East Hanover Veteran Honored With County Medal

EAST HANOVER, NJ — An East Hanover veteran was honored for his service to the county with the Morris County Distinguished Military Service Medal from the Board of Freeholders.

Thomas A. DiDomenico, U.S. Air Force, was one of seven county veterans present with the medal at a ceremony Wednesday night. They also received special state citations from state legislators and a certificate from Sheriff Gannon.

"To all of our veterans, we have a simple and heartfelt message: Thank you!" said Deputy Freeholder Director Christine Myers. “For all veterans, regardless of their service and the era in which they have served, they have paid a price for the freedom we enjoy. They have paid with their courage and honor. We salute you for your service."

The county provided this information about DiDomenico's service:

Grew up in Little Falls and graduated from Passaic Valley High School in 1965. Just five 5-months later, in November of 1965, he enlisted in the Air Force.

He attended Jet Mechanic Training through 1966, and was stationed at Luke Air Force Base in Glendale, Arizona, as an Assistant Crew Chief from 1966-67. In 1967, he was deployed to Vietnam. He was stationed at Phan Rang Air Force Base in Vietnam from 1967-68 as a crew chief for the F-100 Super Sabre Fighter. His duty was to keep the aircraft ready to fly 24/7.

In 1968-69, he was stationed at Beale Air Force Base in California as a mechanic on the SR-71 Blackbird Reconnaissance Aircraft. He was honorably discharged in February 1969, and post- military worked as a longshoreman at Port Elizabeth.

The seven honored veterans are:

• Timothy Burns, U.S. Army, Wharton
• Thomas A. DiDomenico, U.S. Air Force, East Hanover
• Armando Gutierrez, U.S. Navy, Washington Township
• Craig Hyson, U.S. Army, Rockaway Borough
• Bonita (Bonnie) Sue Pyler, U.S. Navy, Morris Township
• Donald W. Robinson, U.S. Navy, Mount Olive
• (the late) Harold Weasner, U.S. Navy, Roxbury

Image: (l/r) Freeholders Deborah Smith and Kathy DeFillippo, veterans Armando Gutierrez, Marie Weasner (wife of the late Harold Weasner), Craig Hyson, Bonnie Sue Pyler, Timothy Burns, Donald Robinson, Thomas DiDomenico, and Freeholders Christine Myers and Tom Mastrangelo. Via Morris County.