Category Archives: Veterans

Morris County, Veterans

Morris County Honors Veterans Day 2024

Eleven Veterans Presented With Morris County Distinguished Service Medals

Veterans Receiving Awards

Stephen Dilluvio served in the U.S. Navy from January 1953 to January 1961. He is a veteran of the Korean War and received the National Defense Service Medal and the Good Conduct Medal (First Award).

After his military career, Mr. Dilluvio worked with the U.S. Treasury Bureau of Customs and as a systems analyst for IBM. He earned a Master of Business from Fairleigh Dickinson University, holds a license in Community Association Management, and currently works in property management.

Mr. Dilluvio is an active member of American Legion #59, contributing to the veteran community. He is a devoted father of a son and daughter and enjoys scuba diving.

Charles E. Fegley III is a retired U.S Navy captain who served from July of 1957 to December of 1981. He is a veteran of the Vietnam War and is the recipient of the Bronze Star Medal with Combat “V”, Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with Gold Star in lieu of the Second Meritorious Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Vietnam-Six Campaign Stars on Vietnam Service Medal, Antarctic Service with Winter Over Clasp, Navy Commendation Medal, Best-of-Type Award, Peltier Award, Combat Action Ribbon, Navy Unit Citation, Army Meritorious Unit Citation, Meritorious Unit Citation, Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, National Defense Service Medal, and the Battle Efficiency “E” Award.

Luke K. Lyons (deceased) was a veteran of the War on Terrorism who served in the U.S. Marines from October 2010 to January 2016. He received the Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, Sharpshooter Rifle Qualification Badge, and a Letter of Appreciation. His service took him to locations including San Diego, Japan, Chile, Guam, the Philippines, and Hong Kong.

Sean P. Mulholland (deceased) was a veteran of the War on Terrorism who served in the U.S. Army from 1985 to 2015.

Throughout his 30-year career, Mr. Mullholland completed 20 assignments, beginning with the 10th Mountain Division and the 3rd Ranger Battalion. He became Special Forces qualified and commanded a detachment in the 7th Special Forces Group at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. His operational experience expanded significantly as he undertook covert and counter-terrorism missions in Latin America, earning the prestigious “Lancero” tab from Colombian Special Forces

Derek Oates served in the U.S. Army from January 2004 to April 2006. A veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom, he received the National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, and Iraq Campaign Medal.

Ricardo J. Perez served in the U.S. Army from June 1971 to February 1977. A veteran of the Vietnam War, he received the National Defense Service Medal and Parachute Badge, serving twice in Germany as an electronic engineer assistant.

Alan J. Sallie served in the U.S. Navy from October 1980 to November 1983 as an aviation electrician’s mate and systems organizational maintenance technician for Air Antisubmarine Squadron 24. He received the Sea Service Ribbon, Navy Expeditionary Medal, in addition to other awards.

Gordon Lee Snyder is a Vietnam War veteran who served in the U.S. Army from July 1966 to June 1972, achieving the rank of captain. He received the National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal with a “60” Device, and two Overseas Service Bars. 

Carmen Turrisi served in the U.S. Army from May 1966 to May 1972. A Vietnam War veteran, he received the Purple Heart, Combat Infantryman Badge, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal, and both the Sharpshooter and Marksman Badges.

Robert M. Walton is a Vietnam War veteran who served in the U.S. Navy from September 1965 to September 1971. He received the National Defense Medal and the Good Conduct Medal. 

Rhonda Lee Washer served in the U.S. Army from June 1999 to November 2000 as a bridge crewmember stationed at Fort Riley, Kansas. She is a recipient of the Army Lapel Button, Army Service Ribbon, Marksmanship Qualification Badge with Rifle Bar, and Marksmanship Qualification Badge with Grenade Bar.

Full Press Release with Photo Gallery Here

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Morris County, Veterans, Wharton

#MorrisCty #Wharton #DDay One of Our Own !

