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From YouTube: Victor Gemelli Hero Square Dedication
Description
Boston veterans who made the ultimate sacrifice will always be remembered in our city. Mayor Walsh joins Veterans Affairs Commissioner Robert Santiago, family members of Victor Gemelli and Dorchester community members to pay tribute to another one of Boston's honored veterans at the Victor Gemelli Hero Square Dedication. His spirit lives on at the corner of Kane Street and Bellevue Street in Dorchester.
A
So
good
morning,
everyone
mayor,
Walsh,
Costra,
asabi
George,
thank
you
for
being
here,
members
of
the
Gemelli
family
and
members
of
the
Shanley
family
as
well
fellow
veterans.
Ladies
and
gentlemen,
we
are
gathered
here
today
to
pay
tribute
to
a
great
American
and
city
of
Boston,
hero
sergeant,
victor
and
Jame
lean
or,
as
he
was
known
to
his
comrades,
PAH
Victor
generally
I'm,
not
gonna,
say
much
about
him,
because
the
family
I
was
gonna,
speak
on
his
behalf.
A
He
enlisted
in
the
United
States
Army
at
the
ripe
old
age
of
35
Mick
was
a
larger-than-life
figure
here
in
Boston
as
well.
He
was
the
New
England.
Was
it
the
boxer?
Yes,
so
I
mean
so
we
didn't
remember
him
today.
Sergeant
Gemelli
also
kept
a
promise
but
never
lived
to
see
it,
but
that
also
will
be
told
by
the
family
of
how
that
happened.
Our
hero
squares
allows
us
to
pay
tribute
and
honor
our
fallen
servicemembers
in
a
very
visible
and
permanent
way.
A
The
hero
squares
program
is
meaningful
to
the
families
and
friends
of
the
service
member,
as
well
as
the
community
that
they
lived
in
I
would
like
everyone
to.
Please
notice
the
gold
star
that's
on
the
hero
square.
This
gold
star
is
a
symbol
that
not
only
represents
him
but
also
represents
the
family.
A
This
family,
the
Germania
family,
has
been
a
gold
star
family
since
October
21st
1944
almost
75
years
ago,
being
a
gold
star
family
is
an
honor
that
nobody
wants.
No
wife
wants
to
lose
a
husband,
no
father
wants
to
lose
a
daughter
or
a
son.
No
sister
wants
to
lose
a
brother,
and
no
brother
wants
to
lose
a
sister,
but
it
is
proof
that
servicemembers
don't
serve
alone.
Their
families
serve
with
them.
A
This
truly
is
a
great
nation,
and
it's
wonderful
that
we
dedicate
hero
squares
to
show
everybody
that
passes
through
here
that
freedom
comes
with
a
price.
There
are
still
many
fellow
Bostonians
today
serving
around
the
world,
but
sergeant
Gemelli
made
the
ultimate
sacrifice
for
this
country.
So
a
special
thank
you
to
the
Gemelli
family
and
the
Shanley
family.
I
commend
you
for
all
that.
You
have
done
in
memory,
your
loved
one
sergeant,
Victor
Gemelli
right
now.
A
B
Thank
You,
commissioner
Thank
You,
commissioner
and
I,
want
to
thank
you
in
the
veterans
service
office
for
all
your
great
work
to
the
family
of
Sergeant
Victor
Gemelli
I
want
to
welcome
you
and
thank
you
for
being
here
today
and
thank
you
for
your
sacrifice.
I
want
to
give
a
special
shout
out
to
Chief
Jim
hooli
of
emerge,
the
city
of
Boston,
emergency
medical
service,
Thank,
You
chief
as
well.
I,
know
your
family
here.
So
thank
you
for
everything
here
to
the
veterans
that
are
here
to
the
active
servicemen
and
women.
B
Thank
you
as
well
for
your
service
to
our
country
and
into
our
city
to
the
Dorchester
community.
Here
that
just
came
out
of
looking
out
the
window.
Thank
you
for
being
here
today
is
a
special
day
in
the
city
of
Boston.
I
also
want
to
thank
city,
councilor
and
Easter
sabe
Jorge,
who
joined
us
today
to
be
here
with
us
who
comes
to
all
of
our
hero
square
r-e
dedications
in
the
city,
we're
honored
to
help
dedicate
this
square.
The
sergeant
Victor
Gemelli
I
have
some
stories
and
I
apologize
to
the
family.
