Mario E. DiMeo passed away at the Lahey Medical Center in Boston, on November 6, 2007; he was 86 years of age. He was born July 8th, 1921 in the hills of Catigiano, just out side Pescara, in the Province of Abruzzi Italy. He was to be the oldest of four children to Antonio and Maria (Tiberi) DiMeo. After coming to the US at the age of three he lived in the North End for a short time before moving to the West End of Boston. Mario graduated from Boston English and started work on the docks to contribute to his family. The job was a lucrative one, allowing his mother to be the first one on her block with a new refrigerator and stove. As WWII broke out, Marty joined the Army Air Corps 15th Airborne. He was part of the 451st and served in Europe. On Friday, October 13th, 1300 hours, on the 13th mission, the crew were shot down in their B24 bomber just over Austria. Martys brave pilot Jim Moye handled the disabled aircraft and circled the plane until all his crew parachuted safely to the ground. Not as smooth a landing as it sounds, he landed on a stone wall and another member of the crew through the thatch roof of a German commando head quarters. For several months Mr. DiMeo suffered all the indignities of war as a prisoner. As the war ended the camp was forced to march over 600 miles for 86 days in the cold sleeping outdoors with little or no food. Many soldiers died in what is known as the shoe leathers death march, yet Marty not only survived; he helped save the lives of many men. After his discharge from the service Marty settled in at the Boston Gas Company where he worked for over 40 years as a sales man and serving as the union shop Stewart. He was a member of United Steel Workers District 12. When his 65th birthday came around the company had his gold watch ready. But Mr. DiMeo had no desire to stop working and when the company pressured him, he took them to court in 1986. He won a landmark age discrimination case against the powerful utility company. During his retirement Marty enjoyed his trips to Kanes Donuts in Saugus to have coffee with his friends, he loved to stop by his daughters restaurant & coffee shop for a visit and talk politics. Mr. DiMeo sat on the Veterans Advisory Board for the City of Melrose, he loved to golf, and sit around the dinner table and share stories with his family. Husband of the Claire E. (Brunick) DiMeo. Father of Maria Belanger, Claire Bee, Mark DiMeo, Kenneth DiMeo, Laura DiMeo, Annette DiMeo, Dennis DiMeo, Wendy Golini and the late David DiMeo. Brother of Neta Barker of Wayland and the late Lora Chase & Valdimiro DiMeo. Also survived by many grandchildren, great grandchild, nieces & nephews. A celebration of Martys life will be held at the Gately Funeral Home, 79 W. Foster St. Melrose, on Saturday Nov. 10th at 10AM. Relatives & friends invited. Visiting hours Friday 4-9PM. Interment in Wyoming Cemetery Melrose. Memorial contributions may be made in Martys name to Veteran Services for the City of Melrose, attn: City Treasurer, 562 Main St. Melrose 02176.