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, about 3500 medals have been awarded to combat veterans from New Jersey. 

 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:

September 12, 2001 2 p.m. ceremony
 

Rank	First Name	MI	Last Name	Branch	City
Corporal	Frederick	J.	Listwan	Army	Harrison
Staff Sergeant	Vincent		Locurcio	Army	Nutley
Captain	Herbert	J.	Lohmann	Army	North Caldwell
Technician Fourth Grade	Thomas		Longo	Army	Bloomfield
Staff Sergeant	Casimer	J.	Ludwiczak	Army	Jersey City
Petty Officer Third Class	Paul	F.	Lynch	Navy	Highland Lakes
Petty Officer Third Class	Charles	J.	Maccagnano	Navy	Hoboken
Technician Fourth Grade	Alfred	G.	Machetto	Army	Sparta
Petty Officer Third Class	Donald		Machia	Coast Guard	Bloomfield
Petty Officer Second Class	Pasquale	F.	Maffettone	Navy	Cedar Grove
Private First Class	Joseph		Magilaro	Army	Montclair
Sergeant	Michael	C.	Maiellaro	Army	Jersey City
Petty Officer First Class	Frank		Mangiacotti	Navy	Washington
Lance Corporal	John	P.	Maphet	Marine Corps	Kearny
Corporal	Peter	R.	Maraldo	Army	Nutley
Petty Officer Second Class	John	W.	Marchick	Navy	Hopatcong
Sergeant	Dominick	R.	Markisello	Army	Hamburg
Corporal	Angelo	M.	Marra	Army	Secaucus
Private First Class	Gerard	A.	Marra	Army	Secaucus
Sergeant	Prisco	J.	Marrazzo	Army	Hopatcong
Staff Sergeant	Frank	J.	Marsiano	Army Air Corps	Nutley
Private First Class	Antonio		Masi	Army	Maplewood
Technician Fourth Grade	Nicholas	A.	Masi	Army	Bloomfield
Corporal	Herbert	T.	Mason	Army	Nutley
Technician Fifth Grade	Vincent	J.	Matarazzo	Army	Belleville
Sergeant	Thomas	E.	Matthews	Army	Washington
Technician Fourth Grade	Valentine	J.	Mattil	Army	Sussex
Petty Officer Second Class	Fred	W.	McCorkell	Navy	Phillipsburg
Sergeant First Class	John	E.	McDole	Army	McAfee
Private	Thomas	F.	McDonald	Army	Hoboken
Seaman	Robert	A.	McGregor	Navy	Rockaway
Sergeant	Eliud		Medina	Army	Jersey City
Private First Class	Anthony	P.	Mele	Army	Highland Lakes
Specialist	Luis	M.	Mendoza	Army	Jersey City
Lance Corporal	James	D.	Menzel	Marine Corps	North Bergen
Sergeant	Albert	M.	Merdo	Army	Jersey City
Private First Class	Walter	R.	Meyers	Army	Montague
Corporal	Joseph	V.	Mezzina	Army	North Bergen
Corporal	Henry		Mianecki	Air Force	Belvidere
Sergeant	Edward	A.	Mottershead	Army	Hoboken
Private First Class	Henry	J.	Mulicki	Army	Jersey City
Seaman Second Class	John	B.	Musum	Coast Guard	Maplewood
Corporal	Richard	A.	Nanni	Army	Hopatcong
Corporal	Patrick		Naples	Marine Corps	Belvidere
Petty Officer Third Class	Andrew	A.	Napolitano	Navy	Bloomfield
Sergeant	Thomas	J.	Nash	Army	Kearny
Private	Stanley	G.	Nicaretta	Army	Bayonne
Sergeant	John	G.	Nicaretta	Army	Bayonne
Specialist Four	Roy	R.	Noble	Army	Jersery City
Petty Officer Third Class	George	S.	Noll	Navy	Alpha
Private First Class	David	E.	Noonan	Army	Wantage
Private First Class	Julius		Novak	Army	Lake Hopatcong
Specialist Four	Robert	F.	Nugent	Army	Philipsburg
First Lieutenant	Mamie	E.	O'Connell	Army	Newton
Staff Sergeant	James	T.	O'Donnell	Army	Asbury
Staff Sergeant	James		O'Donnell	Army	Asbury
Specialist Four	Daniel	J.	O'Leary	Army	West Orange
Petty Officer First Class	Richard	I.	Orenge	Navy	Butler
Staff Sergeant	Arthur	R.	Pacenti	Army	Phillipsburg
Chief Petty Officer	Peter	J.	Palantini	Navy	West Orange
Private First Class	Ernest	A.	Palestis	Army	Union City
Private First Class	Louis	A.	Pandolfi	Army	Nutley
