Tom Marinello

On June 6, 1969, at age 19, Tom Marinello bravely entered the United States Army. Mr. Marinello arrived in Dau Tieng, Vietnam, as an infantryman on November 2, 1969, and was assigned to A CO 2nd 28th Infantry, First Infantry Division. After fighting courageously, he was wounded by shrapnel on November 17, 1969, and when the First Infantry Division was rotated back to the states, Mr. Marinello was assigned to A CO 1st 5th Infantry 25th Infantry Division. 

On May 9, 1970, Mr. Marinello was wounded during the Cambodian Incursion by a gunshot to the stomach. Due to complications, he was in intensive care until the end of July of that year. Mr. Marinello’s sacrifice can be measured in his profound hearing loss, due to an allergic reaction to the antibiotics used in his treatment. He was moved to Pennsylvania for additional surgery, and in February 1970, to Walter Reed Army Hospital for hearing rehabilitation. 

Mr. Marinello was hospitalized for 14 months and was only able to make a full recovery because of the dedicated Army medical staff who took care of him. Maj. John P. Christy, MD., his doctor at the hospital in Camp Zama, Japan, simply refused to give up when nothing seemed to work when his recovery slowed. Without his personal dedication and encouragement, Mr. Marinello would never have recovered. 

In recognition of his perseverance and valor, Mr. Marinello received the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal, the Purple Heart Army Commendation Medal w/1st OLC Combat Infantry Badge and the Marksman Badge, among others.  

Mr. Marinello has not forgotten what his fellow veterans did for him, and he works tirelessly to make sure they are taken care of and not forgotten. He is a member of Tri-County Council of Vietnam Era Veterans, Disabled American Veterans, VFW Post 6776 and the Military Order of the Purple Heart. 

In 1981, Tom Marinello and his wife, Linda, started Marinello Construction Co., Inc. which specializes in masonry, plaster and stonework. He has been a member of Laborers Local 190 since 1968, and various other labor and contractors’ associations. Despite all the odds against him while serving our country, Mr. Marinello displayed an amazing amount of strength and survived. He is blessed with a family of two children and three grandchildren.