One of Ceres’ last surviving World War II veterans has passed away at age 102. Tom Dimperio died on Nov. 26 at the VA Palo Alto Medical Center in Menlo Park. Salas Brothers Funeral Chapel is in charge of arrangements but no services are planned. Wounded twice in battle, Dimperio’s body carried a piece of Nazi mortar shrapnel behind his left ear, a wide scar on his chest, a left arm shortened and mangled by a German bullet.

Dimperio was inducted into the Army on Nov. 19, 1942 and assigned to the Fifth Army 88th Infantry Division. He boarded a troop ship to Casa Blanca, North Africa, arriving on Christmas Day 1943. After months of mountain training, he and his comrades were sent to Naples, Italy in February 1944. Hitler had invaded Italy on Oct. 9, 1943 and advanced to Rome.