Sergeant Melvin Herbert Rupert

Melvin H. Rupert was born July 24, 1918 to Herbert and Abbie Rupert in Dodge City, Kansas. Shortly after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941, Melvin was drafted into the United States Army. He trained at Camp Roberts, California where he became an infantryman in a rifle company of the 127th Infantry Regiment, 32nd Infantry Division. After training and reorganization in the United States, the 32nd Infantry Division was scheduled to ship to Europe, but Japanese aggression caused a last-minute change that ordered the Division to the Pacific Theater. On April 22, 1942, the 32nd Infantry Division became the first U.S. Division to sail overseas in a single convoy. They arrived in southern Australia on May 14, 1942. After training in Australia, General Douglas McArthur decided to use the 32nd Infantry Division as part of an offensive campaign in New Guinea. The plan was to push the Japanese out of New Guinea and establish strategic areas in defense of Australia. After taking part in amphibious landings in Papua, New Guinea, the Division landed on Aitape, Papua, New Guinea on May 3, 1944. After initially meeting little resistance, the 32nd Infantry Division ran into Japanese defenses around the Driniumor River. From early July until August, the 32nd Division fought off the Japanese who attacked, breached, and in some cases, encircled U.S. troops.

Encountering overwhelming Japanese aggression and pressure, U.S. troops were able to hold out long enough to push the Japanese back across the Driniumor river in August 1944. It was in the middle of this fighting on July 26, 1944, that  Rupert was mortally wounded. The following day, July 27, 1944, Melvin died at the age of 26. He is buried in the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial.

By Tanner Christy