World War II Honoree
Killed in World War II
Melacio M. Apodaca
Branch of Service
U.S. Army Air Force
Hometown
Los Angeles, California
Honored By
Jerry Penry
RANK: 2ND LIEUTENANT. SERVED AS A BOMBARDIER OF A B-24 ‘LIBERATOR’ BOMBER, WHO WAS KILLED OCTOBER 10, 1943, DURING A HIGH-ALTITUDE BOMBING MISSION. THE BOMBER HAD TAKEN-OFF FROM THE FAIRMONT ARMY AIRFIELD, GENEVA, NEBRASKA AND WAS EN-ROUTE TO THE ARMY AIR FORCE BOMBING RANGE AT STANTON, NEBRASKA WHEN IT SUFFERED A STRUCTURAL FAILURE IN THE TAIL SECTION. THE AIRCRAFT, OUT OF CONTROL CRASHED INTO A CORNFIELD AND EXPLODED UPON IMPACT, KILLING ALL SIX CREWMEMBERS. THE CRASH SITE WAS IN THE VICINITY OF WAYNE, NEBRASKA.