GENESEO — Members of the VFW 5005 gathered at the Village Tavern to remember the 71st anniversary of the attack at Pearl Harbor.
Pearl Harbor survivor Bert Falardeau was one of the members there. He was stationed on the USS Castor on the day of the attack.
“I think about the guys we lost that day, 2,400 of them,” said Falardeau. “We were up for the next 72 hours straight waiting for them to come back. Thank god they didn’t.”
Other members that served in WWII were there as well, including Donald Mills who was a cavalry scout and fought in the Battle of the Bulge.
The common value among these humble men is that their military service is a badge of honor that these men carry with humility and grace.
“When I got home I was grateful to be alive,” said Falardeau. “Thank God for the USA.”