Four Ponds At Lincroft Names Street For Korean War Veteran

LINCROFT, NJ — A major street that runs through the heart of Four Ponds at Lincroft, a collection of 228 brand new townhomes by K. Hovnanian, is now named after U.S. Army veteran William J. Malcolm, following a recent ceremony at the community.

William J. Malcolm was a Middletown resident who was killed in action while serving a tour of duty during the Korean War. His name now adorns red, white and blue street signs on the road named for him, along with an American flag, Korea K.I.A designation and a U.S. Army logo. The street is now called Malcolm Way.

Middletown resident Tom Garretson, who was part of the Veterans Affairs Committee that launched the street sign program in 2013, said the street signs show respect for the community’s fallen heroes and act as a visual reminder of the sacrifice they made.

“The sign tells a story. It gives you something to think about when you pass it by. That’s the way I look at it,” Garretson said. “People in this development now know who William J. Malcolm is. They’ll be reminded every time they drive by that he gave his all. He gave his life for his country.”

Garretson added that he hopes the publicity generated from the street sign program will encourage other municipalities to adopt a similar program to honor their veterans.

The newly-named street was unveiled during a brief ceremony at the community that included a dedication, a prayer for the fallen soldier, an honor guard, and the playing of taps. Middletown Mayor Anthony S. Perry, members of the Township Committee, members of the Middletown Township Veterans Affairs Committee, officials from K. Hovnanian Homes, residents of Four Ponds at Lincroft and other Middletown Township residents all attended the ceremony.

Malcolm Way is one of more than 50 streets the Middletown Veterans Affairs Committee has added Township-wide to honor Middletown veterans who were killed in action from World War I through the present day, according to the Township. The all-volunteer Veterans Affairs Committee monitors their placement as part of the Fallen Veterans Commemorative Street Sign Program. The program complements other memorial and monument heritage sites in the Township, such as a World War I memorial on Church Street, a World War II memorial on Leonardville Road, a Korean War memorial on Wilson Avenue, and a Vietnam Veterans monument on Harkins Drive, off of Palmer Avenue.

“Middletown Township has a strong tradition of commemorating hometown veterans who have made the ultimate sacrifice, and we are honored that our community now plays a part in that tradition,” said David Fisher, a K. Hovnanian Vice Presiden. “We are proud that William J. Malcolm will be remembered as a hometown hero for a long time by residents of Middletown Township, and especially our residents here at Four Ponds at Lincroft.”

Four Ponds at Lincroft is located at 18 Lawley Drive in Lincroft, which is a part of Middletown Township and the Middletown Township Public School District. For more information visit khov.com/FourPonds.