Veterans Honored At Morris Co. Memorial Day Observance

MORRIS COUNTY, NJ — In honor of Memorial Day, the Morris County Board of County Commissioners presented Distinguished Military Service Medals to 15 veterans during the county's annual Memorial Day Observance ceremony in Morristown.

State legislators and congressional representatives also paid tribute to the veterans, whose service ranged from World War II to Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom.

“Those we honor sacrificed decades of living and all the simple pleasures of life, coffee in the morning, a walk in the neighborhood and casual conversation, all the everyday activities we take for granted. Gone,” Commissioner Director John Krickus said.

Assemblyman Brian Bergen, a combat veteran who served in the United States Army after graduating from the United States Military Academy at West Point, delivered the ceremony's keynote address.

“After years of thought and prayer, I’ve realized that no amount of remembrances to those I’ve lost will ever be enough. The only true way to honor their sacrifice is to live a life worthy of the gift they’ve given us: the gift of freedom. Each of us needs to make the most of every single day and live life to the fullest, constantly always striving to improve, constantly making those around us and the world as a whole a better place,” Bergen said.

Morris County Distinguished Military Service Medals are unique to Morris County, though they have been imitated in many ways. They were first distributed in 1999 to commemorate the 55th anniversary of the 1944 D-Day invasion and the liberation of France from Nazi occupation.

They have, however, been modified and expanded to include service in Vietnam and Korea, as well as general military service in other conflicts. Last year, new medals for Iraq and Afghanistan were unveiled.

The veterans honored at the May 24, ceremony included:

• Frank G. Blair, Gillette (posthumous)
• George J. Connolly, Jr., from Mendham
• Anthony D. Vara, from Pequannock
• Robert A. Newhouse, from Florham Park
• Robert K. Newman, from Cedar Knolls
• Joel Lebowitz, from Lake Hiawatha
• Kenneth Matzek, from Dover
• Shane T. Richeal, from Rockaway
• James M. Koons, from Morris Township
• Gary R. Martin, from Denville
• David M. Okada, from Morris Township
• Carol P. Simmons, from Madison
• Michael Wisniewski, from Morris Township
• Edward W. D’Angelo, from Parsippany (posthumous)
• Edward J. D’Angelo, from Parsippany
• Michael F. D’Angelo, from Parsippany

To view their biographies, click here.

“Morris County does not forget its heroes, especially those who have fallen in combat or during military service," Commissioner Deputy Director Christine Myers said.

To watch the full Memorial Day Observance ceremony, click here.