Donald S. Murray

Chief Warrant Officer Donald S. Murray, 37, was killed in a mid-air helicopter crash April 14, 1996, during live Hellfire Missile drill on McGregor Range at Ft. Bliss, New Mexico.

A 14-year veteran, paratrooper Murray grew up on Moore Place in Belleville and attended Holy Family School.

Albuquerque Journal (NM) - April 16, 1996

FT. BLISS CRASHES KILL THREE2 COPTERS WENT DOWN DURING NIGHT TRAINING
LAS CRUCES -- A team of Army investigators from Alabama arrived at Fort Bliss on Monday to examine wreckage strewn in the crash of two Army helicopters that killed three paratroopers. A fourth soldier who rode in one of the helicopters was treated at the William Beaumont Army Medical Center at Fort Bliss after the crash Sunday night. The soldier then was released back to his unit. Two OH-58 Delta Kiowa Warrior helicopters, each carrying two...

Albuquerque Journal (NM) - April 16, 1996

ARMY TEAM SEEKS CAUSE OF COPTERS' CRASH
LAS CRUCES -- A team of Army investigators from Alabama arrived at Fort Bliss on Monday to examine wreckage strewn in the crash of two Army helicopters that killed three paratroopers.A fourth soldier who rode in one of the helicopters was treated at the William Beaumont Army Medical Center at Fort Bliss after the crash Sunday night. The soldier then was released back to his unit. Two OH-58 Delta Kiowa Warrior helicopters, each carrying two soldiers, crashed about 9:50 p.m. Sunday ...

Albuquerque Journal (NM) - April 19, 1996

ARMY IDENTIFIES TWO DEAD PARATROOPERS
AROUND NEW MEXICO LAS CRUCES -- The Army on Thursday released the names of two paratroopers killed in the April 14 crash of two helicopters on the Fort Bliss Military Reservation. Two of the victims of the nighttime crash, which occurred during aerial gunnery maneuvers, were identified as Capt. Joseph O. Reed III, 30, of Windermere, Fla., commander of Company B, 1st Battalion, 82nd Aviation Brigade; and Chief Warrant Officer Donald S. Murray, 37, of Belleville, N.J. ...

Albuquerque Journal

Belleville Sons Honor Roll

December - Belleville Sons

Pfc. Joseph Klimchock was killed in Italy on Dec. 2, 1943.

Sgt. Harry Ward Jr. was MIA in the Philippines on Dec. 12, 1944.

Sgt. Patrick J. Hoey was killed in Germany on Dec. 14, 1944.

Sgt. John J. Miller, Jr. was KIA on Saipan in 1944.

Sgt. William H. Deighan was KIA over the English Channel Dec. 30, 1944.

Edgar H. Mc Ginty was KIA in Manila on Dec. 15, 1945

Thomas Lamb was KIA in the Pacific in 1945.

Local Boy Killed in War

(Nov. 30, 1967) -- Today at 9:30 a.m., a solemn high Mass will be held at St. Anthony's Church, for Marine Lance Corporal Jerry Richard Donatiello of Frederick Street.

He was killed Nov. 20 after sustaining a gunshot wound to the body from hostile rifle fire while on an operation in the vicinity of Quang Namn, Republic of Vietnam.

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Copyright © 2007 by Anthony Buccino, all rights reserved. Photos and content may not be used for commercial purposes without written permission.

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In the Marines

Pfc. Samuel C. Morales, son of Sonia E. Cruz of Rock Hill and Samuel Morales of Haledon, N.J., recently completed the Electro Optical Ordnance Maintenance Technician Course.

He is a 2005 graduate of Belleville High School in Belleville, N.J.

The Herald Nov. 10, 2007

Joseph Zecca

(Nov. 21, 1944) -- Pvt. Joseph Zecca, 19, of Fairway Avenue, was reported missing in action in Italy on Oct. 29. (The killed in action notice came Jan. 23.)


Zecca left in his senior year at Belleville High School and entered the Army in 1943.

He trained in Alabama.

Pvt. Zecca went overseas in March and was stationed in North Africa. He arrived in Italy in June.

He served with the 133rd Infantry.

October Casualties

Private George Eyre was killed in action on Oct. 19, 1918. He joined the Army from New Jersey. Pvt. Eyre served with the 312th Infantry Regiment, 78th Infantry Division. He is buried at Plot E, Row 08, Grave 12, at Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery, Romagne, France.

Private George Kalvio, 23, on Oct. 24, 1918

Private First Class William T. Smith was killed in action on Oct. 23, 1918. He joined the Army from New Jersey. Pfc. Smith served with the 312th Infantry Regiment, 78th Infantry Division. He is buried at Plot B, Row 20, Grave 37, at Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery, Romagne, France.

Sgt. Louis Wagner died after an accident in Georgia, on Oct. 2, 1942.

William Gaydos was killed in the Atlantic on Oct. 9, 1943.

Seaman Vincent F. Nucci was KIA Oct. 21, 1943.

2nd Lt. George Skeen died of wounds on Oct. 19, 1944.

Pvt. Giavanni Bocchino was killed in the South Pacific on Oct. 25, 1944.

Pvt. Joseph A. Masi was KIA in France on Oct. 25, 1944.

Pvt. Joseph Zecca was killed in Italy Oct. 29, 1944.

Capt. Louis Jannarone died in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 31, 1944.

Lt. (jg) Edward Joseph Zuczek was lost-at-sea in October 1958. The plane went down at sea off Guam. The lost plane was an AJ5P en route from Guam to Manila. Zuczek, 22, enlisted in the Navy in 1954 and took his flight training at Pensacola Naval Air Training Station, Fla. He was a pilot in a heavy photographic squadron.

