An additional four county 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. 

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

LEGEND: (BRANCH) AAC=Army Air Corps, MM=Merchant Marines, USA=Army, USAF=Air Force, USCG=Coast Guard, USMC=Marine Corps, USN=Navy
 
 

Rank	First Name	MI	Last Name	Posthumous	Branch	war	Remarks	City
Seaman 2nd Class	Joachim	A.	Albano		Navy	II		Toms River
Private 1st Class	Douglas		Allen		Army	II		Toms River
Master Sergeant	Robert	W.	Appel		Air Force	K	Cluster	Toms river
Corporal	Walter	W.	Benn		Army	II		Toms River
Private 1st Class	Harry	E.	Berg		Army	II		Toms River
Private 1st Class	Joseph	C.	Bocchino		Army	II	Cluster	Toms River
Seaman 1st Class	James	A.	Bufano		Navy	II		Toms River
Machinist Mate 1st Class	Walter		Buhoski		Navy	II		Toms River
Corporal	William	W.	Cairns	Posthumous	Army	CW		Toms River
Private 1st Class	James	C.	Calabrese		Army	K		Toms River
Sergeant	Pasquale	T.	Carlo		Army	II	Cluster	Toms River
Master Sergeant	Mervyn	G.	Carmichael		Army	V		Toms River
Private	Giacoma		Carrara		Army	II		Toms River
1st Sergeant	Patrick	J.	Catapano		Army	K		Toms River
Technician 4th Grade	Michael	J.	Chiocco		Army	II		Toms River
Staff Sergeant	Alvin	R.	Christeleit		Army Air Corps	II	Cluster	Toms River
Seaman 1st Class	Joseph	C.	Cicalese		Navy	II		Toms River
Sergeant	Francis	R.	Colavito		Army	II		Toms River
Petty Officer 1st Class	Angelo	R.	Colello		Navy	II	MSM	Toms River
Sergeant 1st Class	Jacob	G.	Coleman		Army	K		Toms River
Technician 5th Grade	Frank	J.	Curtis		Army	II		Toms River
Petty Officer 3rd Class	Ralph		D'Angelo		Navy	II		S. Toms River
Private 1st Class	Ralph		DeMono		Army	II	Cluster	Toms River
Staff Sergeant	William	M.	Downey		Army	II	Cluster	Toms River
Coxswain	Paul		Dubos		Navy	II		Toms River
Technical Sergeant	William	P.	Duncan		Army	II	Cluster	Toms River
Corporal	Edwin	L.	Dunn		Army	K		Toms River
Private 1st Class	Walter	A.	Faller		Army	II	Cluster	Toms River
1st Lieutenant	Marie	D.	Farry		Army	II		Toms River
Staff Sergeant	Januarus	J.	Femano		Marine Corps	II		Toms River
Staff Sergeant	Joseph	A.	Femia		Army	II		Toms River
Corporal	William	R.	Fischer	Posthumous	Army	K	Cluster	Toms River
Corporal	James		Flynn		Army	II		Toms River
Hospitalman	Pasquale	J.	Galasso		Navy	K		Toms River
Corporal	Vincent	J.	Galiano		Army	II		Toms River
Boatswain Mate 2nd Class	John	R.	Garrity		Navy	II		Toms River
Technician 5th Grade	Vincent	R.	Giannaco	Posthumous	Army	II	Cluster	Toms River
Motor Machinist Mate 2nd Class	Ernest	R.	Gnehm		Navy	II		Toms River
Private 1st Class	James	J.	Godfrey		Army	II		Toms River
Petty Officer 1st Class	Irwin		Grossman		Navy	II	MSM	Toms River
Gunnery Sergeant	Herman	O.	Grossmann		Marine Corps	II		Toms River
Pharmacists Mate	John	L.	Hanson		Navy	II		Toms River
Petty Officer 2nd Class	John		Hlivka		Navy	II		Toms River
Private 1st Class	Joseph	T.	Karafa		Army	II		Toms River
Private 1st Class	Charles		Ketigian		Army	II		Toms River
Chief Warrant Officer Two	Albert	P.	Klebs		Navy	II		Toms River
Petty Officer 1st Class	Peter	J.	Klikier		Navy	II		Toms River
Petty Officer 3rd Class	Stanley	E.	Kloby		Navy	II		Toms River
Technician 5th Grade	Philip	J.	Kloss	Posthumous	Army	II		Toms River
Technical Sergeant	Franklin	R.	Koehler		Army	II	MSM	Toms River
Private 1st Class	Walter	J.	Kraviec		Army	II		Toms River