Current home town #Wharton #MorrisCty He was honored today in France! #POW #Purple Heart Recipient #WW2

Chester A. “Chet” Kochan of #Wharton #MorrisCty #WW2
Chester A. “Chet” Kochan (#42101224)


Picture taken August 2011
Place of Birth
Date of Birth
Rank
Platoon
Company
Battalion
Regiment
Division
Decorations		…
1925
…
…
F
2nd
331st
83rd Infantry
Combat Infantryman’s Badge, Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Good Conduct Medal, World War II Victory Medal, European African Middle-Eastern Campaign Medal with two Bronze Campaign stars,

When he was drafted in 1943 at the age of 18, Kochan didn’t think the Army was for him. He was hoping he could join the Navy, but he was told it was filled up. So into the Army he went and soon joined the most hazardous part of it, the infantry. First he was sent to Fort Dix, then basic training at Fort McClellan in Alabama. He became a rifleman in the 83rd Infantry Division of F Company, Gen. George Patton’s Third Army.In the last week of June, a little more than two weeks after D-Day, Chet Kochan and fellow soldiers landed at Omaha Beach at Normandy as replacement troops. He made his way to the west, first through Saint-Lô, a town virtually leveled by the American assault, and then farther west to Saint-Malo  about 90 miles from the Normandy beaches. That was in early August. Kochan was shot on August 11, 1944.

“We were fighting street to street, door to door” Kochan said. “We captured two Germans we just surprised on the street.” Kochan and about 10 of his fellow soldiers were set to take on a German anti aircraft gun. “We rushed it,” he said. “Guns were firing at us and we were hit with hand grenades.” That’s when he was shot. The bullet entered at the base of his neck in front and exited the neck at the back. As the 19-year old Army Private Chester Kochan lay bleeding from a gunshot wound he never blacked out and he never lost his sense of humor. “The medic looked at me and said, ‘you have two holes in your neck’, “I told him he better bandage the bigger hole.” “I was lucky, it didn’t hit a vein or any other vital part,” he said. He was patched up as best as possible and, because he had nowhere else to go, continued to move forward, this time through a tunnel toward the big gun. “At the end of the tunnel the Germans were there.” He said. “We were captured. One German asked me, ‘Why are you fighting us?'” Kochan and his fellow prisoners found themselves blindfolded by the Germans. “I thought they were going to kill us,” he said. But instead of being shot or even taken prisoner of war, “we were sent to an American field hospital.” The Germans and the Americans had somehow worked out a deal to trade wounded soldiers. “I was in the hospital for three months. I still have shrapnel in me,” he said. He did not return to the front, instead he was assigned to be a driver for fellow soldiers.

Chester “Chet” Kochan spilled his blood on France soil, earning the Bronze Star and two Purple Hearts.

In 1946 he was honorably discharged from the Army as a private first class. “My captain, Capt. (Robert) Mitchell, had wanted to make me an assistant squad leader and offered to promote me to corporal,” he said. “I didn’t want that.”
Chester “Chet” Kochan on the right somewhere in France After the war he worked for Singer Manufacturing in Elizabeth, then became quality control specialist at Picatinny Arsenal in Rockaway Township until he retired. The trouble is, he didn’t really retire. At age 86 he still did quality control work for Norton Systems in Norwalk Conn., and also for Lockheed-Martin in New York City.In recent years France has been looking for American veterans who fought in France from D-Day onwards. On May 8, 2012, Chet Kochan joined 39 other World War II veterans for a special ceremony at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y. Kochan and his fellow soldiers were awarded the French government’s Legion d’Honneur, the French Legion of Honor award, for his service in France during the war.

#MorrisCty Services and Resources for #Veterans and residents !!

https://www.denvillecommunity.com/morriscounty.html


#MorrisCty Soldiers and Sailors

https://denvillecommunity.com/news/?p=4565

Veterans

#Veterans ! Home or Food Insecure?

Are you honorably discharged? Do you have home or food insecurities?

Supportive Services for Veteran Families was established by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs in 2011 to create public-private partnerships to rapidly re-house homeless Veteran families and prevent homelessness for very low-income Veterans at imminent risk due to a housing crisis.

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