Donald Foster Melchior – Lieutenant Commander, United States Navy

From a contemporary press report:

Age 81, of North Palm Beach, Florida, and formerly of Arlington, Virginia, passed away Thursday morning, August 13, 1998 after a brief illness.

Lieutenant Commander Melchior was born September 19, 1916 in Baltimore, Maryland, the son of the late Ralph Stotz Melchior and Ada Lily Grosh. He attended high school at Baltimore City College from 1928 to 1933 and graduated from the University of Maryland in 1937, receiving his AB-BS degree. He taught history and coached athletics for three years at the Marlboro High School in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. He graduated from Georgetown Law School with an LLB degree in 1947.

He was employed as a trial attorney with the U.S. Department of Justice, Antitrust Division in Washington, DC from 1948 to 1972. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II, receiving a Four Star Area Service Medal, the Navy Reserve Medal, the Victory Medal, the Occupation Medal and the Good Conduct Medal before retiring in 1962.

Lieutenant Commander Melchior was a member of the Alexandria-Washington Masonic Lodge #22-A.F. & A.M. Alexandria, Virginia, the American Legion U.S. Department of Justice Post #41, The VFW Post #4143 and was a member of Arlington United Methodist Church, Arlington, Virginia.

In 1974, upon his retirement from the Justice Department, Lieutenant Commander Melchior moved from Arlington, Virginia to North Palm Beach, Florida where he made his residence until his death. He and his wife spent summers at their cottage in Mt. Gretna, Pennsylvania from 1987 to 1996.

He leaves his beloved wife of 55 years, Zelphia C. Fox Melchior; his devoted children, Donald F. Melchior, Jr. and wife, Gaylene, of North Palm Beach, FL, and Ann F. Melchior and husband, Arthur Gonzales, of Potomac, MD; and his cherished grandchildren, Beth P. Melchior and Donald F. Melchior, III of North Palm Beach, FL.

Funeral Services will be held Tuesday, September 1, 1998, 9:00 AM at Fort Myer Chapel, Arlington National Cemetery followed by graveside services with full Navy Honors. Interment at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, VA. In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy can be made to the charity of your choice, or to your local chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association.

Michael Robert Patterson

Michael Robert Patterson was born in Arlington and is the son of a former officer of the US Army. So it was no wonder that sooner or later his interests drew him to American history and especially to American military history. Many of his articles can be found on renowned portals like the New York Times, Washingtonpost or Wikipedia.

Reviewed by: Michael Howard