B
If
I
take
some
of
your
stories
because
I
don't
know,
we'll
see
what
happens,
I'll
try
not
to
say,
but
is
that
we
should
it.
We
should
have
coordinated
beforehand,
but
cited
Gemelli
was
born
in
Boston
a
resident
of
Dorchester.
He
was
inducted
into
the
United
States
Army
on
February
20th
1941.
He
began.
B
He
began
his
active
duty
that
same
day,
so
he
came
from
these
streets
during
a
very
different
time
in
our
world
signed
up
and
be
in
what
immediately
into
active
duty,
he
was
unfortunately
killed
in
action
in
Germany
in
1944,
for
his
bravery
and
for
a
sacrifice.
He
was
awarded
several
medals,
including
the
Purple
Heart,
and
if
you
get
a
chance
today,
the
young
people
here
that
have
no
connection
to
the
family.
Look
at
this
frame
behind
me
and
look
at
these
medals.
These
are
medals
of
real
heroes.
These
metals
are
metals
of
real
action.
B
These
aren't
medals
of
winning
MVP
in
a
Super,
Bowl
or
or
in
a
hockey
game.
These
out
medals
for
doing
certain
things
that
you
do.
These
are
medals
for
actually
putting
your
life
on
the
line
and,
in
this
case,
literally
siding
Jamel.
He
put
his
life
on
the
line.
He
made
a
promise
when
he
signed
up
to
protect
his
country
and
protect
his
neighborhood,
and
he
absolutely
fulfilled
that
promise.
He
made
another
promise
to
his
niece
Flo
that
he'd
bring
her
back
a
nice
soldier
to
marry
and
Flo
met.
B
Her
husband,
Irv
whenev
helped
escort
sergeant
Emily's
body
back
to
United
States
society
Gemelli
kept
his
word
Flo,
unfortunately
passed
away
earlier
this
year.
I
know
her
family's
here,
but
she
is
reunited
in
heaven.
With
her
a
loving
husband
and
her
uncle.
Today,
we
honor
sergeant
Emily's
gemellus
legacy
of
service
in
a
very
special
way.
We
have
1700
hero
squares
all
across
the
city
of
Boston.
There
are
intersections
that
we
walk
down
every
single
day
in
our
busy
lives.
B
We
forget
them,
we
don't
notice
them,
they
become
part
of
the
landscape,
but
they
deserve
to
be
noticed.
Each
hero
square
tells
a
story
of
a
local
hero,
a
young
person
that
ran
on
these
streets
that
was
standing
on
today
and
all
over
the
city
of
Boston.
It
reminds
us
reminds
us
of
the
history
of
our
neighborhoods
and
the
residents
who
paved
the
way
for
freedoms
for
our
city
and
our
country
that
we
enjoy.
B
We
also
can
can
we
also
honor
the
memories
of
our
fallen
heroes,
but
taking
care
of
our
veterans
that
come
home.
Our
office
of
veteran
services
helps
connect
our
veterans
to
housing,
health
care,
education
and
a
job
and
more
we're
also
looking
to
find
new
ways
to
support
our
veterans
that
put
their
life
on
the
line
for
our
country.
We're
making
sure
that
no
one
no
veteran
is
left
behind
on
our
streets
here
in
Boston
and
we're
never
gonna
miss
a
chance
to
say
thank
you,
our
city.
B
She
has
an
eternal
gratitude
for
those
who
have
fought
for
a
better
future
for
all
of
us
that
gratitude
is
especially
strong
today,
as
we
remember
the
life
and
legacy
of
Sergeant
Victor
Chameli
I
want
to
thank
your
family,
his
family,
for
being
with
us
today.
I
want
to
thank
you
all
for
joining
us
today
and,
let's
just
when
we
leave
here
today,
not
just
spread
the
word
about
sergeant
Victor
Gemelli,
but
let's
spread
the
word
about
the
hero
squares.
B
Let's
remind
people
when
you're
walking
down
the
street
take
a
look
up
to
the
top
of
that
pole.
That
pole
represents
a
person
who
grew
up
in
the
neighborhood
that
you're
in
that
pull,
that
person
put
their
life
on
the
line
and
lost
their
life
so
that
we
can
enjoy
the
freedoms
that
we
have
today.
God
bless
all
of
you.
God
bless
the
city
of
Boston
and
god
bless
the
United
States
of
America.
