“Our debt to the heroic men and valiant women in the service of our country can never be repaid.
They have earned our undying gratitude. America will never forget their sacrifices.”
United States Army
The United States Army is one of the three military departments reporting directly to the Department of Defense. It is comprised of both an active and a reserve component and conducts operational and institutional missions around the world.
George Donker
Staff Sergeant, E-5
1953-1956
Quartermaster USARUER School Germany, May-Jun 1954; Engineer USAREUR School Germany, Nov-Dec 1954
Medals and Awards: Occupation Medal Germany, National Defense Service Medal, Good Conduct Medal,
1s tCl Gunner Arty, 2nd Cl Gunner Arty, Sharpshooters Badge (Rifle)
JC Mullen
PV2/E2
1974-1976
Basic Training, Fort Dix, N. J.
67V20 Helicopter Repairman, Fort Eustis, VA
63C10 Wheeled Vehicle Mechanic, Fort Dix, N.J.
Joe "Pas" Pascarella
M.P, Corporal
1965-1967
Basic Training, Columbia, SC; AIT at Fort Gordon, GA. Stationed at Fort Old, CA.
James Polce
Master Sergeant, E-8
Active Duty1967-1971; US Army Reserves 1971-2001
11th Armored Cavalry Regiment; Black Horse Base Camp near Xuan Loc, Vietnam.
Medal and Awards: National Defense Ribbon for Vietnam and Desert Storm; Vietnam Campaign with 6 Oak Leaf Clusters; Army Commendation Medal; Good Conduct Award; Army Achievement Medal; NCO 3 Medal; Vietnam Service Award.
Steven Smyth
Army Specialist 4th Class / E4 Combat Medic 91B
Active Duty: 1983-1986
.Basic Training: Ft Jackson, South Carolina. (83)
Advanced Training: Ft Sam Houston, TX (84)
HHC 1/72 Armor Battalion, 2nd Infantry Div, Warriors, Camp Casey, South Korea. (84-85)
HHC 2/41st Mechanized Infantry, 2nd Armor Division, Hell on Wheels, Ft Hood, Texas. (85-86)
Commendation Award, Army Achievement Award, Expert: Rifle, Pistol, Grenade
Jack Stimax
(May 26, 1946 - February 7, 2018)
Combat Medic SP4- 1st Cavalry/first of the ninth
Active Duty: Dec 1965-Dec 1967
Medals and Awards: Vietnam Campaign Medal, Bronze Service Star, Air Medal, Combat Medical Badge
John Warhurst
Master Sergeant
Active Duty 1979-1994
NJ Army National Guard 1994-to present
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a component of the Department of the Navy. It serves as the country’s expeditionary force in readiness and carries out global missions on both sea and shore.
Edwin Garcia
Corporal E4
Active Duty:1983 - 1987
Boot Camp Parris Island, North Carolina.
Mos School Fort Lee Virginia.
Camp Foster, Okinawa Japan.
Marine Corps Air Station New River, North Carolina.
Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina.
Medals/ Awards: Good conduct award, sea service deployment award, national defense service award, cold war victory commemorative award.
Fire arms award: Rifle expert and Pistol Sharp Shooter
“It was an honor for me to represent my family and my Country as a United States Marine. I took an oath and swore to defend this great nation against foreign and domestic enemies. I thank God for allowing me to be born and for allowing me to be a member of the elite fighting force of the United States armed forces.”
Rich Knochel
Corporal / E-4
1985-1991
8th Marine Regiment,Camp Lejeune, NC; deployed to the Mediterranean Sea and the North Atlantic/Arctic Circle; mountain warfare school in Bridgeport, CA; desert warfare training at 29 Palms, CA; recalled to active duty for the duration of Operation Desert Storm in February 1991, serving at Camp Pendleton, CA.
Medals/Awards: Good Conduct, Sea Service Deployment, National Defense Service, expert rifle and expert pistol qualifications.
"The U.S. Marine is a roguish-looking, roving soldier of the sea; Cocky, self-centered and overbearing, his sole mission is to perpetrate hellacious romping-stomping, death and destruction upon the festering sores of anti-Americanism around the globe."
