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MILITARY & VETERANS
AFFAIRS |
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| IMMEDIATE RELEASE: (13 Nov 2003) |
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| 90 Union County Residents Will Receive State’s Top Military Award November 19 A
special awards ceremony will be held on November 19, at 11 a.m.,
at the National Guard Armory, 500 Rahway Avenue,
Westfield, N.J. Brig.
Gen. Thomas J. Sullivan, Assistant Division Commander, 42nd Infantry
Division, New Jersey Army National Guard, will present the New Jersey
Distinguished Service Medal, the state’s top military award,
to 90 Union County residents who are combat veterans of World War
II, Korea, Vietnam, Persian Gulf and Iraq. The N.J. Distinguished Service Medal was originally issued in 1858 for those who had distinguished themselves in the New Jersey Militia, but was infrequently used until re-authorized by Governor Kean in 1988. After the Spanish American War, the Mexican Border Expedition and again after World War I, the State of New Jersey minted special medals for returning N.J. veterans to honor their service. After World War II, Korea, Vietnam and subsequent combat actions no such medal was available. The State of New Jersey was looking for an appropriate way to honor all of these returning combat veterans and acknowledge the debt the state owed them for their service. The N.J. DSM was then authorized for that purpose. It is New Jersey’s highest military award. Since its re-authorization in 1988, more than 10,000 medals have been awarded to combat veterans from New Jersey. In order to be eligible for the Distinguished Service Medal you must meet all the following criteria ~
currently be a resident of New Jersey Those recipients whose service was recognized by the award of the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Air Medal or equivalent medal will receive a N.J. Distinguished Service Medal with an oak leaf cluster. The DSM can be awarded posthumously to the next-of-kin of a veteran who meets the criteria. Anyone interested in applying for the New Jersey Distinguished Service Medal should send a written request, e-mail or telephone call, requesting an application form to the following –
Be sure to include full name, home address and a daytime phone number E-mail: robert.wimberly@njdmava.state.nj.us The New Jersey Meritorious Service Medal is being awarded to those combat veterans who were not residents of New Jersey when they entered the military service, but who are current residents of New Jersey and have resided in the state for the previous five years. All other qualifications are the same as for the DSM. To apply for the MSM, send the application to the same address as the DSM. Westfield National Guard Armory, Westfield, N.J. November 19, 2003 LEGEND: (WAR ) CW=Civil War, I=World War I, II=World War II, K=Korea, BP=Bay of Pigs, V=Vietnam, LC=Lebanon Crisis (1958), LPM=Lebanon Peacekeeping Mission (1982-1987), G=Grenada, P=Panama (Operation Just Cause), DSS=Desert Shield/Storm, S=Somalia (Operation Restore Hope), B=Bosnia (Operation Joint Forge), DOM=Dominican Republic, KSV=Kosovo (Operation Joint Endeavor/Joint Guard), H=Haiti (Operation Uphold Democracy), OEF=Afghanistan & Iraq (Operation Enduring Freedom), OIF=Iraq (Operation Iraqi Freedom), NCTS=No Combat Theater Service |
| Award | Rank | Last Name | First Name | MI | Posthumous | Branch | war | City | |
| DSM | Master Sergeant | Abney | Vernon | Air Force | V | Rahway | |||
| DSM | Private | Ambrosio | Michael | A. | Army | II | Union | ||
| DSM | Corporal | Bailey | Thomas | E. | Army | II | Plainfield | ||
