MORRIS COUNTY — The Morris County Board of County Commissioners presented Morris County Distinguished Military Service Medals and Certificates of Honor to seven veterans on Wednesday, November 9, during their annual Veterans Day Observance ceremony, where state and federal authorities also issued honors to the former service members.
Senator Anthony Bucco and Assemblywoman Aura Dunn, both R-Morris, presented “Citations of Commendations and Praise” to each of the medal winners, who were accompanied by family and friends. Willy Tolba, the Veterans and Military Affairs Liaison for U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill, joined the ceremony with other members of the Congresswoman’s office to present honors to the veterans.
“Morris County has always celebrated and cherished the sacrifices of our veterans – the men and women who left the safety and comfort of their homes to serve in our military for the benefit of all Americans. These medals we present tonight are unique to Morris County, and they were established by past members of this board more than 20 years ago so that Morris County could continue to honor and recognize our friends, neighbors, and relatives who dedicated their lives to serve this nation. This Board of Commissioners is honored to carry on that tradition tonight and say thank you to each of you,” said Commissioner Director Tayfun Selen.
The event was held at the start of a regular public meeting of the Commissioners on the fifth of the Morris County Administration and Records Building in Morristown.
Director Selen noted November 10 marked the 247th birthday of the United States Marine Corps and said November 13 marks the 40th Anniversary of the dedication of the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, D.C.
Morris County joined the County College of Morris this past summer in helping VFW Post 7333 in Randolph host the Moving Wall. It is a half-sized version of the memorial in Washington that tours the nation, allowing people who cannot get to the nation’s capital to pay tribute to those lost in that war.
The Honored veterans included:
• Richard David Allen, Jr., 39, Washington Township.
He served with the Marine Corps as an intelligence specialist during Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom from December 2001 to September 2006.
• Arthur Lloyd Charlton, 95 of Boonton
Charlton is a long-time Boontonite and local historian. He served in the U.S. Army October 25, 1945, to July 4, 1947, in the aftermath of World War II, stationed in a hospital in Korea. Processed separation papers for soldiers returning home from war.
He is known to everyone as Lloyd and is listed among others on the Morris County Office of Planning & Preservation’s “The Greatest Generation – Morris County in WWII” website archive outlining the history of more than 3,000 Morris County residents who participated in WWII.
He served as a Tec 4 in the U.S. Army, processing the paperwork of thousands of returning soldiers. Mr. Charlton was shipped to Korea in 1946 and served as the mailman.
He graduated from Boonton High School and, post-military, he obtained a degree in Physics from Tufts University. Mr. Charlton worked as an engineer in atomic energy, serving as a test engineer at Picatinny Arsenal in Rockaway Township and additionally with the U.S. Census Bureau.
He also is an author who became known as Boonton’s local historian. He and his wife, Terry, published four books: “Artistry of Bob Bogue,” “Stories of a Small Town Boonton USA,” “More Stories of a Small Town Boonton USA” and “Boonton USA WWII Stories.” They have three children and many grandchildren.
Charlton has been a Historical Society Trustee, leading the Main Street Historical Walk in Boonton each summer, and has acted as curator for the Boonton Museum’s “Boy Scouts Exhibit” and “Artistry of Bob Bogue Exhibit.” He shares his interest in Boonton’s history with younger generations by giving talks to grammar school children visiting the museum.
Charlton is listed in the Boonton High School Wall of Fame. He served for more than 50 years with the Boy Scouts, working his way from Silver Beaver to Scout Master. He also served as a Fellow and President of the Rotary Club, working in the group’s Easter Seals program with special needs children through the Boonton Library Garden, which he helped to create and maintain for 10 years.
Charlton is a recipient of the Citizen of the Year award in Boonton and the Citizen of the Year Award from the YMCA of Morris County.
His books were added to a time capsule buried at Boonton’s Mayor’s Park on Sept. 23, 2017, during Boonton’s 150th Anniversary Celebration. Then-U.S. Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen placed the books into the capsule, which will be opened in 2117.
He also volunteered with Morris County’s Meals-on-Wheels program, and he is a lifelong member of the First Presbyterian Church, where he served as Deacon and Elder, and participated in the singing group the “Presbyaires” from 1994 to 2006. An official photographer for the Garden Club, Mr. Charlton takes a special interest in the Ann Charlton Memorial Garden, where he works several times a year with special needs children
His local volunteer services have also included the Little League and nine years on the Boonton School Board.
• Carl “Mike” Cabanas, 41, Morristown
A veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom, he served in the Army and the New Jersey Army National Guard between October 1, 2000, to July 21, 2013.
• Tarek Al-Aydi, 56, Morristown
A veteran of the Marine Corps who served during the War on Terror in Operation Iraqi Freedom from December 28, 1993, to March 12, 1998.
• Stephen Dickson Reynolds, 76, of Flanders
A Vietnam Era veteran of the Army who served a tour of duty from October 13 to 1968 to August 1970.
• Lawrence Leonard Walsh, 60, of Mendham
An Army veteran who served from May 1984 to August 1991, including during the invasion of Panama known as Operation Just Cause.
• Timothy Nathaniel McCloe, 62, of Morristown
A Marine Corps Veteran of the Cold War era who served in 1979.
Veterans who privately received medals include:
• Bryan Lamar Jones, 41, of Long Valley
A veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom, Mr. Jones served in the U.S. Army from July 7, 1999, to February 23, 2013
• Richard Neal Jones, 72, of Morristown
A veteran of Vietnam, Mr. Jones served in the Navy from February 1969 to December 1972.
• Bryan Saavedra, 33, Morris Plains
A veteran of the War on Terror, Mr. Saavedra served in the Army from August 20, 2007, to October 19, 2011.
• George C. Marmo of Montville (honors issued posthumously)
A veteran of World War II, Mr. Marmo served in the Army as a tank cannoneer under General George S. Patton from December 21, 1942, to November 9, 1945.
A veteran of World War II, Mr. Marmo served in the Army under General George S. Patton from December 21, 1942, to November 9, 1945,
Mr. Marmo was a cannoneer and, briefly, a tank commander in an M-36 tank destroyer in Europe where he loaded, charged, fired, and reloaded 90 mm guns on the artillery vehicle. He supervised four soldiers in the tank.
He was the recipient of the Good Conduct Medal, Distinguished Unit Badge, World War II Victory Medal, the Purple Heart, the American Theatre Ribbon, and the Euro-African-Mid-East Ribbon with three Bronze Stars.
After his service, he married and had three daughters, and worked in the insurance business. He passed in 1989 at the age of 67. His family has accepted his medal and certificate of honor.
