Submitted photo Dominic DiLoreto mans the 50-caliber machine gun on the gun truck he was assigned to in Vietnam in 1970.

EDITOR’S NOTE: To suggest a veteran for this series, which runs through Veterans Day, email metro editor Marly Reichert at mreichert@tribtoday.com.

By J.T. Whitehouse

Staff writer

CANFIELD — Dominic DiLoreto recently had the honor of being named the district’s “2019 Veteran of the Year” by the United Veterans Council.

For DiLoreto, it was another honor in a lifetime of service to his country and to other veterans.

DiLoreto was born in 1949, the eldest of three children, to Angelo and Margaret (Divita) DiLoreto of Youngstown. He attended school at Immaculate Conception grade school, then East High School, where he graduated in 1968 and was drafted into the Army the following year.

“In 1968, I got the Richard Milhouse Nixon letter (draft notice),” DiLoreto said.

He was sent to Fort Campbell, Kentucky, for his basic training, then headed to Fort Polk, La., for driving school, where he learned how to drive the larger Army vehicles. His training continued at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, where he was supposed to train on track vehicles, but that never happened.

“I drove buses and never saw a track vehicle,” he said.

DiLoreto was then assigned to the Army’s 23rd Infantry Division Americal that was stationed in Chu Lia, Vietnam. He was assigned as a 50-caliber gunner on a gun truck. He said his unit basically provided protection to supply and transport convoys.

“Our job was to provide security,” he said.

Like most veterans from his division, he doesn’t like to speak about the fighting he was involved in.

He would rather speak of the special moments that popped up from time to time.

“I recall the time we had Iron City beer in the PX (base store),” he said. “It sold for $1 per case. I bought 10 cases, got some ice, and cooled it. Then, while driving by the infantry men, I passed out a cold beer. They were blowing kisses to say thanks. Even the chaplain stopped and had a beer.”

Being based next to a surgical hospital, DiLoreto said his unit would see guys come in from the front lines via the medical helicopters.

“Those were the heroes for me,” he said.

After 15 long months in Vietnam, DiLoreto returned to the States and received an honorable discharge. He returned to Mahoning Valley Distributing, where he was employed before being drafted.

On Nov. 11, 1972, DiLoreto married Jessie and the two raised a son and two daughters.

In 1974, DiLoreto ran across a National Guard recruiter who asked him to take part in a program called “try one.” The program was a one-year only stretch of service, then a candidate could simply end it. DiLoreto tried it out and worked his way up the ranks, being assigned to the 107th Armored Calvary’s 216th Engineers as food service sergeant and as platoon sergeant for the 112th Engineers. He signed twice for three year hitches and said that started a long stretch serving in the Guard.

“Once you put in seven years, they known they got you,” he said.

During his years with the National Guard, he was activated several times. In the famous blizzard of 1978, his unit was assigned to Orange County, Ohio. They were tasked with breaking up snow and ice with the unit’s bulldozers.

“We froze our butts off,” he said. “We brought in big Air Force snow blowers (used on runways) or we would have still been there.”

The next activation took place in 1985 following the tornado in Niles. He said at the time they were doing some federal training and drills, but were instructed not to come to the training site that day.

“We were called from federal to state active duty to assist in the tornado cleanup,” DiLoreto said. “We used our heavy equipment to clean up.”

One other activation came in 1990 when a devastating flood struck Shadyside, Ohio, which he said killed 27. A deadly flash flood dumped 3 inches of rain in a short time that devastated the community.

“It was a wall of water and debris that made dams out of bridges,” DiLoreto said. “We saw a lot of people come together to help out in that catastrophe. We assisted anywhere we could.”

After 25 years in the National Guard, DiLoreto finally retired from military service in 1997. He kept working his civilian job as general manager of Mahoning Valley Distributing until 2015, when he retired from there.

Prior to his final retirement, (in 2012) he joined American Legion Post 177 in Canfield, where he helped start a nursing home visitation program. Members of Post 177 would visit nursing homes on Veterans Day and take thank you cards from elementary school children to the veterans who live there. That program continues today.

“This year we are visiting seven nursing homes on Veterans Day,” he said. “I’ll be calling this week to get exact numbers.”

In 2017, DiLoreto joined another local group, VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars) Meander Post 9571 (Ellsworth), where he continued finding ways to serve other veterans. Today he serves as Post 9571 Commander.

“I just wanted to get involved with veteran organizations,” he said. “I wanted to give back.”

With the VFW, DiLoreto was able to expand the Veterans Day visit program.

On Oct. 9, DiLoreto was recognized at a local dinner as being the 2019 Veteran of the Year by the local United Veterans Council. He said the recognition would have taken part in 2020, but was canceled because of the pandemic. This year both the 2019 and 2020 veterans of the year were being honored.

He was also thrilled to have American Legion Post 177 recognized as an All-State Post and more recently, an All-American Post because of the many programs the post holds for veterans and their families.

DiLoreto also serves on the Post 9571 Honor Guard that handles military funerals in Northeast Ohio.

Dominic DiLoreto

AGE: 71

RESIDENCE: Canfield

SERVICE BRANCH: U.S. Army and Ohio National Guard

MILITARY HONORS: Army Service Ribbon, National Defense Medal, Good Conduct Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal, Humanitarian Service Ribbon, Army Achievement Ribbon, NCO Proficiency Development Ribbon, Ohio Special Service Ribbon, Ohio National Guard Award of Merit, Armed Services Reserve Ribbon, Ohio Faithful Service Ribbon, Army Reserve Components Overseas Training Ribbon, and Army Reserves Component Achievement Medal.

OCCUPATION: Mahoning Valley Distributing, general manager (retired)

FAMILY: wife, Jessie DiLoreto; son, Douglas DiLoreto; daughters, Anna Marie DiLoreto and Angie Marie Lolakis; and four grandchildren.