World War II Combat Veteran Honored With County Military Service Medal

06/20/2014

LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J. - VITAS Innovative Hospice Care, the nation’s leading provider of end-of-life care, hosted a surprise military celebration on Friday to honor 91-year-old World War II veteran Michael Tancreda with the Mercer County Service Medal.

Tancreda was presented with the medal by Mercer County Veterans Service Officer Edward Mazzeo for his service in combat in the South Pacific.

Dozens of family members, friends and caregivers attended the event at the Lawrenceville Nursing Home and Rehabilitation Center, in Lawrenceville, NJ.

“We nominated Michael for this medal without his knowledge and worked secretly with his friends and family members to arrange the event – we wanted him to get a real surprise,” said VITAS Veteran Liaison Joseph Vitti. “Events like this are part of what VITAS does on a daily basis for the veterans it serves across the country. At VITAS, we recognize the importance of providing our nation’s heroes with compassionate, customized care and attention.”