Melvin Price

Tour curated by: Museum of History and Holocaust Education, Transcription and Biography by Surabhi Ganguly | 16 Locations



Born on January 23rd, 1926, in Dunkirk, New York, Mel Price grew up during the Great Depression. His father worked at the American Locomotive Company, while his mother took care of the household. During his childhood, Melvin's family faced financial challenges due to the economic downturn, experiencing firsthand the effects of rationing during World War II. Despite the hardships, Melvin cherished moments of leisure, such as swimming in Lake Erie near his home and spending time with friends. From a young age, Melvin was captivated by aviation and dreamed of flying. His interest led him to take a ride in a Ford Tri-Motor plane at the age of 15.

After graduating as valedictorian from high school, he applied for aviation cadet training but ended up pursuing a different path in the military. Melvin underwent basic training at an Air Force base and then attended radio operator school, where he learned Morse code and radio mechanics. He graduated as a radio operator and was assigned to a B-29 bomber crew during World War II. As a radio operator on a B-29 bomber, Melvin underwent rigorous training in the United States, including flying practice missions and familiarizing himself with the aircraft's components and crew responsibilities.

He was later stationed in the Pacific theater on islands such as Guam, Tinian, Kwajalein, and Johnston Island. Life in the Pacific presented numerous challenges, including harsh living conditions characterized by extreme heat, limited beach access, and the constant presence of sharks. Melvin also faced personal fears related to flying, including engine malfunctions and perilous landings. Though uninformed regarding its specific mission and objectives, during his service, Melvin Price witnessed the activities of the 509th Squadron, which would later drop atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

After the war, Melvin married Marie, with whom he had three children. He transitioned to civilian life, working as a planning engineer at Bethlehem Steel until his retirement. He and his wife eventually moved to Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. Throughout his post-war years, Melvin shared his wartime experiences with ROTC students, emphasizing the importance of remembering World War II sacrifices and the enduring value of freedom.

You can watch Melvin Price's full Legacy Series oral history interview here

Locations for Tour

"As I mentioned earlier, Dunkirk is on the shore of Lake Erie. Our house was just a few houses away from the shoreline. Swimming was the most important activity for us. We would go as often as possible throughout the day, practically every day. Up north, the water temperature never got much higher… Learn more

"The depression had a devastating effect on all of the families because most of the workers were dependent on manufacturing products. And families really struggled. The families were too proud to apply for welfare. And they tried to do this on their own.  My family is one of the lucky ones because… Learn more

"Flying had always fascinated me.  Ever since I was about 15, I'd watch airplanes circling overhead, and I'd dream of being up there one day.  There were even occasional blimps that flew over our area, though I have no idea what their purpose was – I just knew they were based in Akron, Ohio. Since… Learn more

"Yes, rationing started early. People who owned cars would get a ration stamp for five gallons of gas per week. Of course, there was a black market too, with counterfeit stamps just like today. But for the most part, there was quite a bit of honesty. As far as other products go, I believe you got a… Learn more

“My knowledge of Morse code was basic – just dots and dashes. I didn't know what specific combinations meant and the only distress signal I recognized, was SOS: three dots, three dashes, three dots. That is the only thing I knew. But as far as all the alphabets, I had no idea.  During testing, they… Learn more

“We were completely in the dark. We had no idea how we progressed from step to step. The first time I saw a B-29 was in Pyote, Texas. I had no idea where B-29s were stationed, but of course, it's a bomber, and apparently, it was being used somewhere in the war. Our crew was assembled then, and I… Learn more

“It was our final training preparation in Pyote, Texas. We were to take a long flight across the States. What we did was board the plane around mid-afternoon. It would be a 3,000-mile flight, equivalent to the flight to Japan. And we still didn't know – I believe even the officers didn't know –… Learn more

"After we finished this long flight of 3,000 miles, we were sent to Topeka, Kansas. Topeka had an airfield, and it served as a staging area. There, we were equipped with all of our overseas gear. We still didn't know our final destination. They issued us a .45 calibre pistol, a canteen, a survival… Learn more

“Prior to that, I figured it was just an excursion. You know, a piece of cake, more or less. But Kwajalein was scorching hot and smelled awful. We spent quite a while there, and I kept thinking, what kind of cards am I being dealt? We still didn't know our final destination, but later we left… Learn more

“When we weren't flying, well, we'd still go up in the air. Actually, in between missions, we would take off and cruise around the islands, mostly for bombardier training. Between Tinian and Guam is an island called Rota, where we'd head for our bombardier to drop a live bomb (not a practice one) to… Learn more

“Our very first mission was the worst one. We flew Nippon Nemesis, which was the first plane. After we completed our mission, our plane was badly damaged. There were 72 holes in the plane and the bomb bay doors wouldn't close. Our pilots said that because of the drag with the bomb bay doors not… Learn more

"On one of our POW missions, our military was also in Shanghai. There was a POW camp there, and our mission was to drop food and medical supplies, just before our stop in Okinawa, which was on the flight route. We blew an engine flying there. Usually, if something malfunctions while you're flying,… Learn more

“Yeah, well on the way to the flight line, we always went by truck.  Usually, the gunners would go first to check the amount of ammunition, and then I would leave about an hour and a half later with the officers.  On the way to the flight line was a heavily guarded compound. It was the 509th Bomb… Learn more

“Once the bombs were dropped, we were completely out of the loop. Probably, the folks back home were the first ones to hear about it. People asked how I felt, but there wasn't any big celebration among us. Maybe it's because we'd been through a tough year and were pretty hardened by then.… Learn more

"The transition didn't seem like too much of a transition. Sure, I needed all new clothes and everything, but thankfully, the GI Bill allowed me to complete four years of college, and possibly that's what I was really aiming for all along. But at an early age, I wanted to be a surgeon.  Love… Learn more

"I did have a job at the same place where my father worked. But I wasn't really too happy with it. I did hear about Bethlehem Steel, which is outside of Buffalo. It's about 45 miles away. And I felt that, with my education and smarts, I could do well over there. So, I did write a letter to the… Learn more