A Soldier's Story: Master Sergeant Samuel Melvin Gardner Jr.


Master Sergeant Samuel Melvin Gardner Jr. was born on September 9, 1990, in Chanute Ab, Illinois.  His family relocated to Texas, and he enlisted in the US Army in 1974 and was assigned to the 31st Weather Squadron.

In 1990, during the initial deployment into Saudi Arabia for Operation Desert Storm/Desert Shield and the Gulf War, the transport plane Master Sergeant Melvin Gardner was traveling on crashed during lift-off from Ramstein, Germany.

He rests at Llano Cemetery in Amarillo, Texas.


* Read about a.d. elliott's Everyday Patriot Project here*


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a.d. elliott is a wanderer, writer, and photographer currently living in Salem, Virginia. 

In addition to the travel writings at www.takethebackroads.com, you can also read her book reviews at www.riteoffancy.com and US military biographies at www.everydaypatriot.com

Her online photography gallery can be found at shop.takethebackroads.com

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Location: Amarillo, TX, USA

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