Private First Class Melancon was a member of Company D, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division. He was seriously wounded while fighting the enemy in Korea and died of those wounds on 5 March 1952.

Melancon was awarded the Purple Heart, the Combat Action Ribbon, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.