Melburn Mel Frank Stein

Beloved husband of Mavis E. Stein and the late Joyce Stein; dear father of Dr. Renee (Earl) Roberts and the late Philip Stein; dear stepfather of Linda (Lt. Col. Richard, retired) Kamerling and Wendy (the late James) Williamson; dear grandfather of Brian (Stephanie) and Jeffrey (Amika) Kroll and Chelsea (David) Huck; dear great grandfather of Jace and Brendan Kroll and Jovie, Harrison and Henley Huck; our dear uncle, cousin, and friend.

Services: A Memorial Mass will be held on Saturday, September 24, 11:00 am at St. Richard Catholic Church, 11223 Schuetz Rd. A reception will follow mass in the Church Hall.

Memorials to the BackStoppers appreciated.

MELBURN FRANK STEIN WAS BORN IN ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ON DECEMBER 23,1913, AND GREW UP IN NORTH ST. LOUIS.

IN HIS TEENS, MEL SERVED IN THE CIVILIAN CONSERVATION CORPS AND THEN WORKED AT THE MAJESTIC RANGE COMPANY IN ST. LOUIS. MEL STEIN ENLISTED IN THE MARINES IN JUNE OF 1937 AND VOLUNTEERED FOR DEPLOYMENT TO CHINA WITH THE 6th MARINE REGIMENT.

STEIN LANDED IN SHANGHAI THE DAY THE JAPANESE INVADED THAT CITY. LATER, HE WAS IN TIENTSIN WHEN THE JAPANESE BOMBED THE DYKE, THEN FLOODED AND CAPTURED TIENTSIN. STEIN WAS ONE OF THE 208 MARINES WHO RELIEVED THE 15th INFANTRY OF THE U.S. ARMY IN TIENTSIN AND SPENT THE FOLLOWING YEAR THERE.

STEIN WAS THEN TRANSFERRED TO OLONOGAPO IN THE PHILLIPINES, WHERE HE SERVED AS TOWN PATROL AND FORESTER. GENERAL DOUGLAS MACARTHUR AND HIS AIDE, MAJOR EISENHOWER, MET WITH STEIN AND OTHERS TO CONSULT WITH THEM ABOUT TERRAIN AND DETERMINE IF ARTILLERY COULD BE MOVED OVER A PARTICULAR ROUTE.

AFTER A YEAR IN THE PHILLIPINES, STEIN WAS SENT TO CHINWANGTAO (CHINA) TO SERVE AS POST EXCHANGE STEWARD. HIS SERVICE IN ASIA LASTED OVER 2 YEARS.

AFTER RETURNING TO THE U.S. IN 1940, STEIN WAS TRANSFERRED TO SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, AND SERVED AS A U.S. MARINE DRILL INSTRUCTOR UNTIL JUNE, 1941, WHEN HIS ENLISTMENT ENDED. HE RETURNED TO ST. LOUIS AND BECAME A ST. LOUIS POLICE OFFICER.

AFTER PEARL HARBOR WAS ATTACKED IN DECEMBER OF 1941, STEIN RE-ENLISTED IN THE 7TH 155 GUN BATTALION, CORPS ARTILLERY; 3RD MARINE AMPHIBIOUS CORPS. HE FOUGHT IN 4 MAJOR BATTLES - GUADACANAL, BOUGAINVILLE, GUAM, AND OKINAWA. AS A GUNNERY SERGEANT, STEIN WAS PROMOTED TO 1ST SERGEANT AND CHIEF OF DETAIL FOR INSTRUMENTS AND COMMUNICATIONS FOR THE THOSE FOUR BATTLES. DURING HIS SERVICE, STEIN EARNED THE BRONZE STAR WITH PRESIDENTIAL CITATION, TWO UNIT PRESIDENTIAL CITATIONS AND THE CHINA SERVICE MEDAL.

STEIN WAS DISCHARGED WHEN THE WAR ENDED IN 1945 AND RETURNED TO SERVE ON THE ST. LOUIS POLICE FORCE FOR 31 YEARS. HE WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CAPTURE OF 2 OF THE FBI’S MOST WANTED. STEIN AND HIS PARTNER WERE THE FIRST POLICEMEN ON THE SCENE OF THE SOUTHWEST BANK ROBBERY, WHICH EVOLVED INTO A GUN BATTLE, IN APRIL OF1953. FRED BOWERMAN, THE GANG LEADER, WITH A GUN IN A HOSTAGE’S BACK, PUSHED HER OUT THE FRONT DOOR WHERE STEIN SHOT AND MORTALLY WOUNDED HIM.

THAT CRIME WAS THE SUBJECT OF A 1959 MOVIE CALLED THE “THE GREAT ST. LOUIS BANK ROBBERY” STARRING STEVE MCQUEEN. STEIN PLAYED HIS OWN PART IN THE MOVIE.

STEIN RETIRED FROM THE ST. LOUIS POLICE DEPARTMENT IN JANUARY OF 1973, THEN WORKED FOR BRINK’S FOR 9 YEARS DRIVING AN ARMORED TRUCK. HE CELEBRATED HIS 102TH BIRTHDAY ON DECEMBER 23, 2015.

MEL MARRIED JOYCE MADDOCKS FROM NEW ZEALAND (DECEASED) AFTER THE WAR AND IS THE FATHER OF DR. RENEE ROBERTS OF YUMA, AZ, AND PHILIP STEIN (DECEASED). IN 1982, MEL MARRIED MAVIS OLMSTED, FROM ENGLAND, WHO WAS A RESIDENT OF ST. LOUIS.

THE GREAT ST. LOUIS BANK ROBBERY

by John Vollmann

Corporal Mel Stein is credited for thwarting the robbery of the Southwest Bank on April 24, 1953. Stein and Corporal Robert Heitz were just a block away when the silent alarm sounded, rushing to the scene, with Stein entering the front door, while Heitz entered from the side. Immediately, the officers exchanged gunfire with the mastermind of the robbery, career criminal Fred Bowermann. Heitz was struck in the head but survived. Dozens of police officers responded, trapping Bowerman and two of his accomplices Frank Vito and William Scholl in the bank. In desperation, Bowerman attempted escape using a hostage as a shield, but was brought down by a single shot fired by Stein. Seeing there was no escape, Vito committed suicide and Scholl surrendered. A fourth robber, Glen Chernick fled, but was apprehended in Chicago, IL.

The robbery was the basis for the 1959 movie, The Great St. Louis Bank Robbery staring Steve McQueen. The movie filmed in St. Louis featured numerous St. Louis Metropolitan Police Officers, including Stein who portrayed himself, allowing him to re-enact his part of the incident exactly as it happened in 1953. After the robbery Stein was promoted to Corporal and Heitz was promoted to Sergeant.

Stein was also commended for apprehending Murder suspect, Merle Martin, who was on the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s most wanted list in 1952. Martin was wanted for a murder in Kansas and crime spree which ended when Stein recognized the stolen vehicle he was driving and stopped him near Hampton and Gravois.

On April 24, 2008 Corporal Stein was honored by several members of the Department at the South Patrol Division on the 55th anniversary of the robbery. Stein recalled the incident with perfect clarity and credited his survival to his Marine training. Stein served in the U.S. Marines prior to World War II in China and was present when the Japanese invaded in 1937. He joined the Police Department in 1941. After the United States entered the war Stein re-enlisted and meritoriously fought in five major battles in the Pacific. Stein turned 102, in 2015.