Rocky Point Honors WWII Vet with Street Naming

Residents from Rocky Point community gathered Saturday to honor a man of distinguished courage and witness the unveiling of an honorary street naming at the intersection of Begonia Road and King Road.

Private First Class Frank W. Celentano was a World War II Veteran, recipient of the Navy Cross, and a community hero in Rocky Point. Brookhaven officials paid a fitting tribute to his memory by authorizing the section of King Road between Begonia Road and Harding Street to be honorarily named PFC Frank Celentano. The honorary street naming was unanimously approved at the July 16 Brookhaven Town Board meeting.

“They do not come better than my father,” said Theresa Celentano, PFC Celentano’s daughter. “People loved him because of the type of man he was. He always made time for his family and those in the community.”

PFC Celenatano earned the Navy Cross for his extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty while serving with Company C, First Battalion, Twenty-Fourth Marines, Fourth Marine Division during World War II. He died June 12, 2012.  

“Frank Celentano was a local hero from the greatest generation,” said Joe Cognitore, Commanding Officer of Rocky Point VFW Post 6249.

“As a veteran myself people who served during my time really look up to the greatest generation. Putting his name at these intersections resembles the sacrifices made by those from the greatest generation and allows his memory to live on in perpetuity in the Rocky Point community.”