Gino J. Merli Veterans Center: A Tribute to a WWII Hero

The Northeast Veterans Center, established in January 1994, was renamed the Gino J. Merli Veterans Center in November 2002. This renaming honored Gino Joseph Merli, a Scranton-born World War II hero, for his exceptional bravery during the Battle of Sars-la-Bruyere in Belgium in 1944.

Born in May 1924, Gino Joseph Merli was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1943. He participated in the D-Day invasion of Omaha Beach in 1944 and later in the Battle of the Bulge. His gallantry and courage earned him the Medal of Honor, two Purple Hearts, a Bronze Star, and the Humanitarian Award of the Chapel of Four Chaplains.

After the war, Merli served as an adjudication officer for the VA Medical Center in Plains Township. He was a source of inspiration for Tom Brokaw's book 'The Greatest Generation' and accompanied Brokaw to the Normandy beaches in 1984. Merli passed away on June 11, 2002, at the age of 78. The Gino J. Merli Veterans Center stands as a lasting tribute to his heroism and commitment to fellow veterans.