MEG Foundation Salutes a Fallen Hero

Volunteers honor Medal of Honor recipient DeFranzo with a tree in his memory for the annual Christmas Tree Festival

The MEG Foundation’s 2024 Christmas Tree Festival will feature a tree honoring the late Medal of Honor recipient Staff Sergeant Arthur F. DeFranzo when it opens on Nov. 8. Three young Saugonians – Loranzo Keegan, Tommy Jarosz and Zackery Kahn – are decorating the tree that pays tribute to DeFranzo, who was born and brought up on 16 Prospect Ave., graduated from Saugus High School in 1938 and joined the Army in November of 1940.

On June 10, 1944, he was near Vaubadon, France, when he was wounded while rescuing an injured man from hostile fire. Despite his own injuries, he led an attack on the enemy and continued to advance and encourage his men even after being hit several more times. He destroyed an enemy machine gun position just before succumbing to his wounds at 25 years old.

For his heroic and selfless action, DeFranzo was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor seven months later on Jan. 4, 1945. His body was returned to the United States in 1947 and laid in state at the Saugus Town Hall for four days, and then was given a military funeral at Riverside Cemetery.

The 14th Annual MEG Christmas Tree Festival gets underway at 3 p.m. next Friday (Nov. 8) at the Marleah E. Graves (MEG) Building (54-58 Essex St.) and will last through 8 p.m. The festival continues on Nov. 9 from 3–8 p.m., Nov. 10 from noon–5 p.m., Nov. 15 from 3–8 p.m. and Nov. 16 from 3–8 p.m. The Christmas trees are the main event of the MEG Christmas Tree Festival, a growing tradition that raises money for the MEG Foundation.

Marleah E. Graves was a beloved Saugus educator who taught at the old Cliftondale School for 47 years. The school and the foundation were named after her.

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