BURLINGTON, NJ - A special award ceremony will be held on December 10, 2001, at 2 p.m.. at the VFW Post 1817, 142 Riverbank Road, Burlington, N.J.  Senator Diane Allen will present the New Jersey Distinguished Service Medal, the state’s top military award, to 122 state residents who are combat veterans of the Civil War, World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Lebanon, Grenada, Panama, Persian Gulf War, Somalia or Bosnia. 

In order to be eligible for the Distinguished Service Medal, recipients must currently be a resident of New Jersey and also have been a resident of the state at the time they entered into military service; have been honorably discharged; and, must have received at least the equivalent of the Air Medal, Purple Heart, or Bronze Star or proof of having served in combat while on active duty during wartime. Those recipients whose service was recognized by the award of the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Air Medal or equivalent medal will receive a NJ 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.

The NJ  DSM 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 NJ veterans to honor their service. After WWII, 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 NJ DSM was then authorized for that purpose. It is New Jersey’s highest military award. 

Since its re-authorization in 1988, more than 8,500 medals have been awarded to combat veterans from New Jersey. 

“The New Jersey veterans receiving the New Jersey Distinguished Service Medal are a credit to our state and our nation.  Their sacrifice and their bravery in combat is truly deserving of New Jersey’s highest military award.  The award also serves as a great way to thank our veterans for their extraordinary achievements while our nation has been at war,” said Acting Governor Donald T. DiFrancesco.

In order to be eligible for the Distinguished Service Medal you must meet all the following criteria:

~ currently be a resident of New Jersey
~ have been a resident of New Jersey  at the time you entered into military service
~ have been honorably discharged
~ have proof of having served in combat while on active duty during wartime. 

Those recipients whose service was recognized by the award of the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Air Medal or equivalent medal will receive a NJ 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 together with copies of all pertinent information, discharge document (e.g. DD 214 ), award citation, honorable discharge, etc. to: 

