Honoring Veterans: Navy Veteran Melissa Barnes
Melissa Rose Barnes was born in Whittier, California, in November 1973 and was a resident of Redlands, California.
In May 1992, Barnes joined the Navy as a naval corpsman at the Naval Hospital in Portsmouth, Virginia. She later received communications training in Mississippi.
Barnes left the Navy in 1997, but she missed serving and re-enlisted in March 1999 at the rank of yeomen, third class. She was then assigned to an administrative role at the Telecommunications Center in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations at the Pentagon.
Barnes was on duty at the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001. At 9:37 a.m., she was making weekend plans with one of her friends when American Airlines Flight 77 struck the Pentagon. Barnes was killed, along with 124 other people inside the Pentagon. She was just 27, and only a few weeks away from being transferred to her first sea duty assignment.
Barnes was known to others as a class and family clown, and is remembered by her friends for her ability to have fun. According to her mother, Linda Sheppard, “She was really outgoing and bubbly, always up for a good time.”
For her service and sacrifice, Barnes was awarded a Purple Heart, a Navy Commendation Medal, a Navy Good Conduct Medal and a National Defense Service Medal. She was buried at Riverside National Cemetery in Riverside, California, and her name can be found on Panel S-72 of the National September 11 Memorial in New York City.
We honor her service.
Do you want to light up the face of a special Veteran? Have you been wondering how to tell your Veteran they are special to you? VA’s Honoring Veterans social media feature is an opportunity to highlight your Veteran and his/her service.
It’s easy to nominate a Veteran. All it takes is an email to newmedia@va.gov with as much information as you can put together, along with some good photos. Visit our blog post about nominating to learn how to create the best submission.
Writer: William Beterbide
Editors: Lillian Williams, Tayler Rairigh
Researcher: Paola Negron
Graphic: Kiki Kelley
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