Melbourn G. Dirks was born on September 14, 1924, at Brunswick, Nebraska.  He entered the US Army on January 29, 1945.  He was assigned to the 33rd Quartermaster Company as a truck driver.  He was discharged on November 16, 1946.  Melbourn married Bonnie Robinson in 1951 and they had one son.  They farmed with his father-in-law and then moved to Plainview where he was employed by by N & B Gas Company until his death in 1979.