Carmen DiMario, home builder, war hero, dies at 89

TALK ABOUT your powers of persuasion!

A German soldier had a gun aimed at Carmen DiMario's head.

As Carmen said later, "All I could think about was that it was going to be quick. A quick pain and it would be over."

The Germans had already shot two French soldiers who had been with him.

But Carmen won the German soldier over when he said, "We should all be brothers. We shouldn't be fighting each other."

The German, who obviously understood English, lowered his weapon and said, "You are not going to die today."

Unknown to the enemy troops, Carmen was carrying a message of military importance that he had sewn into the lining of his shirt. The Germans searched him but failed to find it.

On the way back to his troops, Carmen was fired on by French troops who mistook him for a German, but they missed.

Carmen was spared to return to the Philadelphia area, where he formed his own home-building company, Carann Corp., of Malvern, and won a reputation for building quality custom homes in the Chadds Ford and Valley Forge areas.

Carmen DiMario, who didn't hesitate to take up a hammer himself during construction and was popular with his workers, died Thursday.

He was 89 and lived in Malvern.

He won the Bronze Star for valor and other decorations during the 4 1/2 years he served with the 3rd Infantry Division, which fought in North Africa, Sicily, Italy and southern France, and suffered more combat deaths in World War II than any other division.

Carmen always considered his survival, especially when captured, something of a miracle. There were 52 bullet holes in the jeep he was driving when ambushed by German troops, but none hit him. He gave credit to the rosary he always carried into battle.

He told about the emotional trip home in 1945, when his troopship entered New York Harbor and the men crowded the rail to look at the Statue of Liberty.

"There wasn't a dry eye on the ship," he said.

Several years ago, the family took him to New York and he got another look at the Statue of Liberty.

"He was thrilled to be close to that statue," said his daughter Patricia Fallick. "Every time I see it, I think of him and what it meant to him.

"He was an excellent father," Patricia said. "He was very strong but very gentle."

Carmen was born in West Philadelphia to Nicholas DiMario and the former Lena Moroni.

He was working as a carpenter for a local construction company when he entered the Army.

As boss of his own company, he took care of his workers, buying them lunch every day and working side by side with them.

"He sacrificed personally to keep them employed during lean financial times," his daughter said.

"He was an exceptional craftsman and took personal pride in his building activities, going so far as to visually inspect each piece of lumber used in his construction."

After his retirement, he enjoyed spending winters at his home in Cape Coral, Fla.

He also had a home in Stone Harbor, N.J.

Besides his daughter, he is survived by his wife of 66 years, the former Anna M. Franchella; two sons, Carmen and Robert; two other daughters, Barbara Marcoon and Janet Carey; two sisters, Theresa MacKenna and Rita Rufo; three brothers, Frank, Nick and Anthony; 10 grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.

Services: 10 a.m. tomorrow at St. Isaac Jogues Church, 50 W. Walter Road, Wayne. Friends may call at 9 a.m.

Burial will be in Ss. Peter and Paul Cemetery, Marple.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Overbrook School for the Blind, 6333 Malvern Ave., Philadelphia PA 19151.