Croton's Joseph Turturro Inducted into Veteran's Hall of Fame

Joseph Turturro, of Croton-on-Hudson, was among the 27 veterans honored in this year's Hall of Fame ceremony Thursday in Mahopac. 

Senator Greg Ball (R-Patterson) created the Veteran's Hall of Fame for District 40 three years ago. The newest inductees' names will be included with the others in a traveling wall that will visit municipalities in the region and area school.

“I created the Veterans Hall of Fame to honor outstanding individuals who have nobly and selflessly served the United States of America," Ball said. "Nominated by their communities, these heroic men and women have pursued a distinguished path in both their military and civilian lives, demonstrating admirable qualities and reaching great achievements worthy of this recognition. These extraordinary veterans devoted their lives to a cause greater than one’s self, nobly dedicating themselves to preserving the safety and freedom of the American people through acts of courage, honor and integrity.”

Turturro, was a Gunners Mate 3rd Class in the U.S. Navy, and being honored isn't new to him. According to his official biography, he: 

enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1943, and served on the U.S.S. Sagittarius, shooting down Kamikazes in WWII. The U.S.S. Sagittarius was employed in laying anti-submarine nets in the harbor waters of Tinian, Saipan and Okinawa. On April 18, 1945, within hours of arrival at Hagushi, Turturro came under attack, and the U.S.S. Sagittarius shot down its first Kamikaze. Gunners Mate 3rd Class Joseph Turturro was awarded many medals, including the Navy Commendation medal for outstanding service.

The full list of veterans inducted this year from District 40 are as follows:

Beekman, Lieutenant Colonel Gerald Richardson

Brewster, Staff Sgt. Steven Mattson

Buchanan, Chief Fire Controlman Ralph Anderson

Buchanan, Corporal Joseph Occhipinti

Carmel, Yeoman 3rd Class Yvonne Rustico

Carmel, Captain Edmund Francis Duncan (Posthumously)

Cortlandt, Fire Control 3rd Class George Price

Croton-On-Hudson, Gunners Mate 3rd Class Joseph Turturro

Hawthorne, Sergeant E-5 Giuseppe "Joe" Tanzi

Kent, Staff Sergeant Charles Connor

Lewisboro, Private First Class Daniel Sant

Montrose, Private First Class Paul Raphael

Mt. Kisco, Corporal John Hvisch

Mt. Pleasant, Petty Officer Ronald Rose

Mt. Pleasant, Corporal Edmund Burke

New Castle, Staff Sergeant Mark Blindman

North Salem, Sergeant Andrew Sandor

Patterson, Sergeant Anthony Nacerino

Pawling, Sergeant Michael Kelly

Peekskill, Corporal Charles Wassil, Jr. (Posthumously)

Pleasantville, Captain Scott Elliott

Putnam Valley, Specialist 4th Class Charles Monte

Putnam Valley, Specialist Laurence Gibbs

Somers, Private First Class Nicholas Lapenna

Southeast, Tech-5 Class Donald Pippin

Yorktown, Sergeant Dimitri Sywyk

Yorktown, Sergeant William Lewis