On Sunday April 17, 2011, at the Copperopolis VFW formation meeting, Vietnam Veteran Ralph Murphy presented WWII Veteran Mel Ogg with a D-Day Commemorative Proof Silver Dollar 2 Coin set.
Mel Ogg, at 88, still clearly remembers his days in WWII. He served as a Marine Combat Engineer building airstrips and “dodging bombs.”
Though some stories are better left untold, Mel regaled the vets and their wives with one of a more humorous nature. His opening line, “I missed Iwo Jima by 45 minutes…and it sure didn’t make me mad.” Apparently Mel had been in sick bay recovery from an injury caused by a falling tree that he swears was hit by enemy fire. As he awoke in sick bay firmly holding a container of ‘sick bay alcohol’ the Marine across from him said “I swore up and down that you were dead.” Mel responded, “Maybe I am but this tastes pretty good.” According to Mel sick bay alcohol was something akin to rum and well received by those that were recovering from wounds and injuries.
“As soon as they let me out of sick bay, I headed to my unit” only to find they had left 45 minutes earlier…headed for Iwo Jima.
On the front of the coin is the image of a soldier on D-Day June 6, 1944. The back inscription reads:
"I have full confidence in your courage, devotion to duty and skill in battle. We will accept nothing less than full victory." Dwight D. Eisenhower.
Thank you for your service Mel.
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