| DSM | Lance Corporal | Ballaro | Gary | Marine Corps | V | Union | |||
| DSM | Radioman 2nd Class | Berlinski | Lawrence | W. | Navy | V | Linden | ||
| DSM | Seaman | Billy | Charles | Navy | V | Perth Amboy | |||
| DSM w/C | Lieutenant Colonel | Bishop | Donald | M. | Air Force | V | Scotch Plains | ||
| DSM | Technician 4th Grade | Borsellino | Gabriel | I. | Posthumous | Army | II | Mountainside | |
| DSM | Specialist Four | Brown | Arthur | B. | Army | V | Hillside | ||
| MSM | Corporal | Bruton | Robert | L. | Army | K | Newark | ||
| DSM | Staff Sergeant | Cardillo | Anthony | Army | II | Linden | |||
| DSM | Technical Sergeant | Cardinoza | Donald | Air Force | V | Linden | |||
| MSM | Corporal | Cetroni | Albert | M. | Marine Corps | V | Linden | ||
| DSM w/C | Fireman 2nd Class | Christie | George | M. | Navy | II | Rahway | ||
| DSM | Staff Sergeant | Clark | Dennis | E. | Air Force | V | Garwood | ||
| DSM w/C | 1st Lieutenant | Colletti | Silveo | G. | Army | II | Westfield | ||
| DSM | Corporal | Crincoli | Rocco | Marine Corps | V | Elizabeth | |||
| DSM w/C | Private 1st Class | Czajkowski | Joseph | E. | Army | II | Linden | ||
| DSM w/C | Private 1st Class | Czarnecki | John | E. | Posthumous | Army | II | Kenilworth | |
| DSM | Seaman | Dauser | Donald | A. | Navy | V | Springfield | ||
| DSM w/C | Specialist Four | DeNaia | Alfredo | Army | V | Linden | |||
| DSM | Technician 4th Grade | DeWitz | Thomas | J. | Army | II | Elizabeth | ||
| DSM | Sergeant | Doherty | James | P. | Marine Corps | K | Westfield | ||
| MSM | Staff Sergeant | Dumke | Arthur | L. | Air Force | V | Elizabeth | ||
| MSM | Chief Warrant Officer Two | Dzikowski | Michael | S. | Army | V | Summitt | ||
| DSM | Specialist Five | Ehrharot | William | J. | Army | V | Mountainside | ||
| DSM | Corporal | Eriksen | Raymond | L. | Posthumous | Army | II | Clark | |
| DSM | Technical Sergeant | Federico | Joseph | Air Force | K | Berkley Heights | |||
| DSM | Specialist Four | Feeney | Martin | J. | Army | V | Clark | ||
| DSM | Seaman Apprentice | Fenuto | John | E. | Navy | V | Westville | ||
| DSM | Seaman | Flynn | Thomas | F. | Navy | V | Rahway | ||
| MSM | 2nd Lieutenant | Fox | Milton | S. | Army Air Corps | II | Cranford | ||
| DSM w/C | Specialist Four | Frankshun | Robert | A. | Army | V | Kenilworth | ||
| DSM w/C | Specialist Five | Fretz | Frederic | A. | Army | V | Union | ||
| DSM w/C | Corporal | Gallagher | Richard | C. | Marine Corps | V | Scotch Plains | ||
| MSM | Staff Sergeant | Gandy | William | G. | Marine Corps | V | Westfield | ||
| DSM | Technician 5th Grade | Gast | Seymour | Z. | Army | II | Hillside | ||
| DSM | Sergeant 1st Class | Gemignani | Michael | A. | Army | V | Union City | ||
| DSM | Corporal | Getto | Elbert | F. | Army | K | Union | ||
| DSM | Sergeant | Goldberg | Seymour | H. | Army | II | Scotch Plains | ||
| DSM | Corporal | Grek | John | R. | Army | K | Hillside | ||
| MSM | Sergeant | Grimes | Raphael | A. | Army | II | Cranford | ||
| DSM | Boatswain's Mate 1st Class | Hogan | John | J. | Navy | II | Clark | ||
| DSM w/C | Specialist Four | Horton | David | F. | Army | V | Rahway | ||
| DSM | Sergeant | Iungerman | Joseph | F. | Marine Corps | V | Roselle Park | ||
| DSM | Specialist Four | Ivers | James | A. | Army | V | Rahway | ||
| DSM | Specialist Four | Jasper | George | A. | Army | V | Roselle | ||
| MSM | Specialist Five | Johnson | James | E. | Army | V | Rahway | ||
| DSM | Technical Sergeant | Jursik | Andrew | J. | Army | II | Clark | ||
| DSM | Corporal | Kenny | John | F. | Army | K | Elizabeth | ||
| DSM w/C | Staff Sergeant | Kirkland | Ronald | Air Force | K | Hillside | |||
