the 288 borough residents who served in war
Memorial will honor
the 288 borough residents who served in war
BY SANDI CARPELLO
Staff Writer
Few young men were dressed in caps and gowns at Rumson High School’s 1942 graduation.
"Most of the boys in the class enlisted in the Army that year, so I can’t imagine that many people were there for graduation," said borough-born World War II veteran David Silverstein. "My father had to go to the school that summer and pick up my diploma."
Enlisting in the U.S. Navy in 1942 to avoid the Army draft, Silverstein, now 77, was stationed in New York, San Diego and the Philippines.
"Then Truman did me a favor and dropped the bomb," he recalled. "I returned to Fair Haven and it was just how I left it."
For World War II veteran Santo Trufolo, returning to his hometown of Fair Haven in 1945 was a lot more memorable.
"Before I left, I married a girl from Fair Haven," said the 88-year-old former Air Force pilot, who now resides in West Long Branch. "I was home for about an hour and my wife told me she wanted a divorce." With a population of 2,500 in the early 1940s, the borough sent 288 of its citizens off to a war in which 16 million Americans served. Ten of those Fair Haven men lost their lives.
To pay tribute to what has become known as "The Greatest Generation," the borough will dedicate an honor roll and plaque Saturday morning at 11 a.m. The ceremony will take place behind the Spirit of the Doughboy World War I statue in Memorial Park.
More than 200 people — veterans, their family members, and World War II veteran and Freeholder Ted Narozanick, are expected to witness the unveiling of a $9,800, 4-by-8-foot bronze plaque on granite, that lists the names of borough citizens who enrolled in the U.S. armed services between 1941 and 1945.
Funded through a donations-only Veterans Memorial Trust Fund, the new memorial is a replica of a wooden plaque constructed by borough carpenters in the early 1940s. The original plaque was removed from the park in the 1950s. Silverstein, a Red Bank resident and business owner, said the memorial is a great honor for those who served in World War II.
"All you hear about is Vietnam and the Korean War — I’m very pleased that the town is doing something for us," he said. World War II veterans George Chandler and Raymond Taylor, the key forces behind the memorial, spent months tracking down the names and families of those who served.
"I contacted quite a few people from Florida, and a lot of them are planning to attend this weekend. We also have a few from Rumson coming, so it will be quite a reunion — only 25 of us are still alive," he said.
Following the dedication, the public is invited to attend a reception at borough hall.