Purple Heart in Our Community
In January 2021, the Montgomery Veterans Memorial Committee, working in conjunction with Montgomery Township staff, set out on a project to identify current Township residents who have received the Purple Heart award and/or have surviving family residing within Montgomery Township. In addition to the privilege of remembering and acknowledging the sacrifices of those who gave so much for the freedom and opportunities we have today, our Township is a designated Purple Heart Community and as such this project helps fulfill our obligations of being bestowed this honorable distinction. Their recognition coincides with National Purple Heart Day (August 7).
The following Purple Heart recipients have been identified thus far; we hope that their narratives and pictures bring to life the character, bravery, and sacrifices they made for us all.
Colonel Newton Wesley Jones, US Army
Nancy Dawn Jones is a military widow living at Stonebridge. Her husband's father (Colonel Newton Wesley Jones) earned the Purple Heart serving in World War II. Colonel Jones was leading from the front, to free a concentration camp in Germany, when they entered a German town under white-flag truce. Tragically, it was an ambush and Colonel Jones and his jeep driver were killed. He is buried in the American Military cemetery in Saint Avold, France. Nancy's husband, William Dudley Jones, was only 12 when he lost his Dad on April 29, 1945. He was proud to follow in his father's footsteps and serve our Country in the United States Army, achieving the rank of Lieutenant Colonel before his retirement from military service in 1973.
(Left to Right): Nancy Jones proudly displaying her father-in-law Colonel Newton Jones’ military awards, a photo of her beloved husband Lt. Colonel William Jones and the flag he fought for, and her Wall of Honor memorializing both of their military decorations and service to the United States.
Private Joseph Belmont, US Army
Township resident Nancy Gallagher’s grandfather, Joseph Belmont, earned the Purple Heart from wounds suffered during combat of World War I. Private Belmont was an ambulance driver in the US Army’s Rainbow Division serving the front lines of trench warfare. He spent 6 weeks in a hospital as a result of injuries from mustard gas as he served to help our soldiers wounded in the field. Private Belmont was one of the earliest Service members to receive the official Purple Heart award in a ceremony in 1934, though the spirit of the Purple Heart award dates back to General George Washington and the Continental Army (see History at the end of this article). Nancy proudly displays her grandfather’s medal in her family room along with amazingly well-preserved memorabilia from his Service.
(Clockwise from top left): Private Belmont’s Purple Heart, the Ceremony book from April 8, 1934 in which he received the Decoration, a picture of him with the unit identification badge of Rainbow Division on his shoulder, a vase made from a re-purposed artillary shell from Verdun, and pages from Pvt. Belmont’s diary during his tour of duty.
Nancy reflected on her grandfather’s service and sacrifices with these thoughts:
“Though he suffered the effects of mustard gas, he was one of the fortunate ones who recovered. So many did not. As an ambulance driver he must have witnessed horrific wounds and suffering of his comrades. In many ways, transporting the dying would have been worse than transporting the dead. I can’t even begin to comprehend it. The items I have from him help me understand what he and so many others endured for the sake of our nation.”
More of the amazing war memorabilia that Nancy Gallagher and her aunt have preserved. (Left to right): a poster depicting the symbolic figure of Columbia (then a poetic name for and female personification of the United States) bequeathing chivalrous honor to those wounded in action in WWI (in this case, specifically to Private Joseph Belmont per the personalized calligraphic inscription), a poster with the Roster of Private Belmont’s Army company, a picture of Private Belmont’s company, a page from his Purple Heart award ceremony showing his younger brother (Victor Belmont) delivered the famous WWI poem “In Flanders Field”, and a picture of Victor Belmont in his Army uniform. Lieutenant Victor Belmont followed in his older brother’s footsteps and served in WWII; he was killed in action on July 10, 1944 during Operation Overlord as the Allied Forces made the final push to capture Caen, France and was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart. Note in the posters the references simply to “the World War”- because this was the first World War, and in the case of the Columbia poster (issued after the war ended) perhaps also as a hopeful symbol that this would in fact be “the war to end all wars”- a sentiment that most people believed at the time.
