World War II Vet Honored On 100th Birthday In Toms River

TOMS RIVER, NJ ? While much of Toms River was marking Monday as Columbus Day, for a World War II veteran and his family, the day was special for a different reason.

Roman W. Charkowski, a U.S. Navy veteran who served in the Pacific, turned 100 years old on Monday.

Charkowski, who lives at the Rose Garden Nursing and Rehabilitation Center on Old Freehold Road in Toms River, was honored Sunday during a celebration with family and friends at the center that included visits from Toms River Mayor Maurice Hill, Rep. Chris Smith and ride-bys from the American Legion Riders, the Elks, the Combat Veterans Association, the Blue Knights, and the Pleasant Plains Fire Company.

Hill, who also is a Navy veteran, presented Charkowski with a proclamation declaring Monday ? Charkowski's actual birthdate ? as Roman W. Charkowski Day in the township.

Smith presented Charkowski with a U.S. flag that flew in his honor over the U.S. Capitol building.

Charkowski enlisted in the Navy on Nov. 11, 1942, when he was 20 years old. After training, he was designated a Petty Officer Third Class Electricians Mate and assigned to the USS Colahan destroyer, which made its maiden voyage through the Panama Canal into the Pacific theater.

The USS Colahan saw combat during the Battle of Kwajalein, the first time American forces successfully penetrated the outer ring of the Japanese Pacific Sphere. The crew of Colahan bombarded Kwajalein Island against Japanese defenses to clear the way for the U.S. Marines? capture of the island.

After the war, Charkowski was stationed in Long Island. Following his honorable discharge from the Navy, Charkowski and his wife, Louise, lived in Linden and raised three children ? son Roman T. Charkowski, and daughters Linda Sivartsen and Carol Harda ? while he worked for PSE&G and was a small business owner. He retired and moved to Toms River in 1986.

Charkowski also has eight grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren, his daughter, Carol said. His daughter Linda died in 2007, Carol said.

In addition to the ride-by the American Legion Riders dismounted their bikes to sing "Happy Birthday" to Charkowski, officials said.