Copyright © 2007 by Anthony Buccino, all rights reserved. Content may not be used for commercial purposes without written permission.

Belleville Sons Honor Roll

September Skirmish Anniversary

Read the story

The battle of Second River, fought in September 1777 in what is now Belleville, N.J.

Story courtesy The Belleville Times.


Skirmish of Second River
In September of 1777 there was an engagement which is most frequently referred to as the “Battle of Second River”. It is for this engagement that a memorial plaque has been erected in the park. The British intended to expand their invasion with a larger force in central Jersey. But first, they had to pass through Second River and beneath the old church tower.

Eyes in the tower saw the advance and sounded the alarm. Under the direction of Captains Hornblower, Joralemon, Rutgers and Rutan, a defense was prepared. Skirmishes went on for two days. It began with an artillery barrage of our town followed by musket and cannon battles in the streets.

Sending for reinforcements, the American troops valiantly held their ground and managed to damage British General. Sir Henry Clinton’s hilltop headquarters with a direct hit from a cannonball, which happened to be on what is now Franklin Ave. September 14th turned into an all-day pitched battle.

With patriot reinforcements pouring in from neighboring communities, front lines eventually took shape near to Mill Street and Union Avenue. The British forces, overwhelming in numbers, eventually broke through. But once again, the local militia had succeeded in delaying the advance and weakening the invading army.

A large boulder also rests at the fork in the road between Union and Franklin Avenues on Mill Street as a landmark to mark the spot where the final shots of the Battle of the Second River were fired. A bronze plaque was placed on the rock in 1932

Sources: Norman Price, Village of Second River author; Michael Perrone, Dave Hinrichs, The Belleville Times.

Benjamin Lucas

(October 25, 1945) -- Cpl. Benjamin Lucas, 23, was killed in a plane crash in China on Sept. 28.

Lucas, son of Mrs. Louise Lucas of Newark Place, was on his way home when the plane was destroyed in a crash.

Cpl. Lucas had completed two years in the Far East, most recently stationed at the headquarters of Chinese Combat Command.

He enlisted in the Army in March 1942.

Cpl. Lucas was first stationed in India. He went through the reopening of the Burma Road and was with the Mars Task Force.

The young man had three battle stars, and had been shot by Jap snipers in the past.

Among his survivors are his brother Pfc. Andrew Lucas who was in Europe. The two brothers exchanged 500 letters while separated.

Charles Mc Ginty

Private Charles Mc Ginty was killed in action on Sept. 29, 1918. He joined the Army from New Jersey. Pvt. Mc Ginty served with the 147th Infantry Regiment, 37th Infantry Division. He is listed as Missing in Action or Buried at Sea on the Tablets of the Missing at Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery, Romagne, France.

Belleville Sons Honor Roll

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William J. Salmon

( Oct. 26, 1944) -- Marine Corp. William J. Salmon, 21, of Dewitt Avenue, was killed in action Sept. 23, on Peleleiu on Palau Islands in the South Pacific.

Cpl. Salmon was a sniper-scout on the Guadalcanal, Cape Gloucester and New Guinea campaigns.

He left Belleville High School in his junior year to join the CCC.

While overseas, he met his brother on Guadalcanal in December 1941. The brothers both enlisted one week after Pearl Harbor was attacked.

The Palue Islands in what is now the Republic of Palau, are in the westernmost cluster of the Caroline Islands, north of Australia and west of Micronesia.

Leonard R. Willette

(Jan. 18, 1945) -- Flight Officer Leonard R. Willette, 22, was declared killed in action this week.

Willette, service number O1692873, had been listed as missing in action since Sept. 22.

He is the son of Newark Police Lt. and Mrs. Lawrence Willette, of Stephens Street.

The young man enlisted in the Army Air Corps while a student at New York University. He entered the service from New Jersey.

He refused an appointment by the late Senator Barbour to West Point in order to get into active combat more quickly.

Willette received his wings in February 1944, at Tuskegee Army Air Field, Ala.

He was a P-51 Mustang pilot based in Italy with the famed 99th Fighter Squadron, 322nd Fighter Group, under command of Col. Benjamin O. Davis.

2nd Lt. Willette, was awarded the Air Medal with oak leaf cluster, and the Purple Heart, the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with 1 Bronze Service Star, WWII Victory Medal, WWII Lapel Button.

He is also survived by a brother Pvt. Lawrence Willette Jr. at Tinker Field, Okla.

He is memorialized at: Plot J, Row 18, Grave 17, at the Lorraine American Cemetery, St. Avold, France.

John F. Verian

(Oct. 12, 1944) -- Sgt. John F. Verian, 22, of Washington Avenue, was killed in action in the midst of the Siegried Line in Germany.

Sgt. Verian landed in Oran, North Africa on Christmas Day 1942, six months after he entered the Army.

He was wounded in Tunisia while serving in the First Division.

Sgt. Verian was also wounded in the invasion of Sicily on July 10.

In January 1944 he went to England and was training the Yanks for five months in invasion tactics.

He landed in Normandy on D-Day.

Sgt. Verian joined the Army 25 years to the day after his father joined for World War I.

William J. Mears

(November 30, 1944) -- Marine Sgt. William J. Mears, of Jefferson Street, was killed in action in Peleliu on Palau Islands in the South Pacific on Sept. 15.
Mears enlisted in the Marines the day after Pearl Harbor was attacked.

During his tour he was cited as a demolitions expert. He was a veteran of Guadalcanal, Cape Gloucester, New Britain and Bougainville during his 28 months overseas.

He was scheduled to return to the States to begin study at officer candidate school.

The Palue Islands in what is now the Republic of Palau, are in the westernmost cluster of the Caroline Islands, north of Australia and west of Micronesia.