World War II veteran Emilio (Mel) Mizzi has lived most of his long and storied life in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., but spent some of his most memorable years miles away intercepting enemy radio communications.
Mizzi was a 19-year-old working at Algoma Steel in Sault Ste. Marie when he decided to enlist in 1941.
“It was a good experience, and I was doing something for my country,” he said in a phone interview with The Epoch Times. “I liked the army and the army liked me.”
Mel Mizzi, pictured at his home with a “Quilt of Valour” presented to him by the Quilts of Valour Canada Society. The quilts are made by volunteer quilters from across the country who wish to show their appreciation to Canadian Armed Forces members, past and present, for their bravery and commitment to Canada. (Courtesy Christine Marasco)
The young man spent his early days in the military working as a mechanic on vehicles. Mizzi aspired to be a paratrooper, but was turned down due to his high blood pressure. Asked why he wanted to jump out of an airplane, Mizzi joked, “Because it was quicker [to get] where you were going.”…