Rank	First Name	MI	Last Name	Posthumous	Branch	City	Cluster	War
1st Lieutenant	Richard	J.	Abdill		Army	Delran		G
Sergeant	Michael	K.	Adams		Army	Browns Mills		DSS
Private 1st Class	Benjamin	A.	Aiscowitz		Army	New Gretna	cluster	II
Sergeant	Clifford	W.	Alling	posthumous	Army	Mt. Holly	cluster	II
Captain	Thomas	H.	Appert		Air Force	Moorestown	cluster	II
Airman 1st Class	Joseph	H.	Aromando		Air Force	Meford		K
Petty Officer 3rd Class	Thomas	J.	Astraski		Navy	Delanco		DSS
Petty Officer 1st Class	Walter	A.	Baker		Navy	Southampton		II
Sergeant	Anthony	J	Balsavage		Army	Pemberton	cluster	V
Specialist Five	Wayne	D.	Bentley		Army	Mt. Laurel		V
Technician 5th Grade	Thomas	M.	Bird		Army	Mt. Laurel		II
	Guenther	F.	Bischoff	posthumous	Merchant Marines	Willingboro		II
Private 1st Class	James	L.	Boone		Army	Marlton		V
Petty Officer 2nd Class	Richard	M.	Booth		Navy	Mt. Laurel		II
Sergeant	Gerard	J.	Buonanno		Marine Corps	Florence	cluster	V
1st Lieutenant	John	L.	Call		Army	Moorestown	cluster	V
Private	Anthony	R.	Camiscioni		Army	Columbus		II
Technician 5th Grade	Anthony	J.	Carnivale		Army	Burlington		II
Petty Officer 3rd Class	Wilmer	M.	Carr		Navy	Burlington		V
Technician 5th Grade	Thomas	E.	Carr		Army	Bordentown		II
Lance Corporal	James	D.	Carson		Marine Corps	Easthampton		V
Seaman	Thomas	W.	Chamberlain		Navy	Mt. Holly		V
Private 1st Class	Albert	S.	Chiddenton		Army	Southampton		II
Petty Officer 3rd Class	Alvin	J.	Corsi		Navy	Southampton		II
Sergeant	Robert	J.	Costa		Marine Corps	Southampton		V
Specialist Four	Earl	E.	Courter		Army	Delran	cluster	V
Corporal	Henry	J.	Cowan		Army	Burlington Twp.		K
Petty Officer 1st Class	Arthur	E.	Coyle		Navy	Southampton		II
Sergeant	Chester	S.	Cramer	posthumous	Army	Bordentown	cluster	II
Corporal	Francis	P.	D'Autrechy		Army	Burlington	cluster	II
Staff Sergeant	William	J.	Daniels	posthumous	Army	Willingboro		II
Petty Officer 1st Class	Anthony		De Marco		Navy	Southampton		II
Private	Thomas	A.	De More	posthumous	Army	Medford	cluster	II
Specialist Four	Bobby		Dease		Army	Burlington		V
Sergeant	Bernard	C.	Donovan	posthumous	Army	Moorestown	cluster	V
Sergeant	Dennis	G.	Doyle		Air Force	New Lisbon		V
Technician 4th Grade	Thomas	O.	Edge		Army	Burlington	cluster	II
Specialist Five	William	R.	Ehrhart		Army	Marlton		V
Specialist Four	Fred	C.	Ervin		Army	Wrightstown		V
Sergeant	Robert	J.	Fastow		Army	Burlington		II
1st Lieutenant	Allen	S.	Ferg		Marine Corps	Moorestown		V
Staff Sergeant	Pasquale		Ferrelli		Army	Burlington		II
Petty Officer 2nd Class	Wayne	R.	Ferren		Navy	Southampton		II
Sergeant 1st Class	Henry		Fleming		Army	Willingboro	cluster	V
Petty Officer 3rd Class	Antonio	C.	Fonseca		Navy	Columbus		II
Chief Petty Officer	Joseph	H.	Fort		Navy	Pemberton		II
Private 1st Class	John	E.	Foster		Army	Southampton		V
Private	Michael	C.	Fugate		Marine Corps	Burlington		V
Lieutenant Colonel	Harris	J.	Gelber		Army	Mt. Holly	cluster	V
Private 1st Class	Minteo	F.	Giannetti		Army	Mt. Laurel		II
Sergeant	Milton	H.	Gottlieb		Air Force	Marlton		V
Sergeant	William	G.	Green		Air Force	Florence		V
Petty Officer	Robert	V.	Hein		Coast Guard	Columbus		II
Petty Officer 1st Class	Ralph	H.	Hepner		Navy	Bordentown		II
Corporal	Ronald	G.	Hopkins		Marine Corps	Marlton		V
Technical Sergeant	Robert	E.	Hozier		Marine Corps	Moorestown		II
1st Lieutenant	Byron	S.	Jefferds		Army	Edgewater Park		II
Private 1st Class	Helge		Johnson		Army	Mount Laurel		II
Petty Officer 2nd Class	John	C.	Jones		Navy	Southampton		II
Staff Sergeant	Elton	P.	Jordan		Air Force	Mt. Holly		K
Private 1st Class	Robert	G.	Jorgensen		Army	Southampton	cluster	II
