EHT Street To Be Renamed For 4-Time Purple Heart Recipient

Marco Polo Smigliani, an Italian immigrant, Marine Corps vet, and longtime veterans advocate from Egg Harbor Township, will have an EHT street named after him this Saturday as Swift Drive becomes Marco Polo Smigliani Purple Heart Way.

The ceremony is scheduled for 11 am on Saturday at Veterans Memorial Park, 2153 Ocean Heights Avenue.

Marco Polo Smigliani to Be Honored For His Advocacy for Veterans

Marco Polo Smigliani, 77, who came to America from Italy at age 11, joined the U.S. Marine Corps at 17 and served in Vietnam.

Smiglainai (pronounced Smee-lee-ah-knee), who, for my money, has the coolest name ever, is a truly courageous man.

He was wounded five times during his service in Vietnam and is a four-time Purple Heart recipient and a member of the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor.

In the years since, Smigliani has dedicated his life to helping veterans by contributing to Vietnam Veterans of America, the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation, and the Atlantic County Veterans Advisory Board.

“I love veterans because they have made a commitment that nobody else in America has. They are owed greater debt and gratitude than they receive.”

 

Smigliani's War Story

Here is Maro Polo Smigliani's war story, courtesy of the VA Newsletter.

"At 17, Smigliani joined the Merchant Marines. He traveled extensively around the world and brought artillery to Da Nang to help the war effort.

There, he enlisted in the Marine Corps. He deployed to Vietnam in January 1969 as a machine gunner but only served 40 days of combat in Vietnam after being wounded five times in 11 days.

Smigliani joined Operation Dewey Canyon with the Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 9th Regiment, known as “The Walking Dead.”

While patrolling, his company discovered the abandoned North Vietnamese Army’s 88th Field Hospital.

Smigliani called it “the biggest catch of the war” in an interview for the Veterans History Project: “We found literally thousands of rifles, machine guns, about 60 [to] 70 tons of rice, all kinds of mail.”

The next evening, Smigliani dove into a foxhole as a bomb exploded. Shrapnel embedded itself in the back of his head and neck, catching his shirt on fire. He was patched up but not airlifted out because of the need for men.

On March 4, Smigliani was shot in the arm. During the firefight, he attempted to patch himself up and resumed firing. He went to help a friend just as a rocket-propelled grenade exploded, nearly severing his arm.

Another group of Marines came to their aid and dispelled the enemy. Due to heavy fog and rain, Smigliani could not be transported to a hospital.

On March 6, while attempting to board a helicopter, he was kicked in the chest to avoid the chopper’s blades; the helicopter took off sideways due to sudden enemy RPG fire.

During this incident, shrapnel embedded itself in Smigliani’s head, and he received a concussion. Finally, after making it aboard safely, he was taken to a Da Nang hospital.

Smigliani went to an Army hospital in Japan for two weeks and was operated on multiple times."

Marco Police still has shrapnel in his arm.

The dedication of Marco Polo Smigliani Purple Heart Way is Saturday, April 26, at 11 am.

Weather permitting, you can witness a cannon firing demonstration, a helicopter flyover, dignitaries, veterans and their families. Hoagies and pizza will be served after the ceremony.