Vincent Angelo Meli is one of two children produced by the marriage of Frank Meli to Grazia Panzica. Born the second day of January 1921 in the town of San Cataldo, Sicily. Vince's citizenship is a derivitive of his fathers naturalization during the mid '20s. Young Vince became the first of the second generation of Detroit underworld figures to earn a college degree when he graduated from Notre Dame in 1942. Following the completion of his college education, young Vince elisted in the U.S. Army on June 19, 1943. Meli's military commitment ended soon after the close of World War II.
Money And Music
Soon after his return to Detroit, Vince became a key figure in the outfit's plot to gain dominion over the coin machine industry in the Detroit area. Backed by a $30,000 loan from his uncle Angelo Meli, twenty-four year old Vincent bought the Meltone Music Co. This purchase was followed soon after by the acquisition of Jay-Cee Music Co., by Peter Tocco, Michael Polizzi and Rafaelle Quasarano.