Private Richard James Harkness, US Army
Township resident Bonnie Likely’s grandfather, Richard Harkness, received the Purple Heart while serving in the combat of World War I. Private Harkness was stationed in France when he was wounded while running a message from his unit to another allied army unit. “Runners” had one of the most dangerous and important tasks of the war- to deliver critical information between units while running through open fields under constant artillery bombardment and snipers looking to shoot anything moving outside the trenches. Bonnie’s mother made a shadow box display of her grandfather’s medals and passed down a precious hand-written letter and other priceless war memorabilia to keep alive his spirit and bravery from which he earned the Purple Heart.
(l) The shadow box of Pvt. Harkness’ military awards, (r) Pvt. Harkness’ (2nd from left) enthusiasm to serve his country is readily evident in this photo taken with his fellow WWI Service members
(top left) The hand-written note that Bonnie’s mom left her, (bottom left) Pvt. Harkness’ dog tags, (right) A passenger manifest from May 20, 1918 listing Pvt. Harkness and company of the 78th Division in the US Army infantry. Mario Arthur Comizzoli, O.S. in the US Merchant Marine
Township resident Robert Comizzoli’s father Mario Comizzoli received the Mariners’ Medal (the equivalent of the Purple Heart for those killed or wounded in the Merchant Marine Service) when he gave the ultimate sacrifice for his country in World War II. All 92 crew members aboard the munitions vessel SS Louise Lykes, including O.S. Comizzoli, lost their lives when their ship was torpedoed by a German submarine in January 1943. Some years after the war, Veteran status in the US Coast Guard was extended to those who served in the Merchant Marine, and Robert obtained Veteran status in the US Coast Guard for his father.
Robert was only 2 years old when he lost his father and has no memory of him. His father’s cousin told him a story that speaks volumes of O.S. Comizzoli’s character: “Your father and I went to see the SS Louise Lykes in Newark (NJ) while it was being loaded. The cargo consisted of huge aerial bombs, and I tried to dissuade him from making the trip across the dangerous North Atlantic- made especially so as there was no escort or convoy available at the time.” O.S. Comizzoli undertook the mission to serve his country in spite of the risks, to which Robert’s mother added: “Your father was brave and he liked to do daring things- he once swam across the Hudson River near the George Washington Bridge!” When people hear these stories, they often ask how the Nation finds such brave people. Robert’s reply: “They are always here, but in good times we are not so aware of them.” He wrote the following poem, dedicated to the memory of his father, for all who have lost a parent in war:
Remembrance of the role of the Merchant Marine from the US Naval Institute (May 22, 2021)
Lieutenant Edward Binkowski, Sr. US Army
Township resident Chris Andrews’ father, Lt. Edward Binkowski, earned the Purple Heart while serving in the Army during World War II. Lt. Binkowski was serving in the North African front when he came under heavy fire while leading his platoon. He was hit with two bullets in the arm, and multiple close calls. He was heroically carried back to barracks for surgery by one of his platoon sergeants who disobeyed orders and put himself in great danger of the enemy’s fire to do so. Twelve additional bullet holes were identified in the side of his field jacket- one of which was just two inches away from the grenades he was carrying. Two inches were the difference between remaining forever on the battlefield and making it back home.
Upon receiving the Purple Heart, Lt. Binkowski was so proud of it that he wrote “I was afraid to mail it home for fear it would be lost.”
To shed light on the bravery and selfless service of the US Army nurses, Lt. Binkowski made this request to a newspaper interviewer while he was in rehabilitation at Halloran General Hospital: “Give the Army nurses a plug. They’re the closest to the front of any nurses. They give up their beds (for the wounded soldiers) and sleep on the ground.”
Please note that the above are the recipients / family members of recipients of the Purple Heart who responded to our various posts to identify Purple Heart recipients with family currently residing in Montgomery Township. If anyone reading this knows of other Purple Heart recipients residing in Montgomery Township, and/or immediate family members of recipients (including their parents/grandparents), please contact: [email protected] or call (908) 359- 8211 Ext. 2279 so that we may recognize them as well.
The following Purple Heart recipients were identified by a search on the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor, utilizing the seven hamlets of Montgomery Township as the search location. If any surviving family members still reside within the Township, please let us know.