Gunners Mate 2nd Class	William		Kuchler		Navy	II		Toms River
Sergeant	Benjamin	J.	Lametta		Army	II	Cluster	Toms River
Private	Jack	A.	Lanzafama		Army	II	Cluster	Toms River
Merchant Marine	Joseph		Lappin		Merchant Marines	II		Toms River
Private 1st Class	Robert		Levine		Army	II		Toms River
Private 1st Class	Jerry		Lippolis		Army	K		Toms River
Staff Sergeant	Elwood	D.	Loetzer		Army	II	Cluster	Toms River
Staff Sergeant	Emil	S.	Lomauro		Army	II		Toms River
Petty Officer 2nd Class	Philip		Maiorana		Navy	II	Cluster	Toms River
Private 1st Class	Albert	H.	Mazzei		Army	II		Toms River
Private 1st Class	Francis	P.	McGowan		Army	K		Toms River
Technician 5th Grade	Vincent	D.	Mendillo		Army	II		Toms River
Aviation Boatswain Mate 2nd Class	Edward	A.	Metzger		Navy	II		Toms River
Corporal	Donald	M.	Meyer		Army	K		Toms River
Signalman 1st Class	Salvatore	J.	Molica		Navy	II		Toms River
Private 1st Class	Francesco		Nigro		Army	II	Cluster	Toms River
Petty Officer 3rd Class	Salvatore		Pagano		Navy	II		Toms River
Technician 5th Grade	John	J.	Parisi		Army	II		Toms River
Private 1st Class	Elmer	D.	Perna		Army Air Corps	II		Toms River
Staff Sergeant	John	M.	Peterson	Posthumous	Army	II	Cluster	Toms River
Aviation Machinist Mate 2nd Class	Armand		Petriccione		Navy	II		Toms River
Sergeant 1st Class	Walter	J.	Pezzei		Army	K		Toms River
Private 1st Class	Anthony	J.	Pipoli		Army	II		Toms River
Private 1st Class	Rosario	A.	Pizzoloto		Army	II	MSM	Toms River
Specialist Four	Richard	A.	Provost		Army	V		Toms River
Coxswain	Joseph	A.	Reilly		Navy	II		Toms River
Sergeant	Gary	E.	Rekus		Army	V		Toms River
Boatswain Mate 1st Class	Dexter	A.	Roberts		Navy	II		Toms River
Staff Sergeant	Thomas	A.	Rucci	Posthumous	Army	II		Toms River
Corporal	Rita		Rudenstein		Marine Corps	II		Toms River
Corporal	Edward		Rydzewski		Army	II	Cluster	Toms River
Boatswain Mate 1st Class	Fred	W.	Schmid		Navy	II		Toms River
Staff Sergeant	Arthur	J.	Schmidt		Army	II		Toms River
Aviation Machinist 2nd Class	Leo	E.	Selewach		Navy	II	MSM	Toms River
Sergeant	Peter		Silver		Army	II	Cluster	Toms River
	George	J.	Smith		Navy	II		Toms River
Coxswain	Charles	J.	Smith		Navy	II		Toms River
Captain	Jay	R.	Soukup		Air Force	V		Toms River
Private 1st Class	Michael	A.	Spano		Marine Corps	K	MSM	Toms River
Technical Sergeant	John	J.	Stezar		Army	II	Cluster	Toms River
Technician 5th Grade	Alois	J.	Stier		Army	II		Toms River
Technician 4th Grade	Leon	J.	Sudol		Army	II		Toms River
Corporal	James	J.	Sutton		Army	K		Toms River
Technical Sergeant	Joseph	A.	Tartaglia		Army	II		Toms River
Private 1st Class	Ralph	T.	Testa		Navy	K	Cluster	Toms River
Petty Officer 3rd Class	Russell		Thompson		Navy	II		Toms River
Merchant Marine	John	R.	Tort		Merchant Marines	II		Toms River
Pharmacists Mate 2nd Class	Matthew		Tringali		Navy	II		Toms River
Private 1st Class	Pasquale		Turiello		Marine Corps	II		Toms River
Sergeant	Joseph	T.	Vaccaro		Army	K		Toms River
Machinist Mate 3rd Class	Peter	A.	Vallaro		Navy	II		Toms River
Seaman 1st Class	Angelo		Vecoli		Navy	II		Toms River
Sergeant	Fred	F.	Wajcs		Army	II	Cluster	Toms River
Corporal	Alexander	L.	Walsh		Army	K		Toms River
Corporal	Paul	H.	Weber		Marine Corps	II		Toms River
Sergeant	John	P.	Zelsky		Army	II		Toms River
Sergeant	Frank	M.	Zywicki		Army	II	Cluster	Toms River