By DON STINE
Ocean Township veterans from World War II, and the Korean and Vietnam conflicts were honored with special proclamations at a recent Township Council meeting.
“The council decided to go one step further than just honoring them on Veteran’s Day and we have veterans in the township that represent different wars and military actions,” Mayor Christopher Siciliano said.
The council also honored other veterans, mostly from World War II, at its previous meeting.
“The stories these people have are fascinating. This is the type of stuff you watch on the History Channel and these are the guys that actually lived it. One story is always as good as another and it’s just amazing- and some of it is heavy stuff,” Siciliano said.
One veteran honored at the previous meeting was an instructor for World War II hero Audie Murphy and another was on-board a ship in Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941 during the surprise Japanese attack.
Honored at last week’s meeting were Samuel Warm, a World War II veteran who served with Gen. George Patton’s Third Army, who saw action at Normandy and during the Battle of the Bulge, and helped liberate a Nazi concentration camp once his unit entered Germany.
Also recognized were Irwin Gerechoff, an Army combat medic; Frank Partusch, a Marine tank mechanic; Joseph DiMarcantonio, a Navy medic, and Donald Geiger, who went to Army chaplain and finance schools. All served during the Korean conflict.
Thomas Milmoe, a Navy Seabee, and Bill Stavinski, who ran field communication lines in the Army, served during the Vietnam War and were also honored.
