Thirty-one plaques were added during the fifth annual Veterans Wall of Honor ceremony earlier this month in Washington Township.
Mayor Anthony DellaPia and members of council joined Lori Morello, director of Senior Programs and Community Affairs, for the annual event. The wall recognizes men and women who have served in the U.S. military, and it was a sight to see in the back of municipal chambers.
It is fitting, Morello said, that “these brave men and women be honored on a Veterans Wall, because they stood on the wall of freedom at risk to their lives for the generations that followed.”
Among the names added included two World War II vets: Peter Francis Sbarra and Salvatore Massare.
Sbarra was a Pharmacist’s Mate 2nd Class in the U.S. Navy from 1943 to ’46 who also served as a corpsman and medic during the battle of Okinawa in 1945. His awards include the Victory Medal, the Pacific Theatre Ribbon and the American Theatre Ribbon.
Massare was in the military police in Central Europe with the U.S. Army from 1943 to 1946. His accolades include the American Campaign Medal, the European–African–Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, the Army of Occupation Medal and the Good Conduct Medal.
The 31 individuals added to the township wall include:
- Joseph Aurizio – Army
- Louis Aurizio – Army
- James Beck – Army
- Joseph Boyle – Navy
- Leonard Breidenback – Navy
- John Butler – Army
- Gregory Caponegro – Navy
- Joseph Connor – Army
- Charles Diodato – Army
- Ronald Duffy – Air Force.
- James Fileccia – Army
- Frank Fisher – Army
- Albert Frattali – Army
- Andrew Gerdeman – Army
- Thomas Holshue – Air Force
- Francis Kerns – Army
- James Lanute – Army
- Nicole Lisko – Air Force
- Salvatore Massare – Army
- Francis McGeehan – Army
- Armand Pascetta – Navy
- James Quigley – Marines
- William Radanovitz – Navy
- Louis Rans – Army
- Emanuel Renzi – Army
- Rafael Rivera – Navy
- Gustav Ruggiero – Marines
- Mark Ruggiero – Navy
- Peter Sbarra – Navy
- Michael Tiberio – Navy
- Glenn Walters – Army.
To be eligible for the wall, a veteran has to have been a resident of the township upon entering the military; a current resident; or a member of a current resident’s immediate family such as parent, spouse, sibling or child.
For more information, contact Lori Morello at (856) 589-0520, ext. 2287, or email lmorello@twp.washington.nj.us.
Thirty-one plaques were added to the wall during the fifth annual Veterans Wall of Honor ceremony earlier this month.
