The Department of Defense announced Monday the death of a 3rd Infantry Division Soldier who was supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Sgt. John Mele, 25, of Bunnell, Fla., died Sept. 14 in Arab Jabour, Iraq, of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated near his unit during combat operations.

A combat engineer, he was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team. Mele joined the Army in March 2002 and arrived at Fort Stewart in July 2002.

 - from Fort Stewart PAO