Pictured: Hamilton Township Mayor Kelly Yaede and members of the Hamilton Township Patriotic Committee stand in front of the World War II era memorial. Photograph courtesy of Hamilton Township.
69 years ago today, a group of residents from the Homedell and Russell Terrace areas of Hamilton began to create a memorial for the neighborhood men and women who had served in the United States Armed Forces.
Over the course of seven decades, the World War II era memorial, which sits on a triangular parcel of land where Hutchinson, East Franklin and Bergen Streets intersect, has remained as a permanent reminder of the community’s gratitude for the service of its local veterans.
On Nov. 10, Hamilton Township Mayor Kelly Yaede, surrounded by neighborhood veterans and residents, as well as members of the Hamilton Township Patriotic Committee, officially rededicated the memorial site, following a restoration project that was completed by Hamilton’s Department of Public Works.
“Our veterans have fought and sacrificed – some making the ultimate sacrifice – for us to be able to enjoy freedom, liberty and the pursuit of happiness in the greatest country in the world; and by restoring this monument that residents, some seventy years ago, embarked upon to illustrate their gratitude for their fellow neighbors who served in the United States Armed Forces, today we show that the citizens of Hamilton Township continue to be grateful for our veterans’ service and will never forget their sacrifices for us all,” says Hamilton Township Mayor Kelly Yaede.
Township crews rebuilt the concrete monument at this location to maintain the dignity and to preserve the reverence of the original memorial, as well as undertook efforts to beautify the surrounding landscape. Hamilton’s Housing and Urban Development Office provided financial assistance for the project and the Hamilton Township Patriotic Committee provided input to Hamilton’s Department of Public Works.
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