VFW Post Commander Charles Thorp (middle) poses with the Mantua Township Committee during their meeting on Dec. 22.
The Mantua Township Committee recently presented new Mantua VFW Commander Charles Thorp with a proclamation recognizing his work as an Army veteran.
Thorp was born and raised in the township and served more than 30 years in the military, having begun his service in 1983, according to Deputy Mayor John Legge. He was posted in Germany in the late ’80s, graduated from officer’s candidate school in 1994 and helped coordinate with FEMA to provide aid in the recovery efforts at Ground Zero after 9/11.
Thorp also deployed to the Middle East in 2014 with the New Jersey Army National Guard’s 1/114th Infantry Regiment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. He became a full-time veteran service officer in 2022 and served as the VFW’s vice commander. In May, he succeeded Martin Valdez to become commander.
Thorp’s family has deep ties to Mantua. His mother Nancy was the township’s first female mayor and her tenure saw the establishment of the Mantua Veterans Commission and the Veterans Memorial Plaza/Wall in front of the municipal building, which his father Howard designed.
“Mr. Thorp’s father also demonstrated outstanding commitment to the community,” Legge noted, “serving as chair of the veterans commission and as a member of the historical commission.”
The township intended to present Thorp’s proclamation at its Veterans Day ceremony on Nov. 11, but he was unable to attend due to a medical emergency.
The next township committee meeting will be a reorganization session on Monday at 5 p.m.
