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John Rodgers, KIA - April 8, 1865

John Rogers died April 8, 1865, of his wounds, according to the Civil War Diary of James C. Taylor of Belleville, Company F, 39th Regiment, New Jersey Volunteers, in the War to Save the Union of the United States of America, published in 1925.

In his diary, Taylor wrote on April 1: “At 11 last night 2 pieces of heavy artillery were brought into Fort Davis. This looks ominous. At 11:30 the regiment fell in and went out alongside the road where they waited there for hot coffee, and then we removed down to the front. We moved as far front as we could and then were ordered to lie flat on the ground. The enemy are firing lively with mortar shells and rifle shots. While lying flat, John Rodgers received a fatal wound.”

Taylor enlisted in Captain John Hunkele’s Company on Sept. 17, 1864, along with Rodgers, James M. Crisp, Linus Ackerman, Edmund Holmes, Charles Stanford, James McCluskey and Daniel McGinnis.

More information on Belleville in the Civil War

Belleville in the War Between the States
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About the author: Anthony Buccino has written several collections about life and growing up in and around Belleville, New Jersey. He also created Old Belleville, a web site of local history. His latest book is Belleville and Nutley in the Civil War – a Brief History, paperback or ebook.
For more information, http://www.anthonybuccino.com/

Middle School honors Vietnam War fallen heroes

The B.M.S. 8^th grade students in Mrs. Dawn Buccino’s English classes recently completed a P.B.L. about the Vietnam War and its impact on Belleville in the 1960s and 1970s. P.B.L. stands for “project based learning” where the students work on various mandatory and optional or choice activities based on a task statement.

Back row, from left, Krystal Diaz, Amy Trinh, and Leticia Orgueira. Front row, from left, Madeline Bini, Breeyanah Gee-Burney, and Veronica Alvarado. 

Mrs. Buccino took a lesson she had been teaching for the last three years based on the story “Stop the Sun” by Gary Paulsen about a Vietnam War veteran who struggles with his memories of war. She added the book “Belleville Sons Honor Roll-Remembering the Men Who Paid For Our Freedom” which documents the biographies of 157 Belleville men who died while in service to create the three week project. “Belleville Sons” is written by Mrs. Buccino’s husband, local author Anthony Buccino.

She was also assisted by her team Social Studies teacher, Mr. Anthony Ferrara, who taught his Vietnam War unit a bit ahead of schedule to coincide with the P.B.L.

The P.B.L takes a task statement, adds technology, tiered lessons and a differentiated classroom while training the students to schedule their own time. It allows for authentic performance where students showcase their knowledge and produce, not only a packet of diverse work, but also a closing project.

April Casualties

John Rogers died of his wounds on April 8, 1865.

Alvin C. Brown
George Malizia
Salvatore Sena
Joseph Taibi
William Thetford
Wilfred Potis
Richard Hayes
Anthony Noto
Gilmer Adams
John Gorman
Thomas Peacock
Emil Liloia

Chief Warrant Officer Donald S. Murray, 37, was killed in a mid-air helicopter crash April 14, 1996.

Copyright © 2012 by Anthony Buccino, all rights reserved. Content may not be used for commercial purposes without written permission.

Belleville Sons Honor Roll

Donald Saunders - March 4

Another Belleville Son

Dies in Vietnam Battle

(March 14, 1968) -- "Since he had to leave this world, I'm glad he left it the way he did, with courage and fighting for his country."

There was little else for William D. Saunders of High Street, Belleville, to say. He is the father of Pfc. Donald Saunders who was killed in action in Vietnam March 4, 1968.

The young Saunders, only 20, died of wounds on his head and body from an enemy mortar fire in Quang Tri last week.

Saunders enlisted in the Marines two years ago on Sept. 28. It was a day that William Saunders will never forget as it was the elder Saunders' birthday.

Donald completed his basic training at Parris Island, S.C., and advanced infantry training at Camp Lejeune, N.C. He volunteered for duty in Vietnam.

When asked why, Mrs. Maisie Saunders, his mother, said, "Donald was never too talkative. He made his own decisions. I think he felt the boys were doing a good job and he should back them up."

"It was just a job that had to be done, for him," added Saunders, and he never complained. In all his letters there was never a word of complaint. He tried to reassure us, in fact."

