Sleepy Hollow to dedicate part of park to 'Chick' Galella, beloved vet who died in 2021

Armando "Chick" Galella loved his hometown, no matter what it was called.

It was North Tarrytown when he was growing up and raising his family, a car salesman who could strike up a conversation with anyone. In 1996, its name was changed to Sleepy Hollow.

Galella thought of home all the time he was serving in World War II, at the outset of which he survived the attack on Pearl Harbor. By the time he left the service, in August 1945, he was a battalion sergeant major in the 53rd Signal Corps, having served five years in the Army, nearly four of them at war. He learned of the Japanese surrender as his transport ship steamed under the Golden Gate Bridge into San Francisco.

Obituary:Pearl Harbor survivor 'Chick' Galella, Sleepy Hollow native, dies at 100

Galella spent the rest of his long life paying tribute to lost soldiers, sailors and airmen, downplaying his role in the war (for which he earned a Bronze Star), and insisting that the real heroes were those who didn't return from service. He served as trustee and deputy mayor for a decade, was a firefighter and honorary life member of the Pocantico Hook and Ladder. He was inducted into the Westchester Senior Citizen Hall of Fame.

Armando 'Chick' Galella loved his hometown all his life

Galella's hometown, no matter its name, loved Galella, who died at age 100 on Sept. 29, 2021.

At 11 a.m. on July 13, they'll show their love once again, unveiling a plaque on a riverfront boulder beside the gazebo at Riverfront Park, dedicating a part of the Riverwalk to Galella.

It's along River Street at the foot of Beekman Avenue, a stone's throw from Horan's Landing, which Galella championed to be dedicated to his boyhood friend, John Horan, who died Dec. 7, 1941, in that "day of infamy" attack Galella survived. The landing is also the site of a memorial Galella saw dedicated to Horan's mother, Margaret, and other Gold Star mothers whose children died at war.

History witness:79 Decembers later, 'Chick' Galella's Pearl Harbor memories won't dim

Galella's plaque reads:

"This section of the Riverwalk is dedicated to the memory of lifelong Sleepy Hollow resident Armond Chick Galella. As a Pearl Harbor survivor and a decorated World War II veteran, his unparalleled lifelong service to his village spanned over 100 years. We honor his faith in God, Country, and Community. Enjoy walking this pathway, knowing you follow in the footsteps of a man beloved for his eternal commitment to freedom and the people of Sleepy Hollow."

Galella's son, Mike, has been thinking about what he'll say at the dedication ceremony.

"My father would always say, 'What's your purpose in life? Your purpose in life is to help people, to do what you can,'" Galella said. He said he still marvels at his father's ability to connect to people.

"Even when he got older, people always wanted to stop by and see him just to talk to him. He could talk to anybody, any politician, anyone," Galella said. "I never realized the effect that he had on people."

Reach Peter D. Kramer at pkramer@gannett.com.