BRATTLEBORO-Sam Mercurio has been a regular at the Tuesday Morning Veterans Coffee Group at American Legion Post 5 since its inception six years ago.
"Sam's been a very loyal member of our group here," said Dr. Robert Tortolani, one of the group's organizers. "And we can't be more honored to be nominating you, Sam, for the Quilt of Valor."
Mercurio was honored for his Army service by his fellow veterans on June 24 and presented with the handmade quilt by Lynn Carrier, Vermont coordinator for the Quilts of Valor Foundation, and her husband, Mike.
Veterans stood and saluted Mercurio after the quilt was wrapped around him by the Carriers.
Mercurio said that he has always admired all the sacrifices made by his fellow veterans. "It's been an honor to be a part of this group," he said. "Thank you very much on my behalf."
In 1948, Mercurio joined the Army when he was 17. He convinced his father to co-sign his enlistment papers. The youngest in a family of six children, the native of Norwich, New York, he served for four years, mostly in Germany in the aftermath of World War II.
"On his first tour, he was stationed in Bamberg, Germany, where he was trained in heavy weapons, including a 50-caliber machine gun, 81-millimeter mortars, and the recoilless rifle," Tortolani said. "He was also involved in guarding German prisoners, and many Germans in the community were unhappy that Americans were in their country, resulting in occasional dangerous situations."
Tortolani said that Mercurio was honorably discharged in 1952 but found it difficult to find civilian work and returned to the Army in 1958.
During his second stint, he served as a military police guard coordinator, scheduling guards for the Women's Army Corps nurses at the Army hospital at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. He was also a bugler and helped with the production of the soldiers' newsletter. He completed his second tour in 1960, leaving the Army at the rank of specialist fifth class.
Mercurio will be celebrating his 95th birthday this month. He moved to Brattleboro about eight years ago to live with family. He's the last surviving member of the six Mercurio children.
This Milestones item was submitted to The Commons.