Talking to long-time veterans in Somerville

By Elizabeth Sheeran

Nearly 10,000 veterans live in Somerville, and this Veterans Day they span nearly three quarters of a century, from the oldest of those who fought in World War II, to the youngest of the young men and women returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. Here, “veteran” veterans, who served in the 1940s, 50s and 60s, talk about serving their country and their thoughts for the newest veterans.

Joe Miceli

Joe Miceli enlisted in the Marines when he turned 18 in 1943, and fought with the 1st Marine Division in the Pacific Theater during World War II. He was wounded in the battle for Peleliu in the South Pacific, for which he received a Purple Heart, and went on serve at Okinawa and in North China. He returned home in 1946, had three daughters, and served nearly three decades on the Somerville Police Force.

On growing up quickly:

I was only a kid. I was a naïve little kid and everybody else was signing up, so I went. The first day I stepped off of that Amtrak into the battle, I grew up. It was bad. We went through a lot. The Japanese were tenacious fighters. They fought to the death and never gave up.

On what he learned about himself:

What I learned was survival. Physical things you’d never dream of doing on your own before, but you learned you were capable of doing. You had to. It made you more aware of yourself, and how much you can do to survive by yourself. You learn you can get by without anybody else.

On his message to soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan:

Come home… I know they love their country and they’d give their life for it, which is very rare today. I admire them, because they’re in a real dirty type of war. It’s tough today.

Pasquale Migliozzi

Pasquale Migliozzi was born and raised in Somerville and was drafted into the army in the 1950s at the age of 26, serving as a cook in Japan and near the Demilitarized Zone in Korea. The army had recently been integrated and Migliozzi said it was “an education” for him to see the discrimination faced by some of his fellow soldiers from Somerville while at basic training in the South. Now retired from a long career with the MBTA, he and his wife Clare have three children and three grandchildren.

On pride in service:

Even though I was drafted, I’m not sorry it happened. It was a great experience. I’m proud that we stayed there and helped the South Koreans. I was proud that I served my country. I think everybody should, really; I think it’s an obligation. I think you should be proud to serve, regardless of your circumstances. It’s your duty.

On serving in the early days of integration:

That’s a good thing about being in the service. It was a good experience because you meet people from all over. You meet people from all walks of life and you work together side by side on the line. We got along great. Everybody accepted everybody.

On his message to Iraq and Afghanistan veterans:

If you served over there, be proud that you were able to do it and come home. And always remember to say a prayer for the ones who didn’t come home.

Bob Hardy

Bob Hardy, a Somerville native, was drafted into the army in 1967, at the age of 20, and went to Vietnam in December of that year as a medic with the 1^st Calvary Division. Hardy served “a year and a day” in Vietnam (1968 was a leap year) and was discharged in 1969. He married his wife Theresa in 1970 and worked as a carpenter until he retired 12 years ago. The father of two and grandfather of six, Hardy is the post commander at the Dilboy VFW Post in Davis Square.

On how service changed him:

You mature in a hurry when you go to combat. I think it made me a better person because I saw the worst of war, then I came home to peace. You go to a country where they don’t have anything, and then here we have all this. When you come home, you learn to appreciate it. And you learn to appreciate life, because it only takes an instant and it’s gone.

On surviving the worst:

I’ve seen the worst part of it because I was a medic. Those memories that happened 40-something years ago, I can still see them. They don’t go away. I’ll take them to the grave. There were some nights, you’d get up in the morning and you didn’t know how you’d survived. But it wasn’t my time.

On coming home:

During the late 60s and early 70s Vietnam veterans weren’t too well received back in this country. It took me almost 20 years to find out I was a veteran because I hid. I took all my medals and I threw them in a bucket, until they did a dedication in Union Square. I’m glad I served my country at that time. Even though it was hard times when we came home, it was worth it. They can’t take that history away from me, or from any veteran.

On Iraq and Afghanistan veterans:

To me, they are the greatest generation, because they are taking care of me now. They’re keeping me safe. They’re doing multiple tours. I just look at them and I say “thank you.” There are not enough “thank you’s” you can say to our Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, and I’ll go out of my way to make sure that they are well-respected, which they are.

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Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone and Director of Veterans’ Services Frank Senesi invite all interested community members to attend the annual Veteran’s Day ceremonies on Thursday, November 11^th at 10:00 a.m.  The City of Somerville will be holding the annual ceremonies with the Allied Veterans’ Council at the VFW George Dilboy Post #529, located at 371 Summer Street in Davis Square.  The event will include an honor guard, and brief speeches by local elected officials.  For more information, please contact the Veteran’s Services Department at 617-625-6600 x4700.