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 8,500 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
~ 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 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.

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. 

The Vietnam Service Medal was approved by the New Jersey Legislature on Nov. 13, 2000, and the medal commemorates the 25th anniversary of the ending of the Vietnam Conflict in January 1973.

To be eligible for the Vietnam Service Medal, veterans must meet the following criteria:

be a current resident of New Jersey

served in any branch of the armed forces of the United States in Vietnam, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia or the contiguous waters or airspace thereof on or after Dec. 31, 1960 and on or before May 7, 1975.

Have an honorable discharge or be currently serving in the military

Certificates of Appreciation are being given to those veterans of the department who have served their country in the Armed Forces but do not qualify for the medals.

Anyone interested in applying for the New Jersey Distinguished Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal or Vietnam Service Medal should send a written request together with a copy of the individual’s discharge document (WD Form 53 or DD Form 214) to:

NJDMAVA
ATTN: Service Medal
PO Box 340
Trenton, NJ 08625-0340

LEGEND: (WAR ) SAW=Spanish-American War, CW=Civil War, I=World War I, II=World War II, K=Korea, V=Vietnam, L=Lebanon, G=Grenada, P=Panama, DSS=Desert Shield/Storm, S=Somalia, B=Bosnia, KSV=Kosovo, NCTS=No Combat Theater Service

LEGEND: (AWARD) D=Distinguished Service Medal, Dw/C=Distinguished Service Medal with Cluster, M=Meritorious Service Medal, V=Vietnam Service Medal, C=Certificate of Appreciation
 

