'Tony is like family': Chazy teen shares friendship with WWII vet
May 30—PLATTSBURGH — Through his love of history, Chazy High School student and aspiring filmmaker, Luke Basso, made an unlikely friendship with a World War II U.S. Navy Veteran.
Luke, 17, and his mother, Elizabeth Basso, 58, were first introduced to Antonio 'Tony' Gagliardi, 97, in 2019, and ever since then, they have taken him on many outings and visited him several times a month where he lives at Lake Forest Senior Living Community.
The three of them especially like to attend the send-off ceremony for the North Country Honor Flights together.
"I was on the first Honor Flight out of Plattsburgh in 2013. I like to go there and see all the young fellows — of course (now) they're mostly Vietnam vets. When I went they were all World War II Veterans," Gagliardi said.
"Luke and his mother are lovable people. Honestly, they're so gracious and so helpful and all of those great things."
'LIKE FAMILY'
But it doesn't matter what they do together, they just like being in each other's company, they said.
"We've taken him out to movies, we've taken him out to dinner, we've taken him to the Honor Flights occasionally," Luke said.
"If I'm nearby, I'll just stop by his room."
Occasionally though, Gagliardi will be busy.
"We'll say, 'Tony we're coming into town, can we take you out to supper?' and sometimes he'll say, 'I can't, I'm going dancing tonight.' He's got a very full life," Elizabeth said.
"Tony is like family...we're very blessed."
TONY'S SERVICE
Gagliardi was drafted into the U.S. Navy on July 3, 1943, and took part in the Battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa during World War II as a gunnery fire controlman on the USS Arkansas (BB-33) Battleship.
"I had the opportunity of seeing...when they put the flag up on top of Mount Suribachi," Gagliardi said in reference to the iconic photo of six soldiers raising the American flag at Iwo Jima.
After being discharged in June of 1946, Gagliardi enlisted in the U.S. Navy Reserves, where he then served on both the USS Cavalla and USS Spikefish submarines in the Atlantic during the Korean War Era.
'PRESERVE THEIR STORY'
Luke is currently on a quest to preserve the history of as many veterans as possible and has recorded videos of Gagliardi sharing more about his experiences in World War II.
One of Luke's interviews with Gagliardi can be found at https://youtu.be/G5vCqfjWqCA on his YouTube channel called "Filmperia," where he will be uploading more in the future, he said.
"His goal right now is to interview as many veterans and videotape them to preserve their story...and so he's kind of in a rush against time to do that," Elizabeth said.
"It's almost cathartic for them to share their experiences, but also, to be in the company of someone who really honors what they did and is grateful for what they did, it makes them feel good that they didn't do it in vain."
"We're trying to get the older one's first, so World War II Veterans, then Korean and Vietnam," Luke added.
He said he is actively searching for more veterans to interview and those who are interested can reach him at luke.basso1945@gmail.com.
REMEMBERING
Gagliardi said he likes sharing his experiences, because it's important for those to remember what happened during the war.
"It's so important to keep in touch with history, and I think it's wonderful that he (Luke) does it," he said.
"If you don't remember the past, you're going to repeat it...you have to learn based upon that kind of thing. If we're not going to learn, I worry."
Email Carly Newton:
Twitter: CarlySNewton
