An additional 2 residents who are combat veterans will receive the New Jersey Meritorious Service Medal for their service in the military.

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.

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 Form 214), award citation, honorable discharge, etc. to:

NJDMAVA
ATTN: Distinguished Service Medal
P.O. Box 340
Trenton, New Jersey 08625-0340

Be sure to include full name, home address and daytime telephone number.

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.

Rank	First Name	MI	Last Name	Posthumous	Branch	war	Remarks	City
Fireman 2nd Class	John		Ariozzi		Navy	K		Jackson
Sergeant	George	A.	Berry		Army	DSS		Lindenwold
Specialist Four	William	E.	Bynum		Army	V		Camden
Sergeant	William	J.	Cavanaugh		Army	II		Voorhees
Private 1st Class	Abraham	W.	Cherkes		Army	II		Pennsauken
Specialist Five	William	L.	Coney		Army	V		Camden
Staff Sergeant	John	J.	Connolly	Posthumous	Marine Corps	II		Runnemede
Private 1st Class	Charles	E.	Crain		Army	K		Gibbs Boro
Lieutenant Colonel	Charles	R.	Dawalt		Army	V		Somerdale
Corporal	Michael	J.	DelGuercio	Posthumous	Army	II		Elm
Sergeant	William	J.	Devereaux		Army	V		Laurel Springs
Lieutenant	William	J.	Flynn		Navy	K		Stratford
Sergeant	Walter	L.	Friend		Army	II		Westmont
Technician 5th Grade	Joseph	J.	Gillespie		Army	II		Berlin
Corporal	Walter	S.	Graulich		Army	II		Cherry Hill
Electronics Technician Mate 2nd Class	Max		Greenberg		Navy	II		Cherry Hill
Captain	Irvin		Hackerman		Army	II		Cherry Hill
Yeoman 3rd Class	Robert	C.	Harker		Navy	V		Mount Ephraim
Storekeeper 1st Class	Simon	S.	Harris		Navy	II		Cherry Hill
Private 1st Class	Robert	F.	Ignatovig		Army	V		Brooklawn
Lieutenant	George	J.	Jardine		Navy	V		Turnersville
Sergeant	Thomas	S.	Jones		Army	V		Pennsauken
Sergeant	Wayne	A.	Kamman		Marine Corps	V		Woodlynne
Master Sergeant	Selina	S.	Kanowitz		Air Force	DSS		Voorhees
Corporal	Edward	A.	Kopec	Posthumous	Army	II		Westmont
Corporal	Alex		Levin		Army	II	MSM	Cherry Hill
Sergeant	Robert	J.	Lewis		Marine Corps	K		Voorhees
Sergeant	Richard	J.	Lippincott	Posthumous	Marine Corps	K		Cherry Hill
Sergeant	August	A.	Longo		Army	K		Haddon Heights
Airman 1st Class	James	B.	Lorenz		Air Force	K		Mount Ephraim
Aviation Electronics Technician Mate	Milton	H.	Lowe		Navy	II		Cherry Hill
Private 1st Class	Leon		Marko		Army	II		Cherry Hill
Boatswain's Mate 1st Class	Joseph	P.	Martinez		Navy	II		Southwood
Corporal	James	L.	McMenamin		Marine Corps	V	MSM	Cherry Hill
Gunners Mate 3rd Class	Wesley	G.	Mekosh		Navy	V		Pennsauken
Technical Sergeant	John	J.	Mogck		Army	II		Haddonfield
Electricians Mate 2nd Class	Edward	I.	Morrow		Navy	II		Cherry Hill
Coxswain	George	D.	Murray		Navy	II		Camden
Specialist Four	Edward	F.	Murtaugh		Army	V		Westmont
Technician 4th Grade	Charles	J.	Nehlig		Army	II		Pennsauken
Private 1st Class	George	C.	Palmer		Marine Corps	II		Collingswood
Technician 4th Grade	Robert	E.	Parsons		Army	II		Collingswood
Sonarman 2nd Class	Edmund	F.	Patterson		Navy	II		Lindenwold
Private 1st Class	James	J.	Pollock		Army	V		Sicklerville
Petty Officer 2nd Class	Robert	L.	Powell		Navy	II		Swedesboro
Private	Philip	P.	Prims		Marine Corps	V		Runnemede
Staff Sergeant	John	P.	Ramsay		Army	II		Cherry Hill
Private 1st Class	Pasquale	A.	Rasilo		Army	II	Cluster	Jackson
Technician 4th Grade	Eugene	I.	Rosanoff		Army	II		Cherry Hill
Petty Officer 2nd Class	George		Sandberg		Navy	II		Cherry Hill
Private 1st Class	Milton	S.	Sandler		Army	II		Cherry Hill
Specialist Four	Felix	C.	Santiago		Army	V		West Berlin
Personnelman 3rd Class	James	R.	Schaefer		Navy	V		Haddon Township
Private 1st Class	Frank	J.	Schmitt		Army	II		Blue Anchor
Private 1st Class	John	T.	Stefan	Posthumous	Army	II		Bellmawr
Staff Sergeant	William	H.	Steinmetz		Army	II		Collingswood
Petty Officer 3rd Class	Dudley		Thompson		Navy	K		Somerdale
Staff Sergeant	James	R.	Torpey		Army	II		Magnolia
Corporal	Leslie	B.	Warwick		Army	K	Cluster	Stratford
Seaman 1st Class	Edward	L.	Weist		Navy	II		Magnolia
Private 1st Class	Charles	R.	Whitman		Army	II		Mount Ephraim
Staff Sergeant	Jerome		Whitten		Army	II		Cherry Hill
Private 1st Class	Guy	A.	Wiener		Army	V		West Collingswood
Staff Sergeant	William	C.	Wixted		Army Air Corps	II	Cluster	Cherry Hill
Specialist Four	Lester	J.	Woeppel		Army	V		Pine Hill
Lance Corporal	William	K.	Wright		Marine Corps	V		Gloucester