Wounded soldiers honored during dinner at Elks lodge

PLUMSTED — Mayor Ron Dancer reported that Christmas and the holidays took on special meanings in Plumsted as the nation’s armed servicemen and servicewomen were remembered and recognized.

On Dec. 16, soldiers who were wounded in Iraq, assigned to Charlie Company, Fort Dix, attended a Christmas dinner and recognition party held in their honor and hosted by the New Egypt Elks Lodge No. 2457.

Soldiers who have been wounded in Iraq are assigned to the Fort Dix Charlie Company for medical management and subsequent return to Iraq or other reassignment, according to Dancer.

The soldiers’ Christmas party was coordinated by Major David Dean and SFC Artulo Dulla of Charlie Company, Michael Engi, president of the N.J. Chapter 899 Vietnam Veterans of Amer-ica, and Diane Tilghman of the New Egypt Elks Lodge.

Each soldier was presented with a state legislative resolution sponsored by Sen. Robert Singer and assemblymen Joe Malone and Dancer (all R-Ocean, Monmouth, Mercer and Burlington), and unanimously passed by the state Senate and Assembly individually commending and thanking the soldiers for defending the nation’s freedoms.

Dancer reported that on Dec. 17 a Plumsted family was honored and recognized for having four generations all serving in combat during foreign wars.

Four generations of the Hardy family were presented with the New Jersey Distinguished Service Medal, the state’s highest military award for veterans having served in a combat theater while on active duty during wartime.

The ceremony took place at the New Egypt firehouse.

The medal recipients were Army Private Russell Hardy (posthumous) — World War I; Army Private First Class Robert F. Hardy Sr. (posthumous) — World War II; Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Robert F. Hardy Jr. — Vietnam; Army Specialist Four John R. Hardy — Vietnam; Air Force Technical Sgt. Richard Hardy — Operation Iraqi Free-dom; and Air Force Master Sgt. Shawn Hardy — Operation Iraqi Freedom.

The New Jersey Distinguished Ser-vice Medal and Korean Service Medal was presented to Army Cpl. Gerrit L. deVries (posthumous).

The New Jersey Vietnam Service Medal and Distinguished Service Medal was presented to Army Specialist Four Charles P. Shoaff and Navy (Seabee) Builder Second Class Martin B. Mains.

Additional Hardy family members and friends, who served the nation, were also recognized at the ceremony: Frank Beck; Leonard Beck; James Consalvo; Fred Koester; Douglas J. Marks; Harold Mastenbrook and Frank Ondrushek.

During the ceremony, Major Gen. Richard C. Cosgrave presented all of the soldiers with their armed service medals and Dancer represented the governor and state Legislature with state Senate and Assembly commendations.