Name: Eugene Andrews Melanson Rank: Unknown Service Number: Z81639 Service: United States Merchant Navy Date of Birth: April 4, 1915 Place of Birth: Essex, Essex County, Massachusetts Address at Enlistment: Essex, Essex County, Massachusetts Religion: Roman Catholic Height: 5 feet, 7 inches Complexion: Dark Hair Color: Black Eye Color: Gray Date of Death: 1941 Age: 25 or 26 Memorial: Essex Massachusetts Honor Roll war memorial Remembered on the Essex Massachusetts Honor Roll War Memorial Eugene Andrew Melanson was the son of Clarence Augustin Melanson (1888-1965) and Gertrude May (McLean) Melanson (1892-1977). Eugene’s father was born in Plympton, Digby County, Nova Scotia, and his mother was born in Gloucester, Essex Co., Massachusetts. Some records list Eugene’s middle name as Andrew and his surname as Malanson and Malonson. His siblings were Margaret Lilian Melanson (1914-2004), Robert Harold Melanson (1916-1995), and Harold J Melanson (1917-2002). His parents were married August 12, 1913, in Gloucester. In 1920, the family was living on Pine Street in Hopkinton in Merrimack County, New Hampshire. By 1930, Eugene was living in Essex County, Mass. and working as a clamdigger. In 1935, he was employed privately working at the US Army’s Fort HG Wright, a US military installation on Fishers Island in the town of Southold, New York. In 1937, he was serving on the SS Munargo travelling from Nassau, Bahamas to New York, and employed as a watertender. Watertender were crewman aboard a steam-powered ship responsible for tending to the fires and boilers in the ship's engine room. Crew records in December of 1939 that he was serving on the SS Vermar as a Fireman, and in 1940, to be working as a sailor, specifically a ship’s oiler in the Merchant Navy on a ‘USA ship’. He registered for the US Draft on October 16, 1940, in Essex Mass and was working for the Eastern Steam Ship Line and living with his mother. He was lost at sea in 1941 and is remembered on the family grave marker at the Spring Street Cemetery in Essex, Essex County, Massachusetts. Eugene is also listed on the Essex Honor Roll War Memorial in Essex, Massachusetts.

Source: findagrave