award	Rank	First Name	MI	Last Name	Posthumous	Branch	City	war	county
D	Seaman 1st Class	Fernando		Albuquerque		Navy	Vineland	II	Cumberland
M, V	Master Sergeant	Hubert	E.	Barnes		Marine Corps	Vineland	K	Cumberland
C	Petty Officer 3rd Class	William	T.	Beals		Coast Guard	Vineland	NCTS	Cumberland
M	Master Sergeant	Robert	C.	Beddow		Air Force	Vineland	K	Cumberland
C	Sergeant	Francis	W.	Bowman		Army	Vineland	NCTS	Cumberland
D, V	Specialist Five	James	L.	Brown		Army	Vineland	V	Cumberland
M	Corporal	Namon		Burke		Army	Vineland	K	Cumberland
M	Electricians Mate 3rd Class	Arthur	H.	Carroll		Navy	Vineland		Cumberland
M	Captain	Louis	G.	Cassidy		Army	Vineland	II	Cumberland
C	Corporal	Edward	L.	Chalbert		Marine Corps	Vineland	NCTS	Cumberland
M	Technician 4th Grade	Marne		Clark		Army	Vineland	II	Cumberland
C	Corporal	Paul	F.	Cody		Army	Vineland	NCTS	Cumberland
M	Technician 4th Grade	Edward		Courtney	Posthumous	Army	Southampton	II	Burlington
M	Technician 5th Grade	John	G.	Criqui		Army	Vineland	II	Cumberland
M, V	Captain	Walter	C.	Deal		Navy	Vineland	K	Cumberland
C	Storekeeper 1st Class	Eva	M.	DeLuca		Navy	Vineland	NCTS	Cumberland
Dw/C, V	Master Sergeant	George	A.	DeLuca	Posthumous	Marine Corps	Vineland	V	Cumberland
Dw/C	Private 1st Class	Ercole	A.	DiOrio		Army	Vineland	II	Cumberland
C	Sergeant	Allen	F.	Dotti		Air Force	Vineland	NCTS	Cumberland
M	Seaman 1st Class	Edward	J.	Ellis	Posthumous	Navy	Vineland	II	Cumberland
M	Private 1st Class	Robert	M.	Esterline		Army	Vineland	II	Cape May
M	Captain	John		Fischer	Posthumous	Marine Corps	Wallingford	K	Cumberland
M	Private 1st Class	Bernard	J.	Flynn		Army	Vineland	II	Cumberland
C	Technician 5th Grade	Isabelle	E.	Forman		Army	Vineland	NCTS	Cumberland
C	Specialist Four	Harry	J.	Fullerton		Army	Vineland	NCTS	Cumberland
M	Technical Sergeant	Joseph	E.	Garrity		Army	Vineland	II	Cumberland
D, V	Fireman	Garlin	L.	Giovanelli		Navy	Vineland	V	Cumberland
M	Private 1st Class	James	T.	Glover		Army	Vineland	II	Cumberland
C	Specialist Four	Barbara	E.	Goebl		Army	Vineland	NCTS	Cumberland
D	Private 1st Class	Albert	R.	Graul		Army	Vineland	II	Cumberland
C	1st Lieutenant	Edwina	L.	Gronvold		Army	Vineland	NCTS	Cumberland
C	Corporal	John	C.	Haley		Army	Vineland	NCTS	Cumberland
D		Robert	B.	Hankins		Merchant Marines	Vineland	II	Cumberland
D	Private	Guy	S.	Harris		Army	Vineland	II	Cumberland
C	Seaman 1st Class	Vincent	W.	Haymes		Navy	Vineland	NCTS	Cumberland
M	Technical Sergeant	Bruce	L.	Hill		Marine Corps	Vineland	II	Cumberland
D	Technician 4th Grade	Julius		Hirsch		Army	Bloomfield	II	Essex
D	Sergeant	Adam	J.	Hoock		Army	Vineland	II	Cumberland
C	Technician 5th Grade	Fannie	E.	Howard		Army	Vineland	NCTS	Cumberland
M, V	Senior Chief Petty Officer	Marvin	R.	Hughes		Navy	Vineland	K	Cumberland
M	Technician 5th Grade	Joseph	H.	Iepsom		Army	Vineland	II	Cumberland
C	Staff Sergeant	Joyce	D.	Jackson		Army	Vineland	NCTS	Cumberland
C	Ensign	Jeannette	F.	Jeranek		Navy	Vineland	NCTS	Cumberland
C	Private 1st Class	Nikolai		Karp		Army	Vineland	NCTS	Cumberland
C	Private	Wayne	J.	Kauffman		Army	Vineland	NCTS	Cumberland
M, V	Master Sergeant	Albert	J.	Keenan		Marine Corps	Vineland	K	Cumberland
M, V	Lance Corporal	Robert	D.	Kulinski		Marine Corps	Vineland	V	Cumberland
M	Seaman 1st Class	Arthur	W.	Little		Navy	Vineland	II	Cumberland
C	Private	John	F.	MacFarlan		Army	Vineland	NCTS	Cumberland
C	Private 1st Class	Frank	E.	Magowan		Army	Vineland	NCTS	Cumberland
C	Specialist Five	Charles	A.	Maiatico		Army	Vineland	NCTS	Cumberland
C	Specialist Three	Alfrede		Mangino	Posthumous	Army	Vineland	NCTS	Cumberland