US Army Lieutenant Ashley Laine Henderson-Huff
Lt. Henderson-Huff was tragically killed in action in Operation Iraqi Freedom on September 19, 2006. She was leading a mounted patrol through the bazaar in Mosul, Iraq, when a suicide insurgent vehicle rammed her armored vehicle and detonated over 50 pounds of explosives. All of the soldiers in the vehicle were seriously wounded along with several Iraqi civilians. Lieutenant Henderson-Huff bravely fought for her life, but succumbed to her wounds and died. The entrance to Montgomery High School is named in her honor.
Robert Gesregan, US Army
Robert was wounded in action while serving with the US Army in Vietnam. His hometown was indicated to be Skillman, NJ. There is no additional information available in the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor; if anyone has such information, please let us know at the above email or phone number.
Previous Township residents that were killed in action serving in combat have been maintained with meticulous care by Montgomery Veterans Committee member and retired US Marine Mike Maloney. You can read the stories of these brave men and women who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our nation at https://veteran.express/our-fallen and the details of Montgomery Township’s Purple Heart designation ceremony at https://veteran.express/our-purple-heart.
History of the Purple Heart Award (from the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor in NY)
The award known as the Purple Heart has a history that reaches back to the waning days of the American Revolution. The Continental Congress had forbidden General George Washington from granting commissions and promotions in rank to recognize merit. Yet Washington wanted to honor merit, particularly among the enlisted soldiers. On August 7, 1782, his general orders established the Badge of Military Merit:
"... The General ever desirous to cherish virtuous ambition in his soldiers, as well as to foster and encourage every species of Military merit directs whenever any singularly meritorious action is performed, the author of it shall be permitted to wear on his facings, over his left breast, the figure of a heart in purple cloth or silk edged with narrow lace or binding."
This award was open only to enlisted men (Privates, Corporals and Sergeants) and granted them the distinction of being permitted to pass all guards and sentinels as could commissioned- officers. The names of the recipients were to have been kept in a "Book of Merit" (which has never been recovered).
At the present time there are three verified recipients of the Badge of Military Merit: Sergeant Elijah Churchill, 2nd Continental Dragoons; Sergeant William Brown, 5th Connecticut Continental Line Infantry and Sergeant Daniel Bissel, 2nd Connecticut Continental Line Infantry. Washington stated that the award was to be a permanent one, but once the Revolution ended, the Badge of Military Merit was all but forgotten until the 20th century.
General John J."Blackjack" Pershing suggested a need for an award for merit in 1918, but it was not until 1932 that the modern Purple Heart was created in recognition of Washington's ideals and for the bicentennial of his birth. General Order #3 announced the establishment of the award:
"... By order of the President of the United States, the Purple Heart, established by General George Washington at Newburgh, August 7, 1782, during the War of the Revolution is hereby revived out of respect to his memory and military achievements. By order of the Secretary of War: Douglas MacArthur General, Chief of Staff
On May 28, 1932, 136 World War I veterans were conferred their Purple Hearts at Temple Hill, in New Windsor, NY. Temple Hill was the site of the New Windsor Cantonment, which was the final encampment of the Continental Army in the winter of 1782-1783. Today, the National Purple Heart continues the tradition begun on these grounds in 1932, of honoring those who have been awarded the Purple Heart.
Author’s note:
In doing the research and speaking with the families who responded to this Purple Heart in Our Community outreach, it was clear they are all grateful for the opportunity to tell and share these stories. I felt a powerful sense that they are as proud of their ancestor’s Purple Heart awards as the soldiers themselves surely were, and this article would not have been possible without each family’s diligence in preserving their memories. It was a great honor to learn about these brave soldiers and deeply humbling to help bring their spirits back to life so that their service and sacrifices shall not forgotten. I would like to dedicate this article to the courage and selfless service of our Purple Heart recipients, and to all our Armed Service members (past and present), our police, firefighters, and EMS that exemplify these qualities in service to their communities and nation. It is worthy of pondering how to create the best present and future society, and the human qualities necessary to do so; anyone willing to put their own lives on the line for the safety and freedom of others is high on that list. If we can harness the spirit of Service members working in selfless unity toward achieving a righteous combat mission, perhaps we can guide our decision making more toward the good of all, help overcome self-serving distractions, and reduce conflicts of war in the battlefield and throughout society.