Sergeant	Paul	A.	Keller		Army	Southampton		K
Petty Officer 3rd Class	Albert		Kilcher		Navy	Delanco		II
Corporal	William		Kovalczyk		Army	Columbus		II
Private 1st Class	Stanley	E.	Kowaleski		Army	Mt. Laurel		II
Corporal	J.	M.	Kumpel		Army	Mount Laurel		II
Petty Officer 1st Class	Harold	A.	Lehman		Navy	Burlington Twp.		II
Petty Officer 1st Class	Carl	A.	Lehman		Coast Guard	Southampton		II
Sergeant	Leonard	J.	Little		Marine Corps	New Lisbon	cluster	V
Petty Officer 2nd Class	Francis	L.	Loretangeli		Navy	Bordentown		II
Private	Ferdinand	T.	Loretangeli		Army	Bordentown		K
Petty Officer 1st Class	William	H.	Lukens		Navy	Burlington	cluster	II
Sergeant	Donald	J.	Lyons		Army	Moorestown	cluster	II
Sergeant	Louis	J.	Macellari		Army	Pemberton		V
Sergeant	John	A.	Maressa		Army	Columbus		V
Fireman	Edgar	J.	Mason		Navy	Medford		V
Private 1st Class	Frank		Miller		Army	Roebling		II
Staff Sergeant	Michael	T.	Miragliuolo		Army	Mt. Holly		V
Petty Officer 1st Class	Leonard		Moser		Navy	Mt. Laurel		II
Corporal	Herbert	A.	Muth		Army	Toms River		K
Technician 4th Grade	Edward	J.	Mystkowski		Army	Southampton		II
1st Sergeant	James	J.	Nelson		Army	Mt. Holly		V
Petty Officer 3rd Class	Charles	W.	Ogden	posthumous	Navy	Burlington		II
Corporal	Gregory	J.	Pierce		Marine Corps	Burlington		DSS
Captain	Dewey	J.	Ragone	posthumous	Army	Maple Shade		II
Sergeant 1st Class	William	R.	Randall		Marine Corps	Mt. Laurel	cluster	V
Specialist Four	Michael	P.	Read		Army	Burlington		DSS
Master Sergeant	Edward	C.	Regan		Air Force	Browns Mills		V
Sergeant	Jack	D.	Richards		Marine Corps	Tabernacle	cluster	V
Petty Officer	Robert	A.	Rockhill		Navy	Lumberton		V
Specialist Four	Bruce	A.	Rockhill		Army	Southampton		V
Sergeant	William		Rogers		Army	Southampton		K
Petty Officer 1st Class	Neil	B.	Rosato		Navy	Columbus		II
1st Lieutenant	Peter	M.	Sarraiocco		Army Air Corps	Southampton	cluster	II
Corporal	John	F.	Savarese		Army Air Corps	Spotswood		II
Technician 5th Grade	Charles	J.	Schwamb	posthumous	Army	Mt. Laurel		II
Staff Sergeant	William	M.	Scott		Army	Willingboro		V
Petty Officer 3rd Class	James	H.	Scott		Coast Guard	MT Holly		II
Private 1st Class	John	O.	Sitzler		Army	Hainesport	cluster	II
Staff Sergeant	Edward		Slawinski		Air Force	Riverside		K
Petty Officer 3rd Class	Louis		Sorrentino		Navy	Smithville		II
Technician 5th Grade	James		Spatola		Army	Southampton		II
Lieutenant	James	C.	Steinruck	posthumous	Navy	Florence		II
Petty Officer 3rd Class	Joseph	F.	Stevens		Navy	Southampton		II
Corporal	Charles	W.	Stiltz	posthumous	Army	Moorestown		II
Sergeant	William	H	Stover		Army	Monmouth Junction	cluster	V
Corporal	Russell	J.	Street		Army	Southampton		K
Sergeant	James	K.	Temple		Marine Corps	Columbus	cluster	K
Private 1st Class	George	J.	Turgyan		Army	Florence	cluster	II
Petty Officer 3rd Class	Michael		Vanartsdalen		Navy	Marlton		L
Private 1st Class	William	F.	Wagner		Army Air Corps	Burlington		II
Petty Officer 2nd Class	William	H.	Walter	posthumous	Coast Guard	Wrightstown		II
Technician 5th Grade	Charles	J.	Ward		Army	Southampton		II
Petty Officer 3rd Class	Thomas	F.	Weaver		Navy	Pemberton		V
Sergeant	William	H.	Wildman		Army	Marlton		K
Sergeant	George	D.	Williams		Marine Corps	Cinnaminson		K
Corporal	Frederick		Windstein		Army	Southampton		II
Private 1st Class	James	S.	Worrell		Army	Southampton		II
Technician 4th Grade	Henry		Woyonski		Army	Marlton		II
Specialist Two	Viola	R.	Young Grant		Army	Willingboro		K
Master Sergeant	John	F.	Zakian		Marine Corps	Willingboro		K
Staff Sergeant	Russell	L.	Zoll		Air Force	Mount Holly		II