Private First Class	Paul		Parisi	Army	North Bergen
Corporal	Walter	L.	Pasciak	Marine Corps	Newton
Lance Corporal	Gene	W.	Patzer	Marine Corps	Nutley
Sergeant	Jim	J.	Pene	Army	Port Murray
Sergeant	George	W.	Pepin	Army	Bloomfield
Airman First Class	Andrew	R.	Person	Air Force	Belvidere
Technician Fifth Grade	Raymond		Peque	Army	Carustaot
Technician Fifth Grade	Louis		Perry	Army	North Bergen
Captain	Gabriel	E.	Pettinato	Air Force	Jersey City
Private First Class	Albert	P.	Petulla	Marine Corps	Bayonne
First Lieutenant	Joseph	S.	Piccuirro	Army	West New York
Technician Third Grade	Albert		Piperata	Army	Phillipsburg
Sergeant	Theodore	J.	Pitlick	Marine Corps	Bayonne
Corporal	Ignatius	F.	Pizzo	Army	North Bergen
Specialist Four	Gregory	F.	Policastro	Army	Nutley
Staff Sergeant	Victor		Porcelli	Army	Bloomfield
Corporal	Humberto	S.	Prieto	Marine Corps	Caldwell
Petty Officer First Class	Carmen	J.	Pucci	Navy	Nutley
Private First Class	Henry	G.	Puchalski	Army	Bayonne
Petty Officer First Class	Angelo	R.	Ranaudo	Navy	Secaucus
Sergeant First Class	Earl		Read	Army	Phillipsburg
Staff Sergeant	Robert	C.	Read	Air Force	Hope
Staff Sergeant	Robert	B.	Reilly	Army	Belleville
Private First Class	Felix	L.	Reina	Army	Bayonne
Captain	Robert		Ricciardulli	Army	Lebanon
Private	Albert	E.	Riccio	Army	Belleville
First Lieutenant	Clarence	B.	Riker	Army	North Caldwell
Petty Officer Third Class	Robert	E.	Robert	Navy	Jersey City
Private First Class	Benjamin		Robinson	Army	Bayonne
Corporal	Joseph	J.	Rocco	Army	Newton
Petty Officer Third Class	Eugene		Rogers	Coast Guard	Kearny
Sergeant	Charles		Rogers	Army	Hardyston
Corporal	James	V.	Romano	Army	West Orange
Corporal	Alfred	P.	Roncaioli	Army	Secaucus
Private First Class	John		Rosko	Army	Oxford
Petty Officer Second Class	Robert	E.	Ross	Navy	Jersey City
Corporal	Arthur	V.	Rossi	Army	Great Meadows
Staff Sergeant	Elwood	E.	Rothrock	Army	Cedar Grove
Private First Class	Ralph	P.	Rudente	Army	Chatham
Private First Class	Joseph	P.	Ruggiero	Army	Verona
Corporal	Nelson	W.	Rummel	Army	Nutley
Petty Officer Third Class	Franky	J.	Rzempoluch	Navy	North Bergen
Sergeant	Angelo	V.	Saccente	Army	Cedar Grove
First Lieutenant	Richard	T.	Sanborn	Army Air Corps	Short Hills
Technician Fourth Grade	Jerry	G.	Sansone	Army	Belleville
Petty Officer First Class	Michael	L.	Santasieri	Navy	Belleville
Technician Fourth Grade	Joseph	A.	Santora	Army	Newton
Private First Class	Bernard		Schlein	Army	North Bergen
Petty Officer Second Class	Edward	G.	Schmicker	Navy	Maplewood
Corporal	Paul		Schultz	Army	Jersey City
Petty Officer Third Class	Louis	J.	Scialla	Navy	Highland Lakes
Specialist Four	Saverio		Sciancalepore	Army	Hoboken
Technician Fifth Grade	Frank	P.	Scordamaglia	Army	Bayonne
Petty Officer Third Class	Russell	J.	Scott	Navy	Newton
Corporal	Granger	W.	Searvance	Army	Jersey City
Petty Officer Third Class	Emil	J.	Sedlak	Navy	Bayonne
Technician Fifth Grade	Simon	A.	Sedor	Army	Bayonne
Chief Petty Officer	Emidio	V.	Sestilio	Navy	Bloomfield
Chief Petty Officer	Pascali	V.	Sestilis	Navy	Bloomfield
Petty Officer Third Class	John	M.	Setaro	Navy	Bayonne
Specialist Four	Richard	J.	Sheldrake	Army	Byram
Seaman First Class	Howard	A.	Shepherd	Coast Guard	Kearny
Seaman	Raymond	P.	Shertel	Navy	North Bergen
Specialist Five	Bobby		Shipman	Army	Jersey City
Petty Officer First Class	Clifford	W.	Silverthorn	Navy	Phillipsburg
Sergeant	Edward	J.	Sitarski	Army	Bayonne
Corporal	Murray	J.	Sklar	Marine Corps	Livingston
