Addy Melancon was born on in July 1922 in Breaux Bridge, Louisiana on a farm. His family raised cattle, hogs, and chickens. He grew up with five siblings. He graduated high school in 1939 and received a scholarship to attend UL [Annotator’s Note: University of Lafayette, Louisiana] to play football. However, in order to make additional money to support his family, Melancon joined the Louisiana National Guard in 1940 and attended training at Camp Blanding, Florida. The Great Depression [Annotator's Note: The Great Depression was a global economic depression that lasted from 1929 through 1939 in the United States] was hard on his family, but it was good that they at least owned their property. He grew up speaking Cajun-French. He later became a translator in the military. Melancon was not aware of the rising conflicts in Europe and Japan. Melancon was in the hospital at Camp Blanding with a broken nose when heard about the attack on Pearl Harbor [Annotator's Note: The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on 7 December 1941]. He was surprised by the news and felt terrible for all the people that died. While at camp in Florida, he trained in scouting and observing. He also walked and patrolled at night. Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, his unit [Annotator’s Note: 156th Infantry Regiment, 31st Infantry Division] was sent to Charleston, South Carolina to serve as guards along the coast. He returned to Camp Blanding, and then reported to Camp Bowie, Texas. Melancon’s brothers and cousins, also members of the 156th, were sent to England to serve as MPs [Annotator’s Note: Military Police]. However, he was selected for OCS [Annotator's Note: officer candidate school] in a cavalry unit which was reassigned as a mechanized reconnaissance outfit. While at Fort Riley, Kansas, Melancon’s colonel encouraged him to volunteer for service in Europe to avoid being sent to the Pacific.

Addy Melancon was sent overseas to England to join the 83rd Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 3rd Armored Division. He did not like the SS [Annotator's Note: Schutzstaffel; German paramilitary organization] men, but he respected the regular German soldiers. While at Fort Riley, Kansas, Melancon’s colonel encouraged him to volunteer for service in Europe to avoid being sent to the Pacific. He was assigned as a reconnaissance officer. He went ahead of the troops to locate the enemy. He was detached from the outfit for six months to serve as a translator in General Eisenhower’s [Annotator's Note: General of the Army Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower, Supreme Commander, Allied Expedition army Force; 34th President of the United States] headquarters in England. He served as a translator with the 83rd Armored Reconnaissance Battalion as the outfit drove across France into Germany. He learned to speak Parisian French easily because of his knowledge of Cajun French. When he went back to the 83rd, his commander, General Maurice Rose [Annotator’s Note: Major General Maurice Rose, commanding officer of the 3rd Armored Division; killed in action in Germany during the closing days of the war] was killed by a German pretending to be an American. Melancon does not speak about his combat experiences in any detail, but encountered enemies face to face. He took part in the longest armored drive in military history as his outfit worked to encircle 200,000 Germans in the Ruhr Pocket. He was very happy when the war in Europe ended. He celebrated with his fellow troops and European women. He was sent back to the United States for a 45-day leave [Annotator's Note: an authorized absence for a short period of time]. After his break, he reported to Fort Riley. He was discharged as a first lieutenant in late 1945. He remained in the National Guard for an additional 18 years, and retired in 1963 with the rank of major. He was proud of his French heritage and that he knew French. He thinks it is what kept him alive.

Addy Melancon did not take advantage of the G.I. Bill [Annotator's Note: the G.I. Bill, or Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944, was enacted by the United States Congress to aid United States veterans of World War 2 in transitioning back to civilian life and included financial aid for education, mortgages, business starts and unemployment] after World War 2. He had a hard time adjusting back to civilian life because he had difficulty finding a job. He eventually found a job selling whiskey, and then opened up a filling station. He remained in the National Guard after World War 2 because he received additional funds. Melancon’s most memorable experience was experiencing tank warfare, and when General Rose [Annotator’s Note: Major General Maurice Rose, commanding officer the 3rd Armored Division killed in action in Germany during the closing days of the war] was killed. He fought in World War 2 because he wanted America to be free and whip Hitler [Annotator's Note: German dictator Adolf Hitler]. The war changed him by making him a better man and wanting to do better. He also had good commanders that helped him succeed in being a man. The war is part of his life. If we had not won the war, Hitler would be running this country. He had the pleasure to meet General Eisenhower [Annotator's Note: General of the Army Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower, Supreme Commander, Allied Expeditionary Force; 34th President of the United States], and thought he was a good man. He believes there should be institutions like the National WWII Museum [Annotator's Note: The National World War II Museum in New Orleans, Louisiana], and that we should continue to teach World War 2 to future generations.