He’s up at the first crow of the cock--though during these early daylight-saving hours, even the rooster likes to stay in bed. From rising on, Joe Cillo programs his day into hours for work, time for reading the Tampa Tribune, and a break for golf. Joe Cillo’s typical routine in retirement differs little from his earlier days as a medical doctor, surgeon, and soldier.  Joe never got to be where he is today by staying in bed!
    Born in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, Joe grew up with eight siblings and early on learned the lessons of give and take in a large family. While in high school he knew he wanted to attend college, but little did he know that Pearl Harbor and the years following would open for him opportunities previously unimaginable. In 1946 he enlisted in the Marine Corps and served a two-year stint at Parris Island. The G. I. bill gave him a chance to attend Marquette University where, after earning his undergraduate degree, he continued on to pursue a degree in medicine. Presently Joe is certified in OB/GYN and surgery.
    An impressive list of certifications, appointments, and teaching positions followed until the Vietnam War intervened and stirred him to action. Believing that the U. S. Army was the most viable way to serve his country at the time, he joined the reserves as a surgeon.
    In 1968 Joe, now a prominent physician and clinical professor, volunteered to go to Vietnam.  This life-changing decision began with a mission to provide medical treatment for a group of Vietcong POWs. When he and his staff were forced to attend to their patients while bogged down in mud and unsanitary conditions, he finagled a way to obtain sufficient concrete for a foundation and built a state-of-the-art field hospital in Long Binh. This astounding fete earned him the respect of the POWs, commendation from his superiors, and the admiration of his men who dubbed him “Tiger”  because of his fearless ability to get things done.
    In 1980, in acknowledgement of his significant contributions, Joe was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal by the President of the United States, an honor that fills him with justifiable pride.
Joe first met his wife, Patricia, when she was a nursing student at Elizabeth General Hospital in Elizabeth, N.J. Years later they met again and fell in love. Today, after forty years of marriage, Joe acknowledges that Pat has been his secret “weapon” throughout the years--the “woman behind the successful man.”  She, and his sons Joseph, Jr. and Jeffrey, both practicing attorneys, lay claim to his greatest success.
   After an active career, Joe retired in 1982. Four years later, he moved to Florida where he soon found ways to contribute to the local community. He volunteered to do medical work for CARES. An avid golf enthusiast, he served on the Board of the Beacon Woods Golf Club. Joe also pursues several unusual hobbies. He loves to work with large machinery such as bulldozers, and backhoes. He is a licensed pilot who previously owned a seaplane and a Cessna 210 Centurion. He bowls, plays golf, and prides himself on his collection of Lionel trains.
   The career of Brigadier General Joseph Cillo, a man who as a boy shined shoes and rose at 4:00 a.m. to deliver papers, is proof that hard work, single-minded determination, and love of country are perfect ingredients for making a true  American success. Beacon Woods is proud to number him among its Notable Neighbors.