Gino Joseph Merli (May 13, 1924 – June 11, 2002) was an Italian-American soldier, and recipient of the Medal of Honor during World War II. Biography Born in Scranton, Pennsylvania, Merli was the son of a coal miner. He entered service in the United States Army from Peckville in July 1943 and served with the 2nd Battalion, 18th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division. With his division, he went ashore at Omaha Beach on D-Day in 1944 and participated in the Battle of the Bulge in December of the same year. On the evening of September 4, 1944, near Sars-la-Bruyère in Belgium (now a deelgemeente of Frameries), his company was attacked by a superior German force. Their position was overwhelmed, but PFC Merli stayed with his machine gun covering their retreat. When his position was overrun, he feigned death while German soldiers prodded him with their bayonets, only to rise and confront the enemy when they withdrew. Twice he fooled German soldiers into believing he was no longer a threat, only to attack them again when they left him for dead. In the morning, a counterattack forced the Germans to ask for a truce. The negotiating party found Merli still at his gun. For these actions, Merli was presented with the Medal of Honor by President Harry S. Truman at a White House ceremony on June 15, 1945, which included presentations to Marine recipients Everett P. Pope, Luther Skaggs Jr. and Carlton R. Rouh, for their heroism during actions in the Central Pacific theatre. In addition, Merli received two Purple Hearts, the Bronze Star, and the Humanitarian Award of the Chapel of Four Chaplains for his actions during World War II. In civilian life, Merli took it upon himself to serve fellow veterans. He was an adjudication officer for the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Plains Township, Pennsylvania. He traveled to the Normandy beaches in 1984 in the company of Tom Brokaw and was a source of inspiration for Brokaw's book The Greatest Generation. Namesakes and honors The Veterans' Center in Scranton was named for Gino Merli in 2002. Merli-Sarnoski State Park, located in Fell Township (just outside Carbondale, Pennsylvania), is co-named for Mr. Merli and Joseph Sarnoski, another World War II Medal of Honor recipient and Lackawanna County resident. Gino Merli Drive (one of the main roads) in Peckville, Pennsylvania, is also named for him. Medal of Honor citation The