Dedication Beyond Service
By Lauren Perry
Kenneth Melcher
July 14, 1934 — July 31, 2015
Kenneth’s (third row, number 47) football team (Courtesy of Jan Hall)
Kenneth Melcher was born to Clarence and Evelyn Melcher in Kansas, 1934.[1] Growing up, Kenneth and his three younger brothers, Darrell, Richard, and Carroll, lived with their parents and grandfather, Fred, a German immigrant.[2] His father, born and raised in Kansas, was a farmer.[3] Unfortunately, when Kenneth was only 7, his father died.[4] His family moved to Beatrice, Nebraska and his mother remarried Hiram Johnson,[5] giving the Melchers two young half-brothers, Dennis and Randy Johnson.[6] This blue-collar family learned to work hard for what they wanted. Evelyn worked in restaurants and held odd jobs while Hiram owned his own air-conditioning and heating business.[7] Even though Kenneth worked at a newspaper office growing up, he was truly interested in mechanics and carpentry,[8] which led him to his career in the Air Force.
In the 1950s, at 21 years old, Kenneth left home to enlist in the Air Force as a mechanic.[9] During his 23 years of service, he completed his basic training in California[10] and then was stationed in Iceland, Washington, Japan, Virginia, and Lowry Air Force Base in Colorado, where he eventually retired.[11] working mainly with radar equipment for fighter aircraft. While stationed in Japan, he had several temporary duty assignments at Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base and Korat Air Force Base in Thailand in support of F-105 aircraft equipment during the Vietnam War.[12] The F-105, nicknamed the Thunderchief, is a fast-moving fighter bomber designed to carry nuclear weapons. Because of its comfortable cockpit and easy maneuverability, it has become a favorite among Air Force pilots.[13] He worked with “Ryan’s Raiders,” a nickname for a project which aimed to modify F-105 aircraft to “aid in identifying/destroying enemy Surface to Air Missile (SAM) in Vietnam.”[14]
Kenneth at Yokota AFB, Japan 1965 with a F-105 Thunderchief (Courtesy of Jan Hall)
Kenneth’s (front row, 4th from the right) basic training class in California (Courtesy of Jan Hall)
After his retirement, Lowry AFB hired Kenneth to work with F-15 Eagle and F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft,[15] both highly advanced fighter aircraft whose technology can out-perform nearly all other aircraft.[16] According to his daughter Jan, he loved what he did, and he was damn good at it too. Kenneth had a near photographic memory and had memorized nearly every technical handbook for every aircraft he worked on. He could recite the paragraph and page for any and every technical detail.[17] He officially retired from Lowry AFB in 1994 with the rank Chief Master Sergeant E-9, the highest enlisted rank in the U.S. Air Force.[18]
Being such a caring and selfless individual, Kenneth wanted nothing more than to help everyone he could.[19] His daughter Jan believed he would “go to the end of the world to try to make sure everyone had everything they needed in life.”[20] Although he was a quiet man who rarely talked about his service, Kenneth was heavily involved in all kinds of veteran and community groups. He was a member of 12 different veteran organizations, and served as: a treasurer for the National Association for Uniformed Services and the E-9ers Association of Colorado (a social group aimed at promoting comradery among top-ranking non-commissioned officers),[21] the Chairman of the Veterans Salute “which is a program sponsored by the Aurora Center for Active Adults and KEZW to honor veterans of all wars,”[22] the President of the United Veterans Coalition which aims to educate and inform elected officials of veteran issues,[23] a Director on the Colorado Civil Air Patrol Board which provides emergency services such as search-and-rescue across Colorado,[24] and the Commander of Disabled American Veterans of Colorado which lobbies for veteran interests in the government as well as provides services that allow veteran families to take full advantage of the benefits given to them.[25] He also held many different positions on the Board of Directors for Westerra Credit Union (a local non-profit credit union[26]) and served as an ambassador for the Aurora Chamber of Commerce (including the Chamber Defense Council, the Chamber of Governmental Affairs and Transportation).[27] He also was on a committee to help open the new VA hospital in Aurora, but unfortunately never got to see its opening.[28] If that wasn’t accomplishment enough, Kenneth Melcher received 10 awards for his service to his community, including: the United Veterans Committee of Colorado Veteran of the Year, United Veterans Committee Meritorious Service Award, Aurora Outstanding Community Senior Volunteer,[29] and Aurora’s Veteran of the Year.[30] He was also recognized by the Wings over the Rockies with a brick in his name on the runway.[31]
Kenneth in his dress uniform, 2012 (Courtesy of Jan Hall)
In 1957, Kenneth married Sharon Lammel in Beatrice, Nebraska.[32] Together they raised their two children Janice (born December 22, 1958) and Gary (born February 15, 1962), as they moved across the country, following Kenneth’s various assignments, until he retired to work at Lowry AFB. [33] After Lowry AFB, he worked as a TV repair man and an RV salesman until he decided to get into civil service.[34] He loved building model airplanes, electronic repairs, and home repairs, using the skills he learned in the Air Force.[35]
As he grew older, his personal greatest accomplishment was raising his two kids, three grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren. He was a dedicated family man, always showing up to every sports game or activity his grandchildren and great-grandchildren were involved in.[36]
CMSGT Kenneth Melcher passed in 2015, leaving his wife, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren to carry on his legacy.[37] During the construction of the Honor Bell in 2016, his family donated a button from his Air Force Uniform to the Honor Bell Foundation to be melted down alongside memorabilia from eleven other veterans and incorporated in a bell literally and figuratively forged from honor. The bell now tolls for veteran burials at Fort Logan National Cemetery, continuing Kenneth Melcher’s service and honoring his military career.[38]
Footnotes ↓
[1] “Krogman Family Tree,” entry for Kenneth Melcher, database, accessed August 11, 2020, https://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
2] “1940 United States Federal Census for Kenneth Melcher,” entry for Kenneth Melcher, database, accessed July 1, 2020, https://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
[3] Ibid.
