Albert A. Meringolo

Sergeant Major Albert “Al” Meringolo passed away peacefully at the Armed Forces Retirement Home in Washington, D.C., on February 25, 2020. He was 90. Al, as he was known to all his friends at the home, was born in Brooklyn, NY on May 28, 1929. Among all the interests and distractions for a young boy growing up in Brooklyn in the 1930’s, there was absolutely one common interest among all of the kids: a love for the game of baseball. It may have taken the form of intense games of “Stick Ball” in the streets, but make no mistake, between the New York Yankees, the New York “baseball” Giants, and his favorite team, the Brooklyn Dodgers, baseball had a stronghold on his heart. Al, as many boys of that period did, left Brooklyn committed to following this game of baseball and remaining a walking, talking encyclopedia for the game until the day he left us. After completing high school in Brooklyn, Al enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps on or about July 28, 1948. Once he completed boot camp and continued training in Guam, Al found himself along with the rest of the 3rd Battalion / 5th Marines (3/5 as it is known) rolling up on the shores of the Pusan Peninsula. The successful invasion of the Pusan peninsula was followed by an equally successful invasion at Inchon, then the recapture of Seoul from the North Koreans, and ultimately pushed the North Koreans all the way to the Chosin Reservoir. The U.S. Marine soldiers who pushed the North Koreans in the bitter cold all the way to the Chosin Reservoir, and then in equally bitter conditions, battled the Chinese troops in withdrawing from the Chosin Reservoir, became their own eternal band of brothers. And for that, they became known as the CHOSIN FEW. This fraternity was very special to Al for years to come, as he participated in many activities with the Chosin Few local chapters in San Diego and Washington, D.C. In fact the phrase that was placed on the cover of the program for the 2008 Reunion of the National Organization of Chosin Few captures all of this perfectly…. “We Few, We Chosin Few, We Eternal Band of Brothers.” Sgt Major Meringolo’s stellar career in the US Marine Corps awarded him the following well-earned citations: 1. Presidential Unit Citation - 2 Stars 2. National Defense Service Medal 3. Korean Service Medal - 3 Stars 4. Korean Presidential Unit Citation 5. UN Service Medal 6. Good Conduct Medal – 5 Stars Al retired from the U.S. Marine Corps on November 30, 1970, from his last assignment as a Corrections Officer at Camp Pendleton, and remained in the San Diego area for over 40 years. In 2007, he moved to the Armed Forces Retirement Home in Washington, D.C., where he remained until his recent passing. Al was thought of very highly by all. On the day Al passed away, the South Korean Foreign Ministry conducted a presentation to the AFRH veterans via teleconference. Later that morning, Stephen Stipe, Major General (Ret) USA and CEO of the AFRH, saw Al’s son Tom outside of the residence building and made a point to convey how sorry he was to hear of Al’s passing and that he will be missed by many there at the home. Mr. Stipe also wanted Tom to know that Al was mentioned TWICE by the South Korean contingent within their presentation. Yes, Al will be sorely missed by so many family members and all the good friends that he made over the years. Al was born the son of Giuseppe and Rosina Meringolo on May 28, 1929. He is survived by his sister Angelina Scarcella. Siblings preceded in death are Louis, Joseph, Minnie, and John Meringolo, Sue Dimino, and Jennie Mezzacappa. He is survived by his son, Tom Meringolo from his first marriage, and his two daughters, Loren McDaniel and Lisa McLaran, from his second marriage. Al was blessed with nine grandchildren; Ashlie, Caitlyn, Camryn, Emilie, Joe, Kate, Ken, Melissa, & Samuel; 6 great grandchildren; Amelia, Charlie, Drew, Dylan, Taylor, & Victor; and 7 nieces and nephews Frankie, Joseph, Lorretta, Mike Dimino, Mike Mezzacappa, Sean, and Shelby. Sgt Major Albert A. Meringolo will be interred at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, VA at a later date. Family and friends will be notified. To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Albert A. Meringolo please visit our Sympathy Store.