2009 -- S 1044 ======LC02950 ======STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2009 ______

S E N A T E R E S O L U T I O N

EXPRESSING ITS DEEPEST CONDOLENCES ON THE PASSING OF COMMANDER VIRGIL B. MELVIN, RETIRED

Introduced By: Senators C Levesque, and Felag

Date Introduced: June 30, 2009

Referred To: Recommended for Immediate Consideration

1 WHEREAS, It is with great sadness that this Senate has learned of the passing of

2 Commander Virgil B. Melvin, a resident of Portsmouth, Rhode Island and a native of Hannibal,

3 Missouri. He passed away at the age of 84 on June 15, 2009 at the Rhode Island Veterans Home

4 in Bristol, Rhode Island; and

5 WHEREAS, Commander Melvin enlisted in the United States Navy in 1942 during

6 World War II and served the United States Navy and his nation for thirty-two years with valor,

7 honor, devotion and integrity. During World War II he served as a Gunners Mate aboard the

8 USS Monssen. He participated in the invasion of and the Marianas Island, the

9 Battle of the Philippine Sea, the invasion of Pelieu and Leyte, the Battle of , the

10 invasions of , and Okinawa, and the first bombardment of the Japanese

11 homeland. He received eight Battle Stars and the Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal; and

12 WHEREAS, Commander Melvin graduated from Officer Candidate School in 1956, and

13 served as an Engineering Officer aboard the destroyer USS Orleck. He later commanded the

14 Minesweepers Falcon and Bulwark, and served as Surface Operations Officer on the Commander

15 Destroyer Flotilla Ten. He was awarded the Bronze Star with V for combat action in Vietnam, the

16 Meritorious Service Medal, and 17 Area’s Campaign Service Medals including the Combat

17 Action Ribbon. Commander Melvin worked with the Navy Seals in Vietnam as a Surface

18 Warfare Officer on the staff of the Commander Naval Forces. Following his return from Vietnam

19 he was appointed Commanding Officer and Commander, Fleet Training Group, in Newport, 1 Rhode Island; and

2 WHEREAS, After his retirement, Commander Melvin worked in the transportation

3 industry and later formed a promotional advertising company. He was a past President of the

4 Portsmouth Rotary Club, and a founding member of the Pop Warner Football Board, which

5 established Pop Warner Football in Portsmouth. He was also the coach of the Aquidneck

6 Construction Hard Hats, a championship Little League Team; now, therefore be it

7 RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations

8 hereby extends its deepest sympathies on the passing of Commander Melvin to his wife Kathleen

9 M. Melvin, his son James B. Melvin, his daughter Eileen M. Brown, and his grandchildren Amy,

10 Steven and Michael Melvin and Alison, Kyle, Gabriele, Nicholas, Mia and Elaina Brown; and be

11 it further

12 RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and he hereby is authorized and directed to

13 transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Mrs. Kathleen M. Melvin and Family.

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