Navy Veteran. Ed was the first to report to the world that Pearl Harbor was being attacked by the Imperial Government of Japan. Edward Joseph Chlapowski died Jan. 16, 2011, surrounded by family, a few weeks after being diagnosed with cancer. He was born June 5, 1922, in Webster, Mass., the youngest of 12 siblings. He lost his mother as a small child and only made it through the eighth grade. Prior to U.S. entry into WWII, Ed followed his four brothers into military service, enlisting in the Navy. He wanted to be a pilot, but the Navy wanted him to be a radioman. He served on several warships and shore commands during his five years of active service. A few months before that fateful day of Dec. 7, 1941, Ed was transferred from the USS Arizona to Admiral Husband E. Kimmel's staff, located on the submarine base at Pearl Harbor. It was from the basement of the command center that he sent a message saying, "This is no drill. Pearl Harbor is being attacked. This is no drill." His battle cry became "Remember Pearl Harbor." He loved the United States passionately and spent his life trying to protect and defend her Constitution. The Navy introduced Ed to the other love of his life, Margaret Betty Thomson. He met his bride-to-be at a roller skating rink in Bremerton, Wash., while stationed at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. They were married on Feb. 11, 1943. Their 68 years together resulted in seven children, all of whom he poked and prodded to get their college degrees — a feat of which he was immensely proud. After leaving the Navy in 1945, Ed worked for a short time at Todd Shipyard, but then pursued a career combining his love of flying with his radioman's skill — air traffic controller. He worked for the Federal Aviation Administration for 34 years, retiring in 1975. He was a member of the Society of Airway Pioneers, a 50-year member of Civil Air Patrol, and an ardent lover of all flying things, including canaries, which he raised (and occasionally sold) for nearly 30 years. Ed and Betty moved to Montana in 1946 and have spent most of the last 65 years in Billings. He was always involved in the community. When a wave of Polish immigrants arrived in Billings after the war, he helped them learn the language, gain their citizenship and find work. He also served a term as a Billings City Alderman during the 1970s. He loved the out of doors and was known for his beautiful roses and irises, and his prolific garden.