Rocky Point, NY, August 2013 –On August 24th, 2013, Suffolk County Legislator Sarah Anker joined the Rocky Point VFW and Brookhaven Town officials at a road renaming ceremony honoring courageous World War II veteran Frank Celentano. The ceremony took place at the corner of Begonia Road and King Road in Rocky Point, across from the Celentano family home, as local officials unveiled Frank’s name on a red, white, and blue street sign.
Stationed in the Pacific during the Second World War, Frank Celentano lost his hand when an enemy grenade landed in the trench where he and his fellow Marines were hiding. In an effort to protect his comrades, Celentano fearlessly hurled the grenade from the trench, sacrificing his hand.
“As Vice Chair of the Veterans and Seniors Committee, I’m honored to be a part of remembering such an important member of the Rocky Point community,” said Legislator Anker. “Mr. Celentano’s heroic story reminds us how fortunate we are to have the brave men and women of the armed forces protecting our freedom.”
After the war, Celentano moved to Rocky Point, where he raised nine children. Frank Celentano passed away on June 12, 2012, leaving behind a legacy of 32 grandchildren and a community that remembers him as both a war hero and very kind man.