[4] “Krogman Family Tree,” entry for Kenneth Melcher, database, accessed August 11, 2020, https://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
[5] “Dennis P. Johnson,” Beatrice Sun Daily, Nebraska, March 28, 2001, NewsBank.
[6] “Krogman Family Tree,” entry for Kenneth Melcher, database, accessed August 11, 2020, https://www.ancestrylibrary.com.
[7] Chelsea Wall, email correspondence with Lauren Perry, August 11, 2020, DU VLP.
[8] Ibid.
[9] “Kenneth C. Melcher,” Horan and McConaty, accessed July 14, 2020, https://horancares.com/obits/kenneth-c-melcher/.
[10] Jan Hall, email correspondence with Lauren Perry.
[11] Ibid.
[12] Ibid.
[13] Stephan Wilkinson,“Why Pilots Loved the F-105 ‘Thud’ Despite its Vulnerability,” History Net, accessed July 17, 2020, https://www.historynet.com/why-pilots-loved-the-f-105-thud-despite-its-vulnerability.htm.
[14] Jan Hall, email correspondence with Lauren Perry; “Ryan’s Raiders,” 34th Tactical Fighter Squadron - Thud Era, Korat RTAFB, Thailand - May 1966 to May 1969, accessed August 13, 2020, http://34tfsthuds.us/ryans/.
[15] “Kenneth C. Melcher,” Horan and McConaty, accessed July 14, 2020, https://horancares.com/obits/kenneth-c-melcher/.
[16] “F-16 Fighting Falcon,” and “F-15 Eagle,” Military.com, accessed July 17, 2020, https://www.military.com/equipment/f-16-fighting-falcon and https://www.military.com/equipment/f-15-eagle.
[17] Jan Hall, email correspondence with Lauren Perry.
[18] “Chief Master Sergeant,” Wikipedia, accessed August 11, 2020, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chief_master_sergeant; “Kenneth C. Melcher,” Horan and McConaty, accessed July 14, 2020, https://horancares.com/obits/kenneth-c-melcher/.
[19] Chelsea Wall, email correspondence with Lauren Perry, August 11, 2020, DU VLP.
[20] Ibid.
[21] “Colorado E-9er’s Association Mission Statement,” E-9er’s, accessed July 17, 2020, http://www.e9ers.org/.
[22] “Kenneth C. Melcher,” Horan and McConaty, accessed July 14, 2020, https://horancares.com/obits/kenneth-c-melcher/.
[23] “United Veterans Coalition of Colorado Mission Statement,” United Veterans Coalition of Colorado, accessed July 17, 2020, https://uvcoc.org/Index.aspx.
[24] “Colorado Mission,” Civil Air Patrol: US Air Force Auxiliary, accessed July 17, 2020, https://cowg.cap.gov/mission/colorado-mission.
[25] “Department of Colorado,” Disabled American Veterans, accessed July 17, 2020, http://www.davmembersportal.org/co/Web_Pages/about_us.aspx.
[26] “About Us,” Westerra Credit Union, accessed July 17, 2020, https://www.westerracu.com/.
[27] “Kenneth C. Melcher,” Horan and McConaty, accessed July 14, 2020, https://horancares.com/obits/kenneth-c-melcher/.
[28] Chelsea Wall, email correspondence with Lauren Perry.
[29] “Kenneth C. Melcher,” Horan and McConaty, accessed July 14, 2020, https://horancares.com/obits/kenneth-c-melcher/.
[30] Sean Kelly, “Aurora Bulletin,” The Denver Post, Colorado, November 7, 2001, NewsBank.
[31] Chelsea Wall, email correspondence with Lauren Perry.
[32] “My Heritage Family Trees: Melcher/Lammel Website,” entry for Kenneth Melcher, database, accessed July 14, 2020, https://records.myheritagelibraryedition.com/.
[33] “Kenneth C. Melcher,” Horan and McConaty, accessed July 14, 2020, https://horancares.com/obits/kenneth-c-melcher/; “US Public Records Index,” entry for Kenneth Melcher, database, accessed July 1, 2020, https://records.myheritagelibraryedition.com/.
[34] Chelsea Wall, email correspondence with Lauren Perry.
[35] Ibid.
[36] Ibid.
[37] “Kenneth C. Melcher,” Horan and McConaty, accessed July 14, 2020, https://horancares.com/obits/kenneth-c-melcher/.
[38] “The Honor Bell,” Honor Bell Foundation, accessed June 23, 2020, https://www.honorbell.org/honor-bell.
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