Veterans Memorial Hall (VMH), a program of the St. Louis County Historical Society, is connecting students, soldiers, and the public with the legacy of Duluth native and Medal of Honor recipient Mike Colalillo through its annual scholarship and a recent exhibit loan to Colalillo’s historic 398th U.S. Army unit.
Honoring Mike Colalillo Through Education
High school seniors and college students with ties to St. Louis County, Minnesota, are encouraged to apply for the $1,500 Mike Colalillo Medal of Honor Scholarship. Applicants must submit a research paper (6-10 pages including a bibliography) on a topic relevant to a St. Louis County veteran or veterans’ group by Monday, October 19, 2026. To learn more about how to apply, visit https://www.thehistorypeople.org/m-colalillo-scholarship. The scholarship will be awarded to the best paper determined by a VMH subcommittee.
Mr. Colalillo was the last known surviving World War II Medal of Honor recipient in the State of Minnesota. He was born and raised in St. Louis County, attended Duluth Denfeld High School and dropped out of school when his mother died so he could help support the family. Following the war, Mr. Colalillo and his wife raised three children in Duluth, Minnesota.
Today’s Soldiers Honor Colalillo’s Legacy
The scholarship and the exhibit extend Colalillo’s legacy in complementary ways. The scholarship asks students to research and preserve local veterans’ history, while the exhibit gives soldiers and the public a direct connection to the Duluth native whose service continues to inspire them.
On April 7, 1945, near Untergriesheim, Germany, Private Mike Colalillo’s company was pinned down by heavy German artillery, mortar, and machine-gun fire. During intense fighting, Colalillo killed or wounded 25 enemy soldiers and successfully rescued a fellow serviceman.
On July 11, 2026, the U.S. Army’s 1st Battalion, 398th Infantry Regiment — Colalillo’s historic unit — held an inactivation ceremony at the Army Reserve Center in Owensboro, Kentucky. Traditionally referred to as a Casing of the Colors ceremony, the event includes furling, rolling, and placing a unit’s flag, or “colors,” into a protective canvas sheath or sleeve. As part of the ceremony, the regiment displayed VMH’s Mike Colalillo exhibit and artifacts, centering the event around Colalillo’s heroic actions and the unit’s service in World War II.
“We couldn’t be more pleased to share this exhibit with the military unit related to Mike Colalillo’s World War II service. He is one of our favorite sons, which is why the Veterans Memorial Hall (VMH) remembers him annually with a scholarship in his honor,” says Jay Hagen, Veterans Memorial Hall’s Program Manager.
For more information about Mike Colalillo, the scholarship, or Veterans Memorial Hall, contact Jay Hagen at 218-733-7500 or jay@thehistorypeople.org.
About St. Louis County Historical Society
Since its inception in 1922, the St. Louis County Historical Society has sought to collect, preserve and disseminate knowledge about the history of St. Louis County and the state of Minnesota. The Society maintains and operates a museum, the Veterans Memorial Hall and the Ojibwe Gallery, as well as a variety of traveling exhibits.
About Veterans Memorial Hall
Veterans Memorial Hall, or VMH, was established in 1909, is administered by the St. Louis County, Minnesota, Historical Society. It is located at the St. Louis County Depot. To learn about the VMH, visit vets-hall.org and facebook.com/veteransmemorialhall.
