US Navy Seaman 1st class Albert Gene MELE was born Oct 8, 1921 in Ohio, one of eight children of Joseph Mele and Rose Sanzobrino of 28 Eldo St., Willoughby, OH. He enlisted at age 18, Nov 8, 1939 and served on the USS Mississippi. He was killed at age 20 aboard the USS Marblehead on Feb. 4, 1942 during the battle of Maccassar Strait. Albert was one of 15 sailors killed and 84 seriously injured. President Franklin D. Roosevelt singled out the crew in one of his fireside chats, as an inspiration to their countrymen. The Marblehead was part of the ABDA Force (American-British-Dutch-Australian) under the command of the Dutch Rear Admiral Karel Doorman. They headed Feb. 4th, 1942 for a Japanese convoy seen at the Makassar Straits. At 9:45 a.m., 36 Japanese bombers attacked the ABDA Force. Marblehead maneuvered through three attacks without being hit. After the third an enemy plane spiralling toward the cruiser was shot into the sea. The next minute seven enemy bombers scored two direct hits and a third a near miss close aboard the port bow of the Marblehead, causing severe underwater damage. Fires swept the ship as she listed to starboard and began to settle by the bow. Her rudder jammed, Marblehead, managed to limp into Tjilatjap, a sea port on the southern coast of the island of Java. The Marblehead received two battle stars for WW II service.
ALBERT'S SIBLINGS:
* Louis Dominic MELE born Feb 21, 1909 in Willoughby, died May 12, 1998 in a Geauga county, OH nursing home, age 89, widowed.
* Mary MELE of Willoughby, born 1912 in OH, died 21 Nov 1974 at Women's General Hosp., Cleveland, age 62, never married
* Josephine Cotter born 1915 in OH
* Elizabeth Florence MELE born July 10, 1917 in Willoughby, died Jan 9, 2000, age 82, never married; buried in Willoughby Village Cemetery
* Joseph J. MELE Jr. born Aug 31, 1919 in OH, died Nov 9, 1981 at Euclid General Hosp., age 62. His widow, Florence G. (nee Kotabish] born July 25, 1925, died July 10, 1993 at Lake co., Mem. Hosp, Willoughby, age 67 (mother's maiden name-Wolff). Both buried in Willoughby Village Cemetery
* Thomas A. MELE born July 14, 1923 in OH, died May 19, 1991 at home in Willoughby, age 67. His wife, Eleanor A. born 1917, died June 4, 1978 at home in Willoughby, age 60; both buried in Willoughby Village Cemetery
* Carl C. MELE born 1910, died Jan 13, 1940 at age 29 in Orient Institute for the Feeble Minded, Pickaway co, OH; buried in Willoughby Village Cemetery
ALBERT'S PARENTS: Joseph "Joe" MELE Sr. was born April 20, 1887 in Italy the son of Luigi and Mariantonia Di Donato Mele. He died Aug 30, 1969 at home in Willoughby at age 82. Rse MELE (nee Sanzobrino), 4796 Eldo Street, Willoughby, Ohio, born 1889 in Italy, died Sept 14, 1960 in Lake Co. Mem. Hospital, Painesville, Lake co., OH, age 71. Both were buried in Willoughby Cemetery. They immigrated to the US in 1905 and married in 1907.
ALBERT'S FUNERAL Mass was Saturday, Nov. 19, 1949 at Immaculate Conception Church, Willoughby. Burial Willoughby Cemetery. McMahon Funeral Home, Willoughby in charge.
Sources: Cleveland Press; Cleveland Necrology File, Reel #134; Lake Co. OH Genealogical Society Cemetery Records; Census Records; WWII Navy Casualty Record; U.S. Headstone Applications for Military Veterans,etc.
ALBERT'S SIBLINGS:
* Louis Dominic MELE born Feb 21, 1909 in Willoughby, died May 12, 1998 in a Geauga county, OH nursing home, age 89, widowed.
