Soldiers' Angels Mourns MAJ Michael L. Mundell

From Cathy of the Soldiers' Angels Living Legends Team:

We have a fallen Hero from Soldiers' Angels, Maj. Michael Lewis Mundell.

Mundell, 47, of Brandenburg, Ky., was killed Friday in Fallujah, Iraq.

He was serving with the 108th Division, a training unit of 4,500 soldiers that is headquartered in North Carolina.

Mike is survived by his wife, Audrey, and their 4 children, Erica 17, Ryan 14, Zachary 13 & Dale 11.

Cathy

Ken Sofranko said he talked to his brother-in-law shortly before Mundell deployed to Iraq in June, and he said Mundell was excited about going.

"He said, 'This is what I was born to do,'" Sofranko said.

Mundell was a 1977 graduate of Canon-McMillan High School in Canonsburg. He graduated in 1981 with a history degree from Washington and Jefferson College in Washington, Washington County.

Mundell then served 10 years in the Army as a tank officer in Kentucky and Germany.

He was working as a civilian contractor to the Army when the Iraq war broke out and volunteered to return to active duty.

On the day after Thanksgiving he was wounded when a sniper's bullet pierced his portable radio and Kevlar vest. He looked in the direction of the shot and saw a sniper in a minaret of a mosque, his wife Audrey said. They were unable to find the shooter.

On January 5, after an American tank was hit by a large IED in Falluja, Iraqi Army units being trained by Mundell moved in to help secure the area. The units were hit by a second bomb while en route, killing Mundell and an Iraqi lieutenant.

According to his wife, he was supposed to be on "light duty" but refused less dangerous assignments.

Sources: Courier-Journal, Kentucky.com, Bill Ardolino for the Examiner

The Patriot Guard Riders are standing by to ride for will be riding for Maj. Mundell upon family request.


Remember our Heroes.


Updates:
Better than a Hero by MAJ Todd Frenette.
Army MAJ Michael L. Mundell tribute at the Soldiers' Angels Fallen Heroes blog.