It was in the final days of World War II.  April 28, 1945 to be exact.  Stationed in Como, a town in northern Italy, American soldier McDivitt was wandering the streets when Swiss Colonel Mario Martinoni approached him.  Colonel Martinoni was in charge of protecting Chiasso, a town nearly surrounded by Italy, in the southern part of Switzerland, just a few miles away.  Because of the German threat, Martinoni crossed the Switzerland border, in search of help from McDivitt.
“It only took a few hours to talk the Germans into surrendering,” states McDivitt.  “I was quite surprised.  Had we not talked them into surrendering, there would have been blood.”  The Germans were ready to fight at the Switzerland border, until McDivitt had persuaded the Nazi commander to surrender.  “Hundreds of lives might have been taken that day,” states McDivitt.  
The residents of Chiasso never forgot that day, and declared McDivitt a hero.  “They made me an honorary citizen of the city.”  On August 1, 2011, as part of the celebration of Swiss National Day, Colonel McDivitt was given a special reward.  Chiasso’s assistant mayor and authorities were very grateful to McDivitt’s role in the German surrender. “They are wonderful people, they really are,” states the Army veteran.  
Joseph McDivitt was born on July 23, 1917, on the shores of New Jersey.  “My father was a great man and very successful.  My sister and mother died of the flu epidemic and my father remarried.”  Later, McDivitt and his family relocated while he attended school.  “I was drafted before the war started, and helped set up camp in New York.  I was taking pre-med courses when I went to school, but I wanted to stay in the Army and fight.  I was just a kid.”
Shortly after, McDivitt went to Maine, to a division to build itself up and be effective for war–the Fourth Armored Division.  “Since I was a medic in school, the doctors thought I was great.  Somehow, I was invited to attend the basic training unit to be an officer.  I was sent to Kentucky where I joined up with the first armored division, and went to officer’s school.”
In 1942, Mcdivitt was 2nd Lieutenant, and just nine months later was promoted to 1st Lieutenant.  Less than a year after, he was promoted to Captain, and on March 31, 1945, to Major.  On May 12, 1953, McDivitt was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and in June of 1963, to Colonel.
Honorably discharged, McDivitt moved to Canyon Country and has been living here for over 30 years.  Despite all his war achievements and numerous medals, McDivitt is a man of humility and modesty.  “I’ve been everywhere and done a lot, but it was life.  It’s what I loved to do.”