A
A
D
Thank
You,
commissioner,
and
thank
you
everyone
for
including
me
in
this
celebration
of
love
and
service
for
sergeant
Chameli
I,
especially
appreciate
the
ROTC
kids
JROTC
students
from
Excel
High
School
for
joining
us
this
morning,
because
it's
often
too
easy
to
forget
the
sacrifice
that
our
residents
from
the
city
of
Boston
have
made
for
generations
in
in
serving
and
protecting
our
country.
So
it's
it's
my
pleasure,
my
honor
to
be
with
all
of
you
today
and
thank
you
for
including
me.
A
C
Thank
You,
commissioner,
you
can
want
everyone.
Can
you
hear
me
I,
don't
allow
this
voice,
so
let
me
know
if
you
don't
I
just
want
to
thank
everyone
for
joining
the
family,
friends
and
the
neighbors
of
Sergeant
Victor
Gemelli,
as
we
celebrate
his
life
and
remember
his
sacrifice
to
our
country
75
years
ago
this
month,
as
well
as
the
sacrifice
to
so
many
others
of
his
generation
has
made.
We
think
I
may
amount
and
J
Walsh
a
veteran's
Commissioner
Rob
Santiago
Darrell
Miller
Darrell,
my
brother.
C
Where
are
you
thank
you
for
making
this
possible
for
everybody
in
this
city?
You
do
a
great
job
with
this.
Thank
you
enough
for
making
this
possible.
They
see
that
Boston
does
not
forget
its
veterans
or
their
families.
I've
been
given
this
opportunity
to
speak
a
little
bit
about
Uncle,
Victor
and
I.
Have
the
honor
of
getting
I
married
into
the
honor
of
being
able
to
sample
Victor
ghazab,
my
wife
Joanne
is
a
Gemelli
and
Victor
was
her
uncle.
C
So
she
gave
me
the
opportunity
that
today
and
I'm
deeply
honored
for
that
Victor
Michele
Gemelli
was
born
on
Franklin
court
in
Dorchester
on
March
17th,
1906,
Franklin
courts,
a
small
little
Street
down
off
a
Norfolk
half
behind
would
be
the
Edison
yard
down
that
section
of
Dorchester.
The
house
isn't
there
anymore,
but
a
small
signal
of
the
street
still
is
on
February
20th
1941,
two
months
after
the
attack
at
Pearl
Harbor
victor
enlisted
in
the
United
States
Army.
When
he
entered
service
Victor
was
living
at
44,
Bellevue
Street
that
green
three
family.
C
C
He
was
one
of
four
brothers
and
sisters.
Victor
was
working
at
the
Manhattan
maakad
grocery
store
over
at
Central
Square
in
Cambridge,
so
like
many
generations
of
Bostonians,
I
can
only
imagine
that
he
went
down
and
rode
the
transit
system
to
work
home
back
and
forth
from
Dorchester
every
day.
Just
like
everybody
here
still
does
I
suspect
that
he
probably
started
working
in
the
uppers
car
Macha,
Donna,
Columbia
Road
that
was
owned
by
the
safrina
family,
who
also
owned
that
opened
up
the
market.
C
Subsequently,
in
Cambridge
he
was
34
35
years
old
at
the
time
when
he
enlisted
as
not
the
Commissioner,
was
saying
he
was
in
terrific
physical
condition,
as
he
was
also
a
professional
boxer
who
once
held
a
lightweight
championship
of
all
New
England.
He
also
instructed
boxing,
while
in
the
army,
take
a
look
at
this
picture
overhead
you
can
see
for
a
guy
who
was
in
his
30s.
It
was
a
pretty
good
shape.
C
Viktor
served
in
the
15th
Combat
Engineer
Battalion,
9th
Infantry
Division
his
duties
in
addition
to
demolition,
construction,
bridging,
including
included
clearing
of
Mines
and
unexploded
ordnance.
His
skill
and
exceptional
leadership
qualities
led
him
to
promotion
to
sergeant
the
15th
combat
engineer.
Battalion
was
highly
decorated
and
had
a
storied
record
in
combat
Victor
started
with
the
15th
at
Fort
Bragg
in
North
Carolina
from
there.
They
first
saw
action
in
North
Africa
in
1943
fighting
with
the
9th
Infantry
Division
during
the
Algerian
french
moroccan
tunisian
campaigns.
C
Next,
the
battalion
participated
in
the
invasion
of
Sicily
was
Sicily,
secured
I'm,
sorry
hitting
the
beach
is
doing
a
landing
in
Palermo
in
August
1943
with
Sicily
secured.