The Belleville Times, March 14, 1968

8th Anniversary edition of Honor Roll paperback now on Amazon

The 8th anniversary edition of BELLEVILLE SONS HONOR ROLL Remembering the Men Who Paid For Our Freedom by Anthony Buccino includes additional information on Belleville in the American Revolution, War of 1812, Civil War, more photos of town's WWI casualties, WWW II, Korean War - including Medal of Honor recipient Henry Svehlo, Vietnam War and peacetime casualties including our last soldier Donald Murray killed in 1996. 


In the last century, Belleville lost 157 sons while in service to our country. This collection, gathered from newspaper clippings and other sources collects what we know about these young men in an effort that their sacrifice not be forgotten.


Belleville Sons Honor Roll paperback edition now available on Amazon.com
$19/.99 ++

An earlier version appears on Kindle.
$2.99

Belleville 'Red Tail' pilot lost over Germany

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

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.

Belleville: The War Between The States

Each year, the tradition in Belleville is to gather on July 4th morning and read the names of our Second River forefathers who fought in the American Revolution.

Nearly 70 Belleville veterans of that war are buried in the Dutch Reformed Church cemetery. Their names are listed on plates. We read their names aloud in a solemn ceremony.

The men named on these plaques risked everything to provide freedom for those of us who stand here today. When the men of Belleville rose up against England, it was no sure thing that the colonies would prevail but more than likely that the revolutionaries and their leaders might hang.

Less than one hundred years later, our country was torn apart by the War Between the States. The story of the war is taught in eighth grade history classes in town. But little is known or taught about the men of Belleville who fought and the half-dozen who died in that war.

Belleville and Nutley In the Civil War, a new book

Cherry Blossom Press publishes a new reference book,  Belleville and Nutley In the Civil War, a Brief History by Anthony Buccino.

The book is a compilation of information documenting the participation of the New Jersey towns of Belleville and Nutley in the American Civil War. Publication includes information on six local soldiers killed in action in the War Between the states, plus information on the battle campaigns in which they gave up their lives. Also lists information on participation in various New Jersey and other state militias by local men.


The new book is available in print and on the Kindle eReader.
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Copyright © 2011 by Anthony Buccino, all rights reserved. Photos and content may not be used for commercial purposes without written permission.

Check out Anthony Buccino's books in print and on popular eReaders Amazon's Kindle and BN.com's Nook

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DAV building named after Cmdr. Joe Fornarotto

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Copyright © 2011 by Anthony Buccino, all rights reserved. Content may not be used for commercial purposes without written permission.
Belleville Sons Honor Roll

DAV Chapter 22 dedicates building 6/18

Disabled American Veterans Chapter 22 

dedicates Mill Street building

Members of the Belleville-Nutley Disabled American Veterans Chapter 22 voted to name their building after chapter commander Joseph T. Fornarotto. Fornarotto was instrumental in planning, fundraising, soliciting donated labor and supplies that resulted in the three-year old facility at 612 Mill Street, Belleville. The building will be formally dedicated on Saturday, June 18 at 11 a.m. 

PACIFIC: John N. Waters

John N. Waters

(Feb. 21, 1946) – John N. Waters died Feb. 13, from injuries sustained while serving with the Marines, Second Division for 3 years in the South Pacific. Waters, who left Belleville High School to join the Marines, never took a furlough. He shipped out to the Pacific at the end of his basic training.

The young Marine served in battle campaigns including Tarawa, Peleliu, Tinian, Ie Shima – where newspaper writer Ernie Pyle was killed by a sniper – Okinawa and Saipan.

Waters was sick with dengue fever, a tropical disease and had been hospitalized overseas. Waters received a Purple Heart, and was discharged last December. He died at home.

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Copyright © 2010 by Anthony Buccino, all rights reserved. Content may not be used for commercial purposes without written permission.

Belleville Sons Honor Roll
Second Edition Ordering Information

Carnival

PACIFIC: Harry Ward, Jr. KIA in Mindoro Islands

Harry Ward, Jr.

(Nov. 29, 1945) – Sgt. Harry Ward Jr., of DeWitt Avenue, was reported killed in action in the Mindoro Islands in the Philippines on Dec. 21. He served with the 240th Engineer Construction Battalion.

Ward entered the Army in January 1943, at age 18. Sgt. Ward took part in invasions of New Guinea, the Solomons, and Leyte.

He was awarded the Purple Heart posthumously. He is listed as missing in action or buried at sea on the Tablets of the Missing at Manila American Cemetery, Manila, Philippines.

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Copyright © 2010 by Anthony Buccino, all rights reserved. Content may not be used for commercial purposes without written permission.

Belleville Sons Honor Roll
Second Edition Ordering Information

Carnival