Cyril Ray Melton

Submitted by: Raymond E Melton {grandson}

Cyril Ray Melton was born around 1898, Cyril Melton served in World War 1 with the United States Army. The enlistment was in 1917 and the service was completed in 1919.

Story of Service

PFC Cyril Ray Melton served in France with the 79th Infantry with a sanitary unit. Because the battles in France became very deadly for allied forces, PFC Melton took on a new role and began training in field to treat wounded soldiers and often having to go to the front to recover the wounded and take them to the rear for treatment. This is the birth of the field medics.

PFC Melton often transported wounded soldiers to a French hospital and this is where he met a French Red Cross Nurse. Both were standing near a building when a German shell exploded and PFC Melton lost part of his hearing but never complained to the Army about it, instead he kept doing his job.

PFC Melton fell in love with the French Nurse who was Julia Anna Sophier and later they both married in France and again in the United States. Later in life PFC Melton had anger issues and it is now known to be PTSD which they knew nothing about in the days of the war.

PFC Melton's records were destroyed in the fire in St. Louis and we have been unable to replace his medals because of that.