Army Sgt. John Mele
Death: Sep 14, 2007
of Bunnell Fla.; assigned to the 1st Battalion 30th Infantry Regiment 2nd Brigade Combat Team 3rd Infantry Division Fort Stewart Ga.; Died Sept. 14 in Arab Jabour Iraq of wounds sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his unit during combat operations. Florida soldier originally from Union City killed in Iraq The Associated Press UNION CITY Tenn. — A soldier with family in Tennessee and Florida was killed during combat in Iraq the Department of Defense said. Sgt. John Mele25 of Bunnell Fla. Died Sept. 14 in Arab Jabour Iraq of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his unit. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion 30th Infantry Regiment 2nd Brigade Combat Team 3rd Infantry Division Fort Stewart Ga. Mele’s family including his parents Michael and Linda Mele and brothers Michael and Nicholas all live in Union City. He leaves a wife Jennie Mele and their daughter Clarissa Mele age 6. One of the soldier’s longtime friends Steven Herane said he talked with Mele by telephone last week and Mele had logged onto his MySpace account about eight hours before he was killed. Mele was a military police officer on his third tour of duty in Iraq Herane said. Funeral arrangements were incomplete Sept. 18 but a family friend said burial will be in Arlington National Cemetery where Mele’s grandfather Michael J. Mele is buried. The grandfather served in World War II. Operation Iraqi Freedom