[03/11/02]A former Vicksburg resident serving in the U.S. Army has died while serving with NATO in The Netherlands.

Sgt. James Lyle Siedle died Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2002, at NATO headquarters in Belgium. He was 26.

Siedle served as a Military Police officer with the Army Forces Northern Battalion with NATO as an international military policeman. A spokesman for the U.S. Army would not say how he died, but said his death was under investigation.

Siedle was born in La Mesa, Calif., and lived many years in Vicksburg. He graduated from Vicksburg High School in 1994. He joined the U.S. Army National Guard in 1993 and became a Military Police officer.

In 1995, Siedle went on active duty and was sent to Bosnia as part of the peacekeeping forces in the former Yugoslavia. He was featured in The Vicksburg Post in 1996 while on leave for two weeks.

He has also served in Germany and Fort Gordon, Ga.

Siedle was awarded the Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, NATO Medal, Armed Forces Service Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Good Conduct Medal, Army Superior Unit Award and the Army Service Ribbon.

He is survived by his wife, Sandra Siedle of Palm Harbor, Fla.; a son, James Lyle Siedle Jr. of Palm Harbor; a daughter, Denise Glenn Siedle of Palm Harbor; his father, James H. Siedle of Palm Harbor; his mother, Linda Siedle of Palm Harbor; and a brother, Thomas C. Siedle of Norfolk, Va.

Clearwater Funeral Home in Clearwater, Fla., has charge of arrangements.