Randy Melnick

Royal Canadian Mounted Police (Ret.)

Why I am a Marauder

As a young fellow, I grew up hearing stories and seeing documentaries about the war in the Pacific. I became very interested at an early age about this theatre of war. There had been men from this area who served in the Pacific. (Hong Kong.)

Randy Melnick

I had thoughts of going to these areas, and in fact in around 1975-76 I had tried to get to Guam, but I was unable to.

In 2005 I was invited to Saipan and spent a month there. Along with an old friend and new ones, this interest was renewed. We would go on discovery missions into the hills and caves of Saipan just to look at the areas and articles left behind by men who fought on the islands.

Why I find this so very interesting is because it is tangible history. The people that served in this war are still with us and there are still remnants left by them when hostilities stopped. We, as the next generation, are able to talk to these people, people who remember this history first hand , and to me, this makes the history so vivid. This is not like the American Civil war, or other historical wars of long ago where there are no remaining survivors. This is recent history. It is history we can pass on to the next generation.

Our task at hand is to preserve this history and anything that is related to it. If we do not get on it with haste, we may lose the opportunity.

I am hopeful that by participating with the Marauders I will be able to achieve a desire I've had since childhood.

Background: Randy Melnick

Born: Feb.11, 1949

Current Residence: Beausejour, Manitoba, Canada

Military Service: Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), 1965 - 1998. Retired with Rank of Constable

Hobbies and Interests: Welding, Fishing, Hunting, Camping, Skiing, Scuba-Diving, member of the Royal Canadian Legion and the Lions Club

Marital Status: Yes, partner, Hazel

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Experience:

1968 to 1995: Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMPolice), Alberta, Canada

Summary: Ran a 6 man Search and Recovery Team. (Dive Team); Flew Surveillance aircraft (mainly night flying) on a Special Task force; Flew Migratory Bird patrols and enforced the game act; general duties: uniformed policeman stationed in different locations through out the province of Alberta.

1975 to  present: Aviator/Pilot:

Summary: Multi-engine land and sea; Since 1999 began flying for commercial outfitters, hauling people, cargo etc. to remote areas of Canada; Represented Canadian Firefighters in "Flight of Friendship" sponsored by Wilderness North ; flew single turbine Otter on a six month tour to 47 major cities in eastern USA; spent 4 months in India dismantling and loading 13 single engine Otters for shipment to Canada.

1985 to 1992: Grimshaw Fire department

1995 to Present: Beausejour Fire  Department

Summary: At present I hold the rank of Captain. Qualifications: Level 1 firefighter NFPA; Hazmat Operations; Vehicle Extrication; Pump operator; Farm accident and rescue; Low angle rescue; Aircraft crash & rescue; Fire ground management.

About Moore's Marauders...

Moore's Marauders is a non-profit organization that receives no government funding. We rely solely on your contributions to help us locate the 35,000 WWII MIAs the U.S. government maintains are still recoverable.

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