United States Navy
The United States Navy reports directly to the Department of Defense. It provides combat-ready Naval forces for worldwide operations focused on maintaining the freedom of the seas, deterring aggression and achieving victory at war.
Jerry Aversano
Rank: Boatswain's Mate, 2nd Class
Active Duty 1968-1972; US Navy Reserve 1972-1974
Two years Naval Communications Station, Guam. Temporary duty in Saipan. Temporary duty Brooklyn Navy Yard. Reserve duty tours on various vessels.
Medals/Awards: National Defense, Meritorious Unit Citation
Evan Greenwald
Rank: E6
Active Duty: 1978-1994
Medals/Awards: Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation, Navy Good Conduct Medal, Navy Expeditionary Medal
Bob Perodeau
Rank: Seaman SN (E-3)
1972-1975
Vietnam, including fall of Saigon
Medals/Awards: Combat Ribbon
Chris Rabinski
Rank: E4 Boatswain's mate 3rd class
Active 1977 to 1981; inactive reserve 1981 to 1983
Medals/ Awards: Sea Service Deployment Ribbon (3), Navy Expeditionary Medal.
Charlie Groves
Rank: E4
1969-1973
Glenn Paris
Glenn Paris enlisted in the U.S. Navy under the Delayed Entry Program upon completion of his senior year of high school. He reported to Great Lakes in July of 1970 to complete Recruit Training before being assigned to the USS MORTON (DD-948) homeported at Pearl Harbor.
Shortly after reporting for duty on board the USS MORTON (also known as the Saltiest Ship in the Fleet) the ship embarked on a Western Pacific deployment expending over 400 rounds in support of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam’s 21st Division and 9,000 rounds on Naval Gun Fire Support while also serving as the North Search and Rescue. Paris was awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation, Vietnam Service Medal, and the Navy Unit Commendation for his service on the Morton.
Glenn’s next duty station was Naval Air Station Sigonella in Sicily until his honorable discharge in 1974.
For the next 36 years Paris continued to serve the Navy in a civilian capacity at NWS Earle until his retirement in 2010.
AE2 Lauren Siegel
Navy from 1983-87 active and 87-89 reserved. Stationed at NAS Miramar in San Diego. Lauren was a AE2 Aviation Electricians Mate and worked on F-14s. Lauren was in VF-124 and VF-302 and is on the Board of Directors of the F-14 Tomcat Association
Michael D. Drew
USN 1969-1973 Honorable Discharge E-5 shipserviceman, aboard DD-715 William M. Wood and the AR-15 Vulcan
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force reports directly to the Department of Defense. It trains for and maintains global superiority in air, space and cyberspace and is equipped for a rapid worldwide response.
Monty Weaver
Staff Sergeant
1969-1973
Hawaii, Okinawa , Loring Air Force Base Maine, Westover Air Force Base Massachusetts
Medals/Awards: Commendation Medal
William Smith
Sergeant
1972-1976
SAC Crash Firefighter
Donald Helmer
Airmen 1st Class
1971-1973
Maintenance Specialist
Trained at Lackland Airbase in San Antonio, TX. and Chanute Airbase in Rantoul, IL. His last permanent base was McGuire Airbase in New Jersey.
Trained on B52’s and worked mainly on C114 Cargo Planes
Michael Clark
Staff Sergeant
1986-1994
Stationed in Berlin Behind the Iron Curtain 1989-1992
Dolores Alverson
1979-1983
Sergeant E4
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard safeguards the Nation’s maritime interests through a variety of civil and military responsibilities. The US Coast Guard operates across the country’s waterways, in our ports, at sea and around the world.
Giuseppe Miceli
Rank: Petty Officer E-4/AMT3 (Aviation Maintenance)
1995-1999
USCG Cutter ADAK WPB-1333- Sandy Hook, NJ
USCG Air Station Brooklyn
USCG Air Station Atlantic City
Temporary Assignments to USCG Air Station Borinquen-Aguadilla, Puerto Rico; mutiple deployments on many different Cutters.
Medals/Awards: Marksman Pistol/Rifle; Meritorious Service Award;Meritorious Unit Award; National Defense; Good Conduct (Most Prized)