(WBRE/WYOU)— The last days of a local military hero are being relived on stage.
One of our region's most well-known and respected veterans is soon to be honored near his hometown.
28/22 News reporter Gianna Galli is here give you an look inside of the play.
Police department honors their fallen officers
She has a look at a patriotic play returning to our area and the tribute it pays to a very decorated solider.
Lackawanna County native and Congressional Medal of Honor recipient Gino Merli is being remembered for his heroic efforts in war on a September night decades ago.
A local chapter of the largest Italian American service organization is hosting a play paying tribute to the veteran from Peckville.
"The last thoughts of Gino Merli," are still being remembered.
The World War Two veteran was 18-years-old when he enlisted in the United States Army.
Serving for two years, he took part in the invasion of Normandy and the Battle of the Bulge, but it was his heroism on a September night in 1944 in Belgium that will soon be relived in Scranton.
Merli played dead when his position was overrun by German soldiers.
When they moved, the machine-gunner at the time repositioned and killed more than a dozen enemy soldiers.
This Memorial Day holiday a one-man play hosted by the Scranton Chapter of UNICO National is honoring the Pennsylvania patriot.
"It honors Gino Merli and through him all of our veterans both living and dead in north eastern pennsylvania. Gino Merli is their local hero," voiced Charlie SpanoMember, Scranton Chapter of UNICO National.
In 2002, Merli passed away at age 78 in his Peckville home.
Interested in honoring the local hero on Thursday, May 22, the play will be seen inside Lackawanna College's Peoples Security Bank Auditorium.