* Mary MELE of Willoughby, born 1912 in OH, died 21 Nov 1974 at Women's General Hosp., Cleveland, age 62, never married
* Josephine Cotter born 1915 in OH
* Elizabeth Florence MELE born July 10, 1917 in Willoughby, died Jan 9, 2000, age 82, never married; buried in Willoughby Village Cemetery
* Joseph J. MELE Jr. born Aug 31, 1919 in OH, died Nov 9, 1981 at Euclid General Hosp., age 62. His widow, Florence G. (nee Kotabish] born July 25, 1925, died July 10, 1993 at Lake co., Mem. Hosp, Willoughby, age 67 (mother's maiden name-Wolff). Both buried in Willoughby Village Cemetery
* Thomas A. MELE born July 14, 1923 in OH, died May 19, 1991 at home in Willoughby, age 67. His wife, Eleanor A. born 1917, died June 4, 1978 at home in Willoughby, age 60; both buried in Willoughby Village Cemetery
* Carl C. MELE born 1910, died Jan 13, 1940 at age 29 in Orient Institute for the Feeble Minded, Pickaway co, OH; buried in Willoughby Village Cemetery
ALBERT'S PARENTS: Joseph "Joe" MELE Sr. was born April 20, 1887 in Italy the son of Luigi and Mariantonia Di Donato Mele. He died Aug 30, 1969 at home in Willoughby at age 82. Rse MELE (nee Sanzobrino), 4796 Eldo Street, Willoughby, Ohio, born 1889 in Italy, died Sept 14, 1960 in Lake Co. Mem. Hospital, Painesville, Lake co., OH, age 71. Both were buried in Willoughby Cemetery. They immigrated to the US in 1905 and married in 1907.
ALBERT'S FUNERAL Mass was Saturday, Nov. 19, 1949 at Immaculate Conception Church, Willoughby. Burial Willoughby Cemetery. McMahon Funeral Home, Willoughby in charge.
Sources: Cleveland Press; Cleveland Necrology File, Reel #134; Lake Co. OH Genealogical Society Cemetery Records; Census Records; WWII Navy Casualty Record; U.S. Headstone Applications for Military Veterans,etc.
US Navy Seaman 1st class Albert Gene MELE was born Oct 8, 1921 in Ohio, one of eight children of Joseph Mele and Rose Sanzobrino of 28 Eldo St., Willoughby, OH. He enlisted at age 18, Nov 8, 1939 and served on the USS Mississippi. He was killed at age 20 aboard the USS Marblehead on Feb. 4, 1942 during the battle of Maccassar Strait. Albert was one of 15 sailors killed and 84 seriously injured. President Franklin D. Roosevelt singled out the crew in one of his fireside chats, as an inspiration to their countrymen. The Marblehead was part of the ABDA Force (American-British-Dutch-Australian) under the command of the Dutch Rear Admiral Karel Doorman. They headed Feb. 4th, 1942 for a Japanese convoy seen at the Makassar Straits. At 9:45 a.m., 36 Japanese bombers attacked the ABDA Force. Marblehead maneuvered through three attacks without being hit. After the third an enemy plane spiralling toward the cruiser was shot into the sea. The next minute seven enemy bombers scored two direct hits and a third a near miss close aboard the port bow of the Marblehead, causing severe underwater damage. Fires swept the ship as she listed to starboard and began to settle by the bow. Her rudder jammed, Marblehead, managed to limp into Tjilatjap, a sea port on the southern coast of the island of Java. The Marblehead received two battle stars for WW II service.
ALBERT'S SIBLINGS:
* Louis Dominic MELE born Feb 21, 1909 in Willoughby, died May 12, 1998 in a Geauga county, OH nursing home, age 89, widowed.
