Marine Corps Lance Corporal Jacob Alexander Meinert - Wisconsin Military Casualty Compilation - Afghanistan / Iraq

Marine Corps Lance Corporal Jacob Alexander Meinert, 20, Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin died on Sunday, January 10th, 2010 in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. Meinert was killed from injuries received the day before, when a roadside bomb was detonated near his position during combat operations. Lance Corporal Meinert was a radio telephone operator assigned to Company B, 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, out of Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii.  He served in Iraq from August 2008 to March 2009 and had been in Afghanistan since late 2009.

The Wisconsin State Journal notes that Meinert was born in Racine, Wisconsin. He moved to Fort Atkinson around 2004. Jacob was remembered as being quiet, having a sence of humor, being a leader, and being well liked. He was a music enthusiast. He also liked to fish. Jacob graduated from Fort Atkinson High School in January 2007; he played lead trombone in the jazz band, was in the marching band, the pep band, and show choir accompanying combo. He started the enlistment process into the Mairne Corps after finishing high school a semester early.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel mentioned that Jacob was also a member of the school chess club.  Another Marine and British jounalist Rupert Hamer of the Sunday Mirror was also killed in the incident that killed Meinert. They were near the town of Nawa.  The Journal Sentinel in a follow up article noted Jacob's fellow Marines had given him the nickname "Slim." He also played guitar, earned a Black Belt in tae kwon do. "Meinert spent a lot of time with his grandparents in Racine, where he loved to swim and sail on Lake Michigan." Meinert was said to have had a plan to go to college and return to the Marines as an officer. 

The Journal Times maintain Meinert had stepped on a landmine.  In the Lake Michigan city of Racine Jacob was remembered for his love of sailing. One of his grandfathers had also been a Marine.

The Daily Jefferson County Union notes Meinert was known as "Jake."  The Union said the incident that killed Lance Corporal Meinert was due to a landmine and in Bastion Afghanistan. He was said to have had a long interest in the military. His grandfather Richard Meinert had also served in the Marines.

The Website legacy.com posted an obituary via information from the Racine Jouranl Times noting Jacob was born June 24, 1989, in Racine, Wisconsin. He attended Red Apple Elementary School and Jerstad-Agerholm Middle School in Racine. He later moved to Fort Atkinson where he graduated from high school. 

Lance Corporal Meinert's military awards include: The Purple Heart; National Defense Service medal; Global War on Terrorism Service medal; and, the Afghanistan and Iraq Campaign medals.

At the time of his death Marine Lance Corporal Jacob Meinert was survived by his father Brian Warzala; his mother Krista (Michael) Edquist; sister Randi Meinert; step-brother Mitchell Edquist; step-brother Larson Edquist; maternal grandparents Richard (Donna) Meinert; paternal grandfather Robert Warzala; paternal grandmother Darlene Warzala; three aunts, Michele (David) Breheim, Sheryl (Bob) Petersen, and Pam (Nathan Schulz) Warzala; his uncle Ben Warzalaand; and, family dog Bosco.

Marine Corps Lance Corporal Jacob A. Meinert was laid to rest with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.

Information for this short biography about Marine Corps Lance Corporal Jacob Alexander Meinert was pieced together from the following sources: Wisconsin State Journal, "Family, friends mourn Fort Atkinson Marine," January 12, 2010; Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Marine from Fort Atkinson killed by bomb in Afghanistan," January 11, 2010; journaltimes.com, "Marine who grew up in Racine killed in Afghanistan," January 11, 2010; journaltime.com, "A final note: Marine's note home was last goodbye," January 12, 2010; Daily Jefferson County Union, "Family meets plane at Dover," January 13, 2010; legacy.com, "FORT ATKINSON - Lance Corporal Jacob Alexander Meinert USMC"; Wisconsin Department of Veteran Affairs “Fallen Heroes Page”; and, CNN.com “War Casualties Page.”

Note: This "Wisconsin Military Casualties Afghanistan Iraq Compilation" Daily Dadio blog Category is under construction. Go to the Cooldadiomedia Web site and the Wisconsin War Casualties Page for a list of names noted by date of death.
[ If readers know of other military service persons with Wisconsin connections that are not on the Web site comprehensive list of fatal casualties, or notice errors, please email Bob Keith at keithrg13@cooldadiomedia.com ]