World War II Memorial Campaign Launched For War Memorial

(Sept. 5, 1947) Letters signed by Arthur L. Manchee, chairman of the World War II Memorial committee are being sent out today to all residents of Nutley requesting contributions to the fund required to establish the Memorial Green adopted by the committee last June and subsequently unanimously approved by the town commission as the town’s tribute to its war dead.

The families of the 81 heroes to whom the memorial will be dedicated have not been included in this appeal, in recognition of their sacrifice.

The Memorial Green as previously announced is to be established on the triangular plot north of the Free Public Library, where the letter states a bank of white dogwood trees and flowering shrubs will serve as the background of a rostrum.

In the center of a circle, at the inner end of the mall, the names of the 81 heroes will be inscribed with a dedicatory messages, on bronze plaques around the base of a lofty flagpole topped by a eternally-lighted, symbolic gold star.

Source: The Nutley Sun

Nutley Sons Honor Roll

 American Legion Post 70 Memorial

(1948) In a brief and simple ceremony, Nutley Post 70 of the American Legion presented a picture memorial to the town honoring its 83 World War II dead.

The memorial, which contains photographs of 80 of the servicemen, was unveiled in the public library by Mrs. Mary Hanley of Race Street, former Army nurse and widow of 1st Lt. John M. Hanley, who was killed in action in World War II. She now is director of the home nursing service of the Jersey City Red Cross Chapter.

An estimated audience of 75 persons, including a number of Gold Star Mothers and relatives of the honored servicemen, heard Post Commander Earl J. Crawford formally present the memorial to Mayor Jernick and through him to the town of Nutley.

Charles S. Hammond, Post historian, conducted the ceremony.

Jernick said: "Each of us here gathered knows only too well the horrors of war, its cruelties and tragedies, and so from that knowledge we should be prepared to work so that war may be forever be outlawed. War and civilization are antonyms – we can’t have both. But mere lip service is not enough. We must support that just hatred of war by concerted efforts to make another war unnecessary and impossible."

He concluded: "We can resolve here today that we will do everything we can for those who suffered so terribly during the most recent war, that we will provide aid for those still suffering, and that we will turn our efforts toward whatever cause will promote peace."

Hammond, explaining the memorial, said that it was a result of extensive research by the Post, and added that while pictures of three war dead had not been obtainable, the Post would continue to search for them.

Comparing the two World Wars, Hammond said that Nutley lost 83 servicemen out of a total of 2900 in the recent war, while 17 men out of 217 represented lost their lives in World War I.

Source: The Nutley Sun

"...Look up the flagpole and it takes your eyes up to heaven, that's where it takes you"

Mayor Harry Chenowith, First Citizen and Historian of Nutley, N.J.

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