Peter Gallo - The Slattery Detachment's “One Man Show”
Passes Away on January 31, 2024
Pete was born on July 28, 1932 in South Boston, Massachuttes.
He joined the Marine Corps on October 30,1950 during the Korean War,
He signed up for 3 years at the Boston recruiting station, I was
transported to Boot Camp via troop train from South Station to Parris
Island, South Carolina.
After graduating Boot Camp he then completed advanced infantry
training at Camp Pendleton, California and served in Korea 1951-52
with Headquarters Co. 1st Signal Bn 1st Marine Div.
His job was that of a cook. In fact, we have the menu for the 1st
Marine Divisions 1951 Thanksgiving Day dinner that he prepared. It is
located at the Highground Veteran’s Memorial Park Museum. It looks
like they could have fed the entire division with all that food. And
to finish it all off, they had mincemeat pie, fruit cake and pumpkin
pie plus a little take-a-way of fresh apples and oranges.
Pete left the Marines and came back to New Jersey where he married the
love of his life Marie Rose Makowski of Whippany in 1952. Pete and
Marie moved into their home on Belaire Avenue in Cedar Knolls. There
the young couple raised a family and enjoyed life with their three
children; Peter, Michael and Susan.
Pete worked for the Hanover Police Department and Marie taught school.
At the Hanover Township Police Department Pete started as a patrolman
and retired in 1972 as a detective. He had some very interesting
stories to tell and enjoyed his time on the force.
Here is one of the men who made the Slattery Detachment a well known
name both locally and nationally. Sure, there were a few others, but
Pete Gallo stepped up whenever there was a need to get something done.
He was the detachment Commandant from 2003 to 2008 and again from 2012
to 2013. In fact, he was the Slattery Detachment, Marine of the Year
in 2004 and the Department of New Jersey Commandant of the Year in
2005-6. The detachment grew and held the members during those periods.
Pete was active in going on detachment visits to Walter Reed and
Bethesda Military Hospitals. There he lead the way from 2005 in
visiting the recently wounded and helping out their families. He
assisted Mario Monaco, to create the Slattery Marines Care which has
assisted many Marines and Marine families.
Pete was the co-editor for a long time of the detachment monthly
newsletter, The Slattery Sidelines. He was the Chairman of the Hanover
Veterans Alliance memorial development committee. This committee
created and installed the memorial stone to the Hanover Townships
veterans killed in action of all wars. In 2019, Pete was the Parade
Marshall of the Hanover Memorial Day Parade. This is only a small
portion of what Pete did.
Sadly, Pete tripped and fell in 2018 and life took a turn for the
worse. He and Marie sold their Cedar Knolls home and moved into an
assisted living appartment in Randolph. He will always be our leader.
Semper Fi,
Tom Miller