* Mary MELE of Willoughby, born 1912 in OH, died 21 Nov 1974 at Women's General Hosp., Cleveland, age 62, never married
* Josephine Cotter born 1915 in OH
* Elizabeth Florence MELE born July 10, 1917 in Willoughby, died Jan 9, 2000, age 82, never married; buried in Willoughby Village Cemetery
* Joseph J. MELE Jr. born Aug 31, 1919 in OH, died Nov 9, 1981 at Euclid General Hosp., age 62. His widow, Florence G. (nee Kotabish] born July 25, 1925, died July 10, 1993 at Lake co., Mem. Hosp, Willoughby, age 67 (mother's maiden name-Wolff). Both buried in Willoughby Village Cemetery
* Thomas A. MELE born July 14, 1923 in OH, died May 19, 1991 at home in Willoughby, age 67. His wife, Eleanor A. born 1917, died June 4, 1978 at home in Willoughby, age 60; both buried in Willoughby Village Cemetery
* Carl C. MELE born 1910, died Jan 13, 1940 at age 29 in Orient Institute for the Feeble Minded, Pickaway co, OH; buried in Willoughby Village Cemetery
ALBERT'S PARENTS: Joseph "Joe" MELE Sr. was born April 20, 1887 in Italy the son of Luigi and Mariantonia Di Donato Mele. He died Aug 30, 1969 at home in Willoughby at age 82. Rse MELE (nee Sanzobrino), 4796 Eldo Street, Willoughby, Ohio, born 1889 in Italy, died Sept 14, 1960 in Lake Co. Mem. Hospital, Painesville, Lake co., OH, age 71. Both were buried in Willoughby Cemetery. They immigrated to the US in 1905 and married in 1907.
ALBERT'S FUNERAL Mass was Saturday, Nov. 19, 1949 at Immaculate Conception Church, Willoughby. Burial Willoughby Cemetery. McMahon Funeral Home, Willoughby in charge.
Sources: Cleveland Press; Cleveland Necrology File, Reel #134; Lake Co. OH Genealogical Society Cemetery Records; Census Records; WWII Navy Casualty Record; U.S. Headstone Applications for Military Veterans,etc.
ALBERT'S SIBLINGS:
* Louis Dominic MELE born Feb 21, 1909 in Willoughby, died May 12, 1998 in a Geauga county, OH nursing home, age 89, widowed.
* Mary MELE of Willoughby, born 1912 in OH, died 21 Nov 1974 at Women's General Hosp., Cleveland, age 62, never married
* Josephine Cotter born 1915 in OH
* Elizabeth Florence MELE born July 10, 1917 in Willoughby, died Jan 9, 2000, age 82, never married; buried in Willoughby Village Cemetery
* Joseph J. MELE Jr. born Aug 31, 1919 in OH, died Nov 9, 1981 at Euclid General Hosp., age 62. His widow, Florence G. (nee Kotabish] born July 25, 1925, died July 10, 1993 at Lake co., Mem. Hosp, Willoughby, age 67 (mother's maiden name-Wolff). Both buried in Willoughby Village Cemetery
* Thomas A. MELE born July 14, 1923 in OH, died May 19, 1991 at home in Willoughby, age 67. His wife, Eleanor A. born 1917, died June 4, 1978 at home in Willoughby, age 60; both buried in Willoughby Village Cemetery
* Carl C. MELE born 1910, died Jan 13, 1940 at age 29 in Orient Institute for the Feeble Minded, Pickaway co, OH; buried in Willoughby Village Cemetery
ALBERT'S PARENTS: Joseph "Joe" MELE Sr. was born April 20, 1887 in Italy the son of Luigi and Mariantonia Di Donato Mele. He died Aug 30, 1969 at home in Willoughby at age 82. Rse MELE (nee Sanzobrino), 4796 Eldo Street, Willoughby, Ohio, born 1889 in Italy, died Sept 14, 1960 in Lake Co. Mem. Hospital, Painesville, Lake co., OH, age 71. Both were buried in Willoughby Cemetery. They immigrated to the US in 1905 and married in 1907.
ALBERT'S FUNERAL Mass was Saturday, Nov. 19, 1949 at Immaculate Conception Church, Willoughby. Burial Willoughby Cemetery. McMahon Funeral Home, Willoughby in charge.
Sources: Cleveland Press; Cleveland Necrology File, Reel #134; Lake Co. OH Genealogical Society Cemetery Records; Census Records; WWII Navy Casualty Record; U.S. Headstone Applications for Military Veterans,etc.
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