The
division
then
sailed
to
England
and
prepared
for
the
Normandy
invasion.
He
landed
at
Utah
Beach
on
10
June
in
1944,
the
battalion
drove
on
through
Cherbourg
then
later
took
pot
and
the
st.
Louie
breakthrough.
C
He
fought
his
way
across
France
ended
and
earned
the
battalion
a
battle
streamer
for
its
role
in
the
northern
France
campaign.
In
September,
the
battalion
earned
the
Presidential
Unit
Citation
for
its
actions
on
the
Siegfried
line.
Having
fought
across
northern
France
Victor
continued
on
through
Belgium
and
fought
into
Germany
his
sixth
major
campaign,
where
you,
where
on
October
21st
1944,
he
was
killed
in
action.
C
Clearing
on
mines
for
his
actions
to
order
service
victor
was
awarded
the
following:
the
Bronstein
metal
purple
hot,
the
American
campaign,
medal,
european-african-middle
Eastern
campaign
medal
with
one
Silva
battlestar,
one
bronze
Battlestar
and
one
bronze
invasion.
Arrowhead
a
Presidential
Unit
Citation.
The
Belgian
for
Riga
and
the
world
war
ii
victory
medal.
C
Victor
wrote
many
letters
to
his
brother
Joe
and
his
wife
Mary
back
in
Boston,
while
he
was
at
war,
his
son
David,
shed
copies
with
his
family
and
I
had
a
chance
to
look
at
a
few
of
them.
They
were
all
notable
in
that
he
missed
this.
He
missed
the
simple
activities
of
what
was
going
on
back
home
and
he
really
just
wanted
to
know
what
was
going
on
back
here.
He
asked
about
family.
He
never
spoke
of
the
dangers
he
faced.
C
He
did
speak
of
what
he'd
like
to
do
upon
his
return,
and
there
was
a
reoccurring
message
in
a
lot
of
his
letters
to
keep
his
brother
to
tell
his
brother
Joe
to
keep
working,
supporting
the
war
effort
at
home
and
telling
him
not
to
join
the
army.
In
fact,
his
brother
Joe
did
work
manufacturing
raw
materials,
as
did
his
brother,
Frank
Joe
and
Victor's
dad
Gemelli,
who
was
an
electrician
who
worked
in
the
Navy
shipyard
outfitting
ships
for
the
Navy.
C
However,
in
reading
the
letters
I
had
a
sense
that
Victor
really
wanted
to
do
was
to
spend
on
the
horrors
that
he
was
enduring
after
he
died.
He
was
initially
buried
at
the
u.s.
Cemetery
in
Belgium
on
reshef
l.
However,
after
some
time,
a
couple
of
years
after
hostilities
ceased,
his
family
requested
that
his
remains.
We
brought
home
where
he
rests
today
in
the
world
war,
2
section
of
Mount
Hope
Cemetery
that
mountain
Mattapan
there's
more
to
that
story.
C
Victor
was
a
young
man
who
was
given
notice
of
induction
back
in
the
60s
when
he
was
a
young
man
during
the
Vietnam
conflict,
he
went
ahead
and
he
the
Marines
Victor,
went
and
he
served
in
Vietnam.
He
was
critically
wounded
and
he
survives
a
landmine
that
was
tragically
similar
to
one
end
of
the
life
of
his
uncle.
C
E
Our
family
wants
to
thank
everyone
for
being
here.
Thank
You
mayor,
we're
greatly
pleased
that
our
Uncle
Vic
is
being
remembered
today
for
the
sacrifice
he
made
for
his
country
in
World
War.
Two,
my
name
is
Joan
Shanley
and
my
mother
was
the
oldest
niece
of
Uncle
Vic.
Although
most
of
us
never
met
Uncle
Vic,
he
influenced
our
lives
through
the
tremendous
love
that
the
generation
before
him
demonstrated
his
brother
Frank
Gemelli.
E
As
you
know,
by
now
named
a
son
Vic
and
that's
our
cousin
Vic
and
my
parents
plans
had
been
to
name
their
first
child
Victor.
It
was
a
very
important
name
for
us.
However.
I
was
born
and
that
didn't
really
work
and
I'm
sure
they
said
bummer.
So
they
had
a
second
child
and
they
were
hoping.
