Fred’s Time in the Navy

Fred frequently reminisced about his time in the Navy. He loved traveling and experiencing the world, being out to sea in the vast open waters, and seeing things few ever have the opportunity to see.

Some of his favorite stories came from the quiet in-between moments – standing watch in the middle of the night with nothing but the hum of the ship and the stars overhead, or sipping coffee on the deck at sunrise as the horizon slowly came alive. He often spoke of the strange beauty of time at sea, where days blurred and routines became sacred.

He had a particular fondness for the ports they visited. He once struck up a conversation with a group of nuns in a distant country, only to discover they were from a church just miles from his hometown in Connecticut. Moments like that made the world feel smaller to him – connected in unexpected ways.

Fred also loved sharing the chaos and camaraderie of ship life. He’d tell of machinery failures and quick thinking, like the time the ship lost power heading upriver and the crew scrambled to get things back online just in time to avoid a collision.

He loved receiving mail and would always race to be first in line when letters arrived. Mail meant connection, and for Fred, nothing was more important than staying connected to the people he loved, especially his wife Cathy.

Though his Navy years made up only a portion of his life, they shaped him in lasting ways. They gave him stories, discipline, friendships, and a sense of perspective that never left him.

His favorite stories to tell were those of his days in the Navy.

One of the things that made him incredibly proud was when his daughter, Kara Grasso, joined the Airforce. They held a tradition of spending a meal together every Memorial Day to celebrate their service.