Growing up in Cheshire, he graduated from Hoosac Valley High School and enlisted at age 19, inspired to serve by the 9/11 terror attacks. I just walked right into the recruiter and signed up …. always wanted to serve my country, he said. I remember watching the attack on the World Trade Center and it just fueled my fire to serve. It was really an eye-opening experience, he said. I came from a small community, I learned so much about everything in the world . everyone is equal and on the same playing field. It was a great experience for a young adult. Gaylord deployed in 2009 to Afghanistan with the 379th Engineer Company for a post that put his life at risk every day.
Tony Pastore served his country in the Air Force during World War II and, again after the war, as a corporal. At 96 years of age, he is a pure gem of The Greatest Generation with a fabulous voice to boot. Born in Pittsfield, he enlisted on March 23, 1943, and was sent to Fort Devens in Ayer. From there, he went to basic training in Miami Beach, Fla. He was assigned to the New England Aircraft School in Boston, then was sent to Fort Banks in Winthrop, where he came down with double pneumonia. The colonel there liked me so he sent me home for 30 days to recuperate . when I started to feel better, I d put my uniform on and walk down main street, he said. All I got were jeers from the SOBs that stayed home . when I got