Master Sgt. Vincent Melillo: More than 110 remember original member of Merrill's Marauders for his service
With his flag-draped coffin inside Fort Benning's Infantry Center Chapel, retired Master Sgt. Vincent Melillo was remembered Saturday as a soldier who walked out of the shadow of death on a hilltop in Burma and continued to serve his country not only as a member of Merrill's Marauders during World War II, but also in the Korean War.
"We can tell a lot about a man by where he walked, how he walked and who he has walked with," Maj. Mark Winton, chaplain of the Airborne and Ranger Training Brigade, said during a 10:30 a.m. memorial service. "This is where he walked from Nphum Ga, out of the shadow of death."
More than 110 military leaders, veterans and friends gathered for a farewell to Melillo, who died at age 97 on Christmas Eve. The Columbus veteran was the last Georgia resident to serve with the 5307th Composite Unit known as Merrill's Marauders. Marching almost 1,000 miles behind enemy lines, the unit traveled farther than any other fighting force to capture the all-weather airstrip at Myitkyina, Burma, and open an allied supply line into Asia.
After the service, Melillo was transported to Midway United Methodist Church in Milan, Ga., where he was laid to rest near his late wife, Frankie Doris.
A native of Boonton N.J., Melillo was born to Italian immigrants on July 23, 1918, but found himself an orphan three months later when the flu epidemic struck his mother. He stayed with Catholic orphanages until he was 11 years old. The father he never knew eventually reclaimed him.
Like many children his age, Melillo quit school after the seventh grade and helped his Mason father. He also worked with the Works Progress Administration, the Civilian Conservation Corps and other jobs before joining the Army in 1940. He actually was turned away at his first recruiting station due to health reasons, but he hitchhiked to another station that allowed him to serve.
He had three years of military service and was returning to the United States when he answered the call in August 1943 for volunteers to serve on a dangerous mission. He was one of 3,000 serving in Merrill's Marauders, the unit named after their commander, Gen. Frank D. Merrill. They marched through Ledo Road, the Himalayan mountains and jungles of Burma.
In April 1944, he was with the unit when they were directed to defend a ridge line known as Nphum Ga, or Maggot Hill. Traveling with what they could carry on their backs and pack mules, Melillo and the unit soon found themselves surrounded by the Japanese.
"It was constant artillery, a lack of food and there was a lack of water," Winton said. "There was so much death, the stench from the mules and men like Vince held out for 10 days."
The 3,000-men unit was now whittled to 1,000 with 75 to 100 getting evacuated daily because of Malaria and dysentery. Melillo, who was stricken with dysentery, worms and other ailments, often joked about how he was able to walk down the mountain holding onto the tail of a donkey.
"As he was walking down the hill, the mule actually farts in his face," Winton said. "Indeed, a horrible walk that none of us could imagine."
After World War II, Melillo volunteered again for service in the Korean War.
"Volunteering will get you killed and I didn't just volunteer once, I volunteered twice," said Winton, recalling words from Melillo. "Even in the Korea War, they wanted to offer him a battlefield commission but he waived that, thinking he didn't have the education to back it up."
Melillo had no regard for himself, but a big regard for service, the chaplain said. The veteran even thought Korea was worse than fighting in World War II.
Retired Maj. Bill Spies, a former Ranger School instructor, met Melillo in the early 1960s at the mountain training camp in Dahlonega, Ga., where the marauder served in the opposition force for Ranger students.
"He was a sergeant and I was a lieutenant," Spies said. "He had kind of a relaxed attitude about him."
Spies said he made it a point to meet Melillo because the word got out that he was an original member of Merrill's Marauders.
"It is sad, but he had a great life," Spies said. "He touched people in a very positive way. He was a good example for Merrill's Marauders. He was in the first fire fight the Marauders were in. He was on the hill that was surrounded. He was one of the few that made it all the way to Myitkyina."
Even after he retired, Melillo continued to support the Marauders. He and his daughter, Jonnie Clasen, traveled thousands of miles to reunions, living history programs and other events to represent the unit and Georgia.
Melillo was stricken with a mild heart attack on Dec. 2, but Clasen described him as a fighter to the end.
"I don't know if he would understand why all this attention is being given to him right now," Clasen said. "He would probably say, 'It's because I'm old.'"
During her father's treatment at the hospital, Clasen found comfort in words from Gen. Sam Wilson, a surviving Merrill's Marauder from Virginia.
"When you get back to the hospital, I want you to put your hand on your dad's shoulder and tell him that I said the column is resting now and we will regroup on the other side for future endeavors."
This story was originally published January 2, 2016 at 10:26 PM with the headline "Master Sgt. Vincent Melillo: More than 110 remember original member of Merrill's Marauders for his service ."