| DSM | Lance Corporal | Kolensky | James | R. | Marine Corps | V | Columbus | ||
| DSM | Petty Officer 2nd Class | Krauss | Kenneth | R. | Navy | DSS | Linden | ||
| DSM | Sergeant | Krok | Stanley | J. | Air Force | V | Union | ||
| DSM | Machinist Mate 1st Class | Latero | Charles | J. | Navy | II | Union | ||
| DSM | Sergeant | Leber | William | J. | Army | K | Mountainside | ||
| DSM w/C | Staff Sergeant | Lesniak | Peter | P. | Army | II | Linden | ||
| DSM | Corporal | Lobrace | Frank | A. | Army | K | Union | ||
| DSM w/C | Private 1st Class | Lorenc | Paul | V. | Posthumous | Army | II | Cranford | |
| DSM | Private 1st Class | Mallon | James | P. | Army | II | Summit | ||
| DSM | Lance Corporal | Marczewski | Michael | Marine Corps | V | Linden | |||
| DSM | Airman 1st Class | Marsh | Charles | A. | Air Force | V | Union | ||
| DSM w/C | Corporal | McLaughlin | Thomas | H. | Marine Corps | K | Hillside | ||
| DSM | Private 1st Class | Meadowcroft | Edwin | A. | Army | V | Roselle | ||
| DSM | Specialist Five | MeQueen | Clifton | Army | V | Roselle | |||
| DSM w/C | Sergeant | Mione | Salvatore | Army | V | Rahway | |||
| DSM | Master Sergeant | Mishoe | Michael | Army | DSS | Plainfield | |||
| DSM | 1st Lieutenant | Morrison | John | Army | V | Cranford | |||
| DSM | Petty Officer 3rd Class | Mussell | Robert | P. | Navy | V | Union City | ||
| DSM | Sergeant | Nasuta | Dominick | Army | K | Garfield | |||
| DSM | Lance Corporal | Nuesi | Cesar | E. | Marine Corps | OIF | Union City | ||
| DSM | Specialist Four | O'Dell | William | C. | Army | V | Linden | ||
| DSM | Corporal | Oels | Richard | H. | Posthumous | Army | II | Springfield | |
| DSM | Corporal | O'Grady | Robert | J. | Posthumous | Army | K | Roselle | |
| DSM | Sergeant | Olinger | Earl | M. | Army | II | Elizabeth | ||
| DSM w/C | Master Sergeant | Padusniak | Frank | W. | Army | II | Linden | ||
| DSM | Petty Officer 2nd Class | Paster | John | A. | Navy | V | Linden | ||
| DSM | Corporal | Perrucci | Robert | J. | Marine Corps | V | South Plainfield | ||
| DSM | Corporal | Pienciak | Edward | Marine Corps | V | Linden | |||
| DSM | Petty Officer 3rd Class | Poland | Russell | R. | Navy | V | Elizabeth | ||
| DSM | Captain | Quentzel | Bernard | I. | Air Force | K | Hillside | ||
| MSM | Private 1st Class | Root | Frank | J. | Posthumous | Army | II | Rahway | |
| DSM w/C | Sergeant | Ruth | Dennis | Posthumous | Army | V | Roselle | ||
| MSM | Specialist Four | Schultz | Joel | Army | V | Elizabeth | |||
| DSM | Sergeant | Sciscione | Biagio | Army | II | Kenilworth | |||
| DSM | Seaman 1st Class | Shea | Alfred | S. | Navy | II | Westfield | ||
| DSM | Staff Sergeant | Sintscha | Victor | Army | V | Rahway | |||
| DSM | Lance Corporal | Sloan | Richard | M. | Marine Corps | V | Scotch Plains | ||
| DSM | Specialist Four | Smith | Roy | L. | Army | V | Rahway | ||
| DSM w/C | Sergeant | Stogoski | Edward | B. | Posthumous | Marine Corps | II | Red Bank | |
| DSM w/C | Corporal | Thomas | John | A. | Marine Corps | V | New Providence | ||
| DSM | Sergeant | Tobias | Philip | P. | Marine Corps | V | Rahway | ||
| DSM | Sergeant | Tomilinson | Jeremy | B. | Marine Corps | V | Cranford | ||
| DSM w/C | Specialist Four | Tomko | William | Q. | Posthumous | Army | V | Mountainside | |
| DSM w/C | Private 1st Class | Tucker | Aaron | A. | Army | V | Roselle | ||
| DSM | Lance Corporal | Vazquez | John | M. | Marine Corps | V | Union | ||
| DSM | Water Tender 3rd Class | Voje | Francis | T. | Navy | II | Berkley Heights | ||
| DSM | Torpedoman's Mate 3rd Class | Williams | John | J. | Navy | II | Rahway | ||
| DSM w/C | Corporal | Wletstine | Thomas | R. |