MIDDLETOWN Having stood on its pedestal for more than 70 years, the township’s historic Doughboy Memorial Monument’s restorations have been completed.
The Doughboy statue, which rises two stories tall on its pedestal, was built sometime in the 1930s. It is located on Church Street in Belford, according to Mayor Gerry Scharfenberger.
“The monument commemorates several dozen World War I veterans from Belford, Port Monmouth, and New Monmouth. This concrete rendering of a soldier is referred to as a doughboy because that is the term used to depict U.S. service members in World War I,” Scharfenberger said.
A dedication ceremony is being planned at 12:30 p.m. on Nov. 4, according to a prepared statement from the township.
By having a dedication ceremony for the newly restored monument, Scharfenberger said, “I feel it will be a tremendous opportunity for all Middletown residents to show their appreciation to our fellow citizens who stepped up nearly a century ago in service of our country. I think it will be a moving and fitting ceremony to a generation that is now gone, but certainly not forgotten.”
The ceremony is going to be at the monument which is located on Church Street in Belford, according to township’s Public Information Officer Tara Benson.
The Veterans Affairs Committee identified the monument was in need of repair. The Township Committee then commissioned Master Stone Carver Franco Minervini to do the project to ensure that the monument would be fully restored, rather than replacing it with a replica. He is one of the only sculptors in the country with this type of stone carving expertise, according to a prepared statement.
“Franco Minervini did a lot of research before he did the actual physical restoration. The physical restoration took about a month,” Scharfenberger said.
Over the last month, Minervini has been making reparations such as fixing the Doughboy’s rifle strap and trigger guard, as well as the brim of the soldier’s hat and his left ear, fingers, and uniform pocket. While the Doughboy had managed to stand the test of time for almost a century, the elements started to take their toll. There is also evidence of possible vandalism, Minervini said in a prepared statement.
“This year marks the centennial of the United States’ entry into World War I, so we wanted to commemorate the several dozen WWI veterans from Belford, Port Monmouth, and New Monmouth by restoring this monument to its former glory,” Scharfenberger said. “Our Doughboy statue is a way for our residents and visitors to pay homage to these veterans who sacrificed so much for us. It is also a reminder to future generations of the role Middletown played in one of the most significant conflicts in our nation’s history.”
The township is organizing and aiding this project through funds from the 2016 capital budget and generous donations from both American Legion Post 338 and the Friends of the Veterans Affairs Committee, according to a prepared statement.
“Middletown prides itself on being unequaled in its support of its veterans and the rich legacy of military service dating back to the American revolution. These monuments are physical reminders that the freedoms and opportunities that we enjoy today came as a result of tremendous sacrifice from our military service members throughout our history. It is a way for present and future generations to be ever mindful of how blessed we are to have people willing to make the ultimate sacrifice to protect the country we love so dearly,” Scharfenberger said.
For more information visit www.middletownnj.org.
Contact Vashti Harris at [email protected].