The Sault’s Emilio (Mel) Mizzi received his Second World War service medals at a special ceremony held at Royal Canadian Legion Branch 25 on Feb. 21.
Mizzi, 102, received the Canadian Volunteer Service Award, granted to anyone who served for at least 18 months in Canada’s army, navy or air force between September 1939 and March 1947.
He also received the War Medal for 1939-1945.
Sault Mayor Matthew Shoemaker presented Mizzi with his medals.
“He never actually received his medals so we figured it was time,” said Pierre Breckenridge, Royal Canadian Legion Branch 25 president, speaking with SooToday.
Many Second World War veterans didn’t get their service medals because the federal government doesn't always automatically give the medals out unless veterans requested them.
Some veterans didn’t ask for their medals simply because they wanted to get home after the Second World War in 1945 and get on with their lives.
Breckenridge said Mizzi was inspired to ask for his war medals after Aldo Diotallevi - a fellow Second World War veteran and centenarian from the Sault - requested his medals and received them at a special ceremony held at Branch 25 Dec. 23, 2024.
Upon receiving Mizzi’s medal request, Legion officials put the wheels in motion with Veterans Affairs and the Department of National Defence for him to be presented with his wartime awards.
Mizzi was a signalman with the Canadian Army’s No. 1 Special Wireless Group during the Second World War.
Formed in 1941 and based in Australia, the group intercepted short and long-range Japanese radio transmissions.
No. 1 Special Wireless Group’s activities were secret during the war and remained classified until many years after the war’s end.
It is now known that Japanese messages intercepted by the group and sent to Allied forces on the front lines saved hundreds of Canadian lives.
Upon war’s end, Mizzi returned to Canada.
He married, raised a family and was well-known as Mel’s Auto owner/operator.
“We're privileged to still be able to speak with these veterans,” Breckenridge said.
“The medals are a significant thing. One of the highest priorities of the legion is honouring the service of veterans like Mel.”