Rear Admiral Peter Aguon Gumataotao, USN
from Saint Jude Parish, Sinajaña
This coming Saturday, the Keynote Speaker at the 2012 ASIAN HERITAGE AWARDS will be a Chamorro who went from a tanores at Saint Jude Church, Sinajaña to Rear Admiral in the U.S. Navy. Someone I knew since I was 6 years old, Peter Aguon Gumataotao.
The event, to be held at the San Diego Marriot Marquis & Marina, will honor a dozen Asian individuals and organizations who have contributed significantly to the betterment of the community. Gumataotao will talk about diversity as a key to finding the best talent out there.
You can find out more about his brilliant Navy career here :
http://www.public.navy.mil/surfor/ccsg11/Pages/Bio1.aspx
But let me tell you about the man I knew from the time I was 6 till he left for the US Naval Academy (on scholarship) in Annapolis when I was 15.
The Gumataotaos come from good, Chamorro stock. Very traditional. Mom and dad went to Mass every day. They were unassuming, humble, good-natured. They valued family, ranching, sports, serving the church. Mom and dad had five boys, no daughters. The boys all went to Fr. Dueñas and all were tanores. One became a priest (Father Gus) but nearly all five boys were coached into thinking about the priesthood, but Peter's interest were clearly in the Navy.
Peter combined intelligence, humility, a good sense of humor and love for fun, responsibility and a good work ethic. Who could ask for more?
Maolek yan onråyon este na kabayero, ya ti bai hu manman yanggen un dia u kahulo' si Peter gi mås takkilo' na puesto gi Marino.
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