Private First Class Meldrum was a member of Headquarters Company, 3rd Battalion, 5th Infantry Regimental Combat Team. He was Killed in Action while fighting the enemy in the area of the main battle position near the "Box", North Korea, on 11 June 1953.

Meldrum was awarded the Purple Heart, the Combat Infantryman's Badge, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.