Louis Meléndez was born on October 2, 1964 in Puerto Rico. He served in the United States Marine Corps as a Lance Corporal. Louis was killed in the terrorist bombing of the United States Marine barracks. In the early morning hours of 23 Oct. 1983, a truck loaded with explosives crashed through the security perimeter of the USMC Barracks in Beirut, Lebanon. In the explosion that followed, 241 US Military personnel were killed and 80 serious wounded. He is now buried in the Puerto Rico National Cemetery, Bayamon, Bayamon Municipality, Puerto Rico, USA. His name is commemorated on the Beirut monument, on the grounds of the US Embassy in Lebanon and ranked as a Private First Class.