Sergeant	Joseph	J.	Slachetka	Army Air Corps	Hackettstown
Private First Class	Richard	B.	Smith	Army	Hopatcong
Sergeant	Kenneth	W.	Smith	Army Air Corps	Bloomfield
Private First Class	Leroy		Smith	Army	Hackettstown
Staff Sergeant	Thomas	J.	Smith	Marine Corps	Belleville
Technician Fifth Grade	James	E.	Smith	Army	Bayonne
Petty Officer First Class	Donald	R.	Sonn	Navy	Phillipsburg
Technician Fifth Grade	Clayton	N.	South	Army	Phillipsburg
Private First Class	Woody	E.	Spence	Army	East Orange
Petty Officer Second Class	Russel	A.	Spinks	Navy	Layton
Captain	Carlton	H.	Sprague	Army	Newton
Corporal	Charles	R.	Stauffer	Army	Washington
Sergeant	Gerhard	F.	Stengs	Marine Corps	Belvidere
Chief Petty Officer	Robert		Stickles	Navy	Bloomfield
Sergeant	Wayne	R.	Stoddard	Army Air Corps	Oxford
Corporal	Ralph	G.	Storer	Marine Corps	Franklin
Sergeant	Richard	L.	Strader	Army	Wantage
Staff Sergeant	Robert	H.	Strahle	Army	Phillipsburg
Technician Fifth Grade	Carl	A.	Streicher	Army	West New York
Staff Sergeant	John	T.	Suter	Army	Blairstown
Private First Class	George		Szweda	Army	Bayonne
Corporal	Joseph	J.	Talafous	Army	Jersey City
Technical Sergeant	Charles	M.	Tedesco	Air Force	Livingston
Specialist Four	Lawrence	A.	Testa	Army	Kearny
Sergeant	Donald	R.	Thompson	Army	Bloomfield
Private	Augustine	T	Tommey	Army	West New York
Private First Class	Ralph	L.	Treible	Army	Phillipsburg
Chief Petty Officer	Joseph	G.	Triano	Navy	Glen Ridge
Seaman	Austin	R.	Trimmer	Navy	Phillipsburg
Petty Officer Third Class	Roger	D.	Trimmer	Navy	Verona
Petty Officer Third Class	John	J.	Triquet	Navy	Cedar Grove
Petty Officer Second Class	James	R.	Trivett	Navy Air Corps	Verona
Corporal	Alfred	F.	Trotola	Army	Bloomfield
Private First Class	Clifford	L.	Tucker	Army	Stanhope
Private First Class	Howard	J.	Utter	Army	Branchville
Private	Michael		Valentino	Army	Jersey City
Technician Fifth Grade	George	A.	Vallone	Army	Hamburg
Private	Herbert		Van Kirk	Army	Stewartsville
Staff Sergeant	William	J.	Van-Wie	Army	Hoboken
Petty Officer First Class	Lloyd	G.	VanSyckle	Navy	Branchville
Seaman	Andrew	J.	Ventura	Navy	North Bergen
Petty Officer Third Class	John	A.	Verrico	Navy	Nutley
Specialist Five	Ralph	R.	Villano	Army	Sussex
Petty Officer Third Class	Nicholas	A.	Vitelli	Navy	Jersey City
Private First Class	Arthur	S.	Waldron	Marine Corps	Sussex
Master Sergeant	William	T.	Washer	Army	Sussex
Sergeant	Vincent	J.	Wassman	Army	Hoboken
Sergeant	William	M.	Weaver	Army	Bayonne
Corporal	Edward	J.	Whelan	Marine Corps	Nutley
Sergeant	Charles	I.	White	Army	Stewartsville
Specialist Four	Barry	L.	Willever	Army	Phillipsburg
Staff Sergeant	Richard	W.	Wilmot	Army	Cedar Grove
Corporal	Peter		Wilson	Army	Livingston
Staff Sergeant	Garrett	L.	Winn	Army	East Orange
Staff Sergeant	Arthur		Winter	Army	Short Hills
Private First Class	Cornelius	D	Winters	Army	Newton
Private First Class	Andrew	E.	Wojcik	Army	Bayonne
Specialist Five	John	N.	Wollman	Army	Alpha
Corporal	James	P.	Wollner	Army	Bloomfield
Major	Wayne	A.	Wolverton	Army	North Caldwell
Corporal	William	T.	Wright	Army	Livingston
Sergeant	Walter	R.	Writt	Marine Corps	Livingston
Seaman	Jean	A.	Wypler	Navy	West Caldwell
First Lieutenant	Anthony	F.	Yacullo	Army	Hoboken
Corporal	Gilbert		Yoffredo	Army	Bayonne
Sergeant	Richard	A.	Zayle	Marine Corps	Alpha
Private First Class	Edward	J.	Zibowich	Army	Secaucus
Specialist Five	John	W.	Zmyslowski	Army	Bayonne