SCRANTON, Pa. — As the last living Pearl Harbor veteran from Lackawanna County, Walter Pasiak's name holds a lot of meaning. And now it will forever be a part of this Scranton neighborhood, where he lived for most of his life.
The Lackawanna County 9/11 Committee arranged to have a new street sign to honor him, right across from Walter's old house in South Scranton.
"We don't want to forget, ever, why they fought, and what they fought for: to keep America, a free, independent strong country," said Charlie Spano, chairman of the committee.
Pasiak passed away in January at the age of 98.
Over the years, he recounted that fateful December day to Newswatch 16 many times.
"When the gasoline storage blew up, we all went to the supply room to get whatever weapons were available to fire at any aircraft coming over," he said in a 2017 interview.
"Walter himself, and the other soldier with him fired the first shots of World War II, in defense of America, on December 7, 1941," said Spano.
The committee chose this street because, for years, Walter used to walk and clean this court.
"His house was right here across the street. He and a neighbor would clean up the other part of Rosen court, and I thought it would be appropriate that where he walked be memorialized."
The street sign is covered for now, before it's officially unveiled as part of a special ceremony.
"Walter has in-laws, and cousins and nieces and nephews in Japan because his wife was a Japanese native. They will be watching this live as it's happening here, over Facebook," said Spano.
That ceremony is taking place Saturday at noon on the 1800 block of Rosen Court.