This Military Service Page was created/owned by
Tommy Burgdorf (Birddog), FC2
to remember
Atwell, Melvin Kenneth, LT.
If you knew or served with this Sailor and have additional information or photos to support this Page, please leave a message for the Page Administrator(s) HERE.
Casualty Info
Home Town Norfolk, VA
Last Address 1911 Llewellyn Ave Norfolk, VA (Wife~Helen Gwendolyn Atwell)
Casualty Date Mar 05, 1943
Cause Non Hostile- Died while Missing
Reason Air Loss, Crash - Sea
Location Pacific Ocean
Conflict World War II
Location of Interment Courts of the Missing at the Honolulu Memorial - Honolulu, Hawaii
Wall/Plot Coordinates Court 5 (Cenotaph)
Official Badges
Unofficial Badges
World War II/American Theater
From Month/Year
December / 1941
To Month/Year
September / 1945
Description The American Theater was a minor area of operations during World War II. This was mainly due to both North and South America's geographical separation from the central theaters of conflict in Europe and Asia. Thus, any threat by the Axis Powers to invade the mainland United States or other areas was considered negligible, allowing for American resources to be deployed in overseas theaters.
This article includes attacks on continental territory, extending 200 miles (320 km) into the ocean, which is today under the sovereignty of the United States, Canada, Mexico, and several other smaller states, but excludes military action involving the Danish territory of Greenland, the Hawaiian Islands, and the Aleutian Islands. The most well known battles in North America during World War II were the Attack on Pearl Harbor (the first attack on US soil since the Battle of Ambos Nogales), the Aleutian Islands Campaign, the Battle of the St. Lawrence, and the attacks on Newfoundland.
My Participation in This Battle or Operation
From Month/Year
December / 1941
To Month/Year
September / 1945
Last Updated: Dec 24, 2023
Personal Memories
Memories 05 MAR 43 A/C: PBY-5 Location: Enroute Oahu to San Diego, Ca Strike: Yes BUNO: 2334 Cause: Force landed at sea unknown cause. Only information available relayed to another plane in flight states plane seen to spiral towards water. landing not observed. Plane and crew missing: Crew: Pilot. LT Samuel I. Ogden, LT Melvin K. Atwell, CAP John K. Koons, AMM1 Larned A.Carter, RM2 G. L. Young, AMM3 Frank K. O'Malloy, RM3 Thomas W. Adams and LT Abbott H. Hastings.
