History of the Mount Olive Township War Veterans Memorial Monument

Some time prior to June 1944 the Budd Lake Civic Association erected a wooden World War II Honor Roll in front of the Municipal Building on Route 46 with all the names of the men from Mt. Olive that were serving their county. This was a common practice in many towns across our nation at this time. In early 1968