M	Petty Officer 2nd Class	Walter	H.	Mathias		Navy	Vineland	II	Cumberland
C	Corporal	Andrew	J.	Mattson		Marine Corps	Vineland	NCTS	Cumberland
M	Private 1st Class	Joseph	F.	McMahon		Army	Vineland	II	Cumberland
M	Private	William	W.	McNeill	Posthumous	Army	Vineland	II	Cumberland
D	Private 1st Class	Joseph	J.	Merlino		Army	Vineland	II	Cumberland
C	Petty Officer 3rd Class	Edward	J.	Mihaly		Navy	Dorothy	NCTS	Atlantic
C	Airman 1st Class	James	A.	Morris		Air Force	Vineland	NCTS	Cumberland
C	Sergeant	Paul	M.	Mounier		Army	Vineland	NCTS	Cumberland
D	Private	Andre	J.	Mounier		Army	Vineland	II	Cumberland
D, V	Sergeant	Robert	H.	Mounier		Air Force	Newfield	V	Gloucester
D	Sergeant	Otto	C.	Muentz		Army	Vineland	II	Cumberland
C	Private	James		Munden		Army	Vineland	NCTS	Cumberland
C	Seaman 1st Class	Vincent	P.	Murphy		Navy	Vineland	NCTS	Cumberland
C	Specialist Four	Paul	R.	Myatovich		Army	Vineland	NCTS	Cumberland
M	Petty Officer 2nd Class	Lawrence	A.	Myers		Navy	Vineland	II	Cumberland
C	Seaman 1st Class	Helen	M.	Neiman-Yates		Navy	Vineland	NCTS	Cumberland
C	Seaman 1st Class	Robert	M.	Nicholas		Coast Guard	Vineland	NCTS	Cumberland
M	Sergeant Major	Oscar	R.	Peterson	Posthumous	Army	Millville	II	Cumberland
C	Corporal	Samuel	P.	Pierro		Army	Vineland	NCTS	Cumberland
C	Yeoman 2nd Class	Leigh	R.	Pottle		Navy	Franklinville	NCTS	Cumberland
D	Technician 5th Grade	James		Proctor		Army	Vineland	II	Cumberland
C	Private 1st Class	Hilton	F.	Purnell		Army	Vineland	NCTS	Cumberland
M	Technician 5th Grade	Vincent		Pytel		Army	Vineland	II	Cumberland
D	Private	Henry		Reaves		Army	Vineland	II	Cumberland
D	Chief Ship Fitter	Frank	E.	Rice		Navy	Vineland	II	Cumberland
C	Private 1st Class	James	J.	Roork		Army	Vineland	NCTS	Cumberland
M	Private 1st Class	Robert	B.	Sanks		Army	Vineland	II	Cumberland
C	Sergeant	Frank	W.	Sautter		Army	Vineland	NCTS	Cumberland
M	Staff Sergeant	John		Schillick	Posthumous	Army	Vineland	II	Cumberland
M	Technician 5th Grade	Frank	J.	Sears	Posthumous	Army	Medford	II	Cumberland
M	Private 1st Class	James	J.	Shannon	Posthumous	Army	Vineland	II	Cumberland
C	Private	Joseph	J.	Soriano		Army	Vineland	NCTS	Cumberland
C	Staff Sergeant	William	C.	Sparks		Marine Corps	Vineland	NCTS	Cumberland
D	Petty Officer 1st Class	Elmer	F.	Spires		Navy	Vineland	II	Cumberland
M	Technician 5th Grade	Marvin		Steen		Army	Vineland	II	Cumberland
C	Private 1st Class	Howard	G.	Stoepel		Army	Vineland	NCTS	Cumberland
C	Airman 2nd Class	Travis		Summiel		Air Force	Vineland	NCTS	Cumberland
C	Petty Officer 2nd Class	William	C.	Sutton		Navy	Vineland	NCTS	Cumberland
C	Airman 1st Class	Henry	V.	Tanner		Air Force	Vineland	NCTS	Cumberland
C	Radioman 1st Class	Dorothy	E.	Taylor		Navy	Vineland	NCTS	Cumberland
M, V	Gunnery Sergeant	Howard	P.	Teter		Marine Corps	Vineland	V	Cumberland
M	Private 1st Class	Joseph	N.	Thurston		Marine Corps	Vineland	K	Cumberland
C	Specialist Three	George	D.	Tribbett		Army	Vineland	NCTS	Cumberland
D	Staff Sergeant	Millard		Usinger		Army	Vineland	II	Cumberland
C	Petty Officer 3rd Class	John	B.	Vockeroth		Navy	Vineland	NCTS	Cumberland
C	Corporal	Curtis	L.	Washington		Army	Vineland	NCTS	Cumberland
C	Corporal	William	J.	Weir		Army	Vineland	NCTS	Cumberland
D	Private	Albert	M.	Weise		Army	Vineland	II	Cumberland
M	Private 1st Class	Arthur	E.	Whitehouse		Army	Vineland	II	Cumberland
M	Technician 5th Grade	James		Williams		Army	Vineland	II	Cumberland
M	Corporal	John	G.	Yates		Army	Vineland	K	Cumberland
C	Private 1st Class	Warren	A.	Young		Army	Vineland	NCTS	Cumberland
C	Corporal	Herbert		Young		Air Force	Vineland	NCTS	Cumberland
M	Petty Officer 2nd Class	Douglas	A.	Young		Navy	Vineland	II	Cumberland