 1945, and drove on to the Rhine, crossing at the Remagen bridgehead, 15-16 March 1945. The Division broke out of the bridgehead, took part in the encirclement of the Ruhr Pocket, captured Paderborn, pushed through the Harz Mountains, and was in Czechoslovakia, at Kinsperk, Sangerberg, and Mnichov, when the war in Europe ended.	CHRONIQUE DE DIVISION La 1ère Division d'infanterie vit son premier combat en Afrique du Nord lors de la Seconde Guerre mondiale, débarquant à Oran et prenant part aux combats initiaux, du 8 au 10 novembre 1942. Les éléments participèrent ensuite aux combats en balançant à Maktar, Medjez el Bab, Col de Kasserine, Gafsa, El Guettar, Beja et Mateur, du 21 janvier au 9 mai 1943, contribuant à la sécurisation de la Tunisie. Le premier a été le premier à terre dans l'invasion de la Sicile, le 10 juillet 1943; il a combattu une série de batailles courtes et féroces sur le terrain tortueux de l'île. Quand cette campagne fut terminée, la Division revint en Angleterre pour se préparer à l'invasion de la Normandie. La première division a attaqué Omaha Beach le jour J, le 6 juin 1944, certaines unités subissant 30% de pertes au cours de la première heure et sécurisant Formigny et Caumont dans la tête de pont. La Division a suivi la percée de Saint-Lô avec une attaque sur Marigny, le 27 juillet 1944, puis a traversé la France dans une offensive continue, atteignant la frontière allemande à Aix-la-Chapelle en septembre. La Division a assiégé Aix-la-Chapelle après un assaut direct, le 21 octobre 1944. Le Premier a ensuite attaqué à l'est d'Aix-la-Chapelle par Hurtgen Forest, jusqu'à la Roer, et s'est installé dans une aire de repos le 7 décembre pour son premier repos. combat de mois, quand l'offensive de von Rundstedt se déchaîna subitement, le 16 décembre. La division a couru vers les Ardennes, et combat continuellement du 17 décembre 1944 au 28 janvier 1945, a aidé à émousser et à retourner l'offensive allemande. La Division attaqua de nouveau la ligne Siegfried, traversa la Roer, le 23 février 1945, et se dirigea vers le Rhin, traversant la tête de pont de Remagen, du 15 au 16 mars 1945. La division sortit de la tête de pont. dans l'encerclement de la poche de la Ruhr, capturé Paderborn, poussé à travers les montagnes du Harz, et était en Tchécoslovaquie, à Kinsperk, Sangerberg et Mnichov, lorsque la guerre en Europe a pris fin.

Father of

Melvin V

Vernon FLAGER

Source : Vernon W. Goodrich

Enfants : Donald E, Florence M, Herbert Lee & Nora E. Flager Beach

45 Spruce Squadron

World War I

Source : April May

Parents : Vernon & Lola Sumner Ensign Flager

Frères et sœurs : Donald E, Florence M, Melvin V  & Nora E. Flager Beach