With Memorial Day coming up, the Romeo Community Archives wants to honor those whose lives were taken by war. One of those was Private Robert N. Mellen, who is seen in this newspaper photograph. This name might be recognizable because he is one of the six Romeo High School (RHS) athletes who were killed during the Second World War. All of them are honored by a plaque that was located near where the old Romeo Middle School was on Prospect Street. Robert's obituary was printed on the front page of the December 31, 1943 issue of The Romeo Observer.
Robert or "Bob" was born on February 3, 1921 in Romeo to parents Ray and Pearl Mellen. Bob lived in Romeo his entire life. He graduated from RHS in 1940 with high honors. He was an outstanding athlete and "recevied 16 letters during his four years of high school."
The 1940 RHS Yearbook also reveals that Bob was a member of the French Club, Madrigal Club, the school newspaper The Juliet, Band, Senior Chorus, and the R Club (varsity club). As for sports, he participated in football, basketball, baseball, and track, and he was the team captain for each one at some point.
Bob attended the Western State Teachers college (today Western Michigan University) in Kalamazoo, and he was the captain of the football team in 1943. He was a "member of the U.S. marine corps reserve until called to active duty in September."
One month later, Bob reported to Parris Island, South Carolina for officers training. On Christmas Day, he died of a short illness brought on by spinal meningitis at the Naval hospital in that city. He was 22 years old.
Bob was the only one of the six deceased RHS athletes whose body was brought back to Romeo. He was buried at the Romeo Cemetery.
The plaque wasn't the only reminder of Bob's presence in Romeo and his athletic achievements. In 1948, the Memorial Stadium was constructed on Morton Street to honor RHS athletes like Bob who were killed during war. The idea was conceived shortly after his death. One can find this field where the stadium stood across the street from the Romeo-Washington-Bruce Parks and Recreation building. Today, it's called the Memorial Field.
Bob was survived by his parents, sister Margaret, brothers Joseph and John Orval, grandfather Alfred Bathurst, and fiancee Bonnie Jean Vicary.
If you know someone who served, feel free to share their story.
Source: The Romeo Observer Press, December 31, 1943, p.1 and September 16, 1948, p.1 and 1940 Romeo High School Yearbook