Date deceased: August 31, 1993 Age: 20 Car Accident in Oahu, HI

My name is Craig Hays of St. Louis, MO. I'm not an alumni of Ramona HS, but was in the Navy w/ Matt Gammarano. We hung out some in the Navy, though I wasn't in his main circle. He was really cool and from what I remember very energetic and adventurous. I was transferred to another ship after the Goldsborough decommissioned around '93 & Matt, I think, finished his commitment to the Navy then but stayed in Hawaii. We didn't stay in touch but the news of his death quickly found me in '93..I was very saddened by that, for someone like him to die. You probably remember what a great guy he was. Well,when I think of my ole Navy buds he is always remembered at the top. I do smile as I'm sure his other squid buddies do when we think of him though it's sad he died way to early in life. I wasn't able to come to his funeral which I believe was in California. Anyway the reason I'm writing is because I ran across a pic of him that I've had that I only recently wondered maybe his family may appreciate the photo. His pose in the pic appears I don't know...stoic, I guess, but we were just goofing around when I took it. But, yet it turned out to be what I think is a good shot because he did look serious in it. We were entering port, San Fran Bay, Alcatraz is in the back ground.

My name is Michael Sturgeon. I served with Matt on the USS Goldsborough. Just when you thought you knew everything, Matt would bring you back to Earth in his own way. He was very wise for his age and very kind. It was impossible to be in a foul mood in this young man's presence.
One day while we were underway somewhere in the middle of the Pacific, Matt was laying in the shade on the deck beside the starboard torpedo tube. I walked by and he burst out in laughter. He explained that my walk was "too uptight" and proceeded to show me my walk. He showed me the proper way to walk loosely and made me do it as he watched. I'd walk past and he'd laugh and say “do it again." I would and finally my walk passed his quality measures. He smiled that huge grin of his and said, "Now that wasn't hard was it?" “Now do it like that all the time.”
Once in our home port Matt helped me move to another home. While we were driving back to my place in the rented truck we saw a baby sitting in the street, crying, wearing only a diaper. Matt saw the oncoming traffic and told me to speed up. He jumped out of our moving truck and whisked the baby up, saving it from certain death. That guy could move fast. I can still see the wide eyed stares of the people in the car that almost hit that baby. He climbed back into the truck gently holding the baby and looked in its eyes and told the crying baby it would be ok. Matt was beaming. We left for the police department because we could not find the parent of the child. He looked over at me smiling and said he hoped God would cut him some slack. A week later he was killed in a car accident. Matt didn't need any slack. He had such a kind, giving soul. I miss him. I served 24 years in the Navy. I retired August 31, 2006. I wanted my date to be August 31st. I will never forget my friend Matt as I’m sure is impossible to anyone that met him. Every year on the anniversary of his death I tell my family and friends about my old friend Matt so his memory will not fade. I can still see that grin of his. I used to have to explain that famous grin to our Ensign. He could have used a walking lesson too.