You
know
this
one's
going
to
be
named
Victor,
but
my
sister
Mary
was
born
and
I'm
sure
they
said
bummer
again
and
then
their
third
child
they
were
planning,
would
be
named
Victor.
E
But
the
big
surprise
was
twin:
girls
came
along
patty
and
Pamela
and
I'm
sure
they
said
bummer
again
until
the
fifth
child,
and
that
was
our
brother
Tom,
who
carries
the
middle
name
of
Victor
and
honor
of
uncle
uncle
Victor.
What
I
can
tell
you
about
is
a
great
love
story
that
survived
beyond
uncle
Vic's
death
in
World
War
two,
my
mother,
Florence
Crespi
and
uncle
Vic
were
very
close
growing
up
in
a
strong
Italian
family.
When
Uncle
Vic
went
off
to
war,
mom
was
in
her
20s.
She
wasn't
dating
anyone.
E
E
When
news
came,
that
uncle
Vic
had
been
killed
in
action
and
he
had
been
buried
in
the
army.
Chapelle
number
one
cemetery
in
Belgium,
I,
suspect,
mom,
remembered
what
he
said
and
thought
of
it
is
wishful
thinking.
However,
God
had
other
plans
after
the
war,
the
families
were
notified
to
see
if
they
wanted.
The
remains
of
relatives
buried
in
Europe
returned
home
uncle
Vic's.
Several
brothers
and
sisters
immediately
responded
and
said
that
they
wanted
their
brother
back
on
US
soil.
So
the
military
made
arrangements
for
his
remains
to
be
returned
and
kept.
E
The
family
informed
of
arrival
dates
specifically
the
time
that
the
number-10
train
would
arrive
at
South
Station.
The
family
was
also
informed
at
that
time
that
his
remains
would
be
under
the
military
escort
of
Staff
Sergeant
Irving
Shanley,
the
Gemelli
brothers
greet
at
the
number-10
train
and
with
their
very
generous
and
warm
hospitality,
invited
sergeant
Shanley
to
stay
for
the
memorial
services
and
dinner
afterwards
with
the
family.
It
was
during
the
services
while
standing
at
attention
near
the
casket
that
Uncle
Vic
Sinise
Florence
saw
Irving.
E
E
What
we
know
for
certain
is
that
God
honored
Uncle
Vic's
desire
to
bring
home
a
nice
soldier
boy
to
his
niece,
even
if
it
was
an
escort
for
his
remains
mission,
accomplished
uncle
Vic
as
a
family.
We
think
uncle
Vic
for
making
the
supreme
sacrifice
so
that
our
country
could
remain
the
land
of
the
free
where
people
like
my
mom
and
dad
could
build
a
life
and
family
together
for
over
six
decades
and
as
a
nation.
E
A
One
of
the
things
that
we
do
great
here
in
the
city
of
Boston
also
is
we
not
only
dedicate
a
hero
square,
but
we
also
include
a
biography
plaque
and
this
biography
plaque
is
for
those
who,
as
they're
walking
through
the
neighborhood,
could
read
this
biography,
biography,
plaque
and
learn
a
little
bit
about
the
hero
that
has
the
hero
square
named
after
him.
We
are
the
only
city
that
does
this
and
I've
actually
had
have
had
calls
from
other
cities
that
would
like
to
know.
How
is
it
that
we
do
it?
A
Victor
M
Gemelli
was
born
on
March
17th
1905
in
Boston
Massachusetts,
as
a
resident
of
Dorchester
Victor
was
inducted
into
the
United
States
Army
on
February
20th
1941,
and
began
active
duty
that
same
day,
Victor
served
as
a
sergeant
with
the
army
on
October
21st
1944
Victor
Gemelli
was
killed
in
action
in
Germany
for
the
heroism
displayed
in
his
service
to
our
country.
Victor
was
awarded
in
the
American
campaign
medal
world
war
ii
victory
medal
and
the
Purple
Heart
Victor
was
survived
by
his
parents,
John
and
Angeline
Gemelli,
who
are
residents
of
Dorchester.
A
Thank
you.
Thank
you,
the
Boston
Police
column
also,
what
I
want
to
let
everybody
know
if
you
see
on
that
bio
plaque,
there
is
a
QR
code.
If
you
want
more
information
on
Victor
Gemelli,
which
there
is
a
lot
of
information
on
this
hero,
you
could
click
on
the
QR
code
and
it
directs
you
to
a
webpage
of
of
Sergeant
Chameli.
At
this
time,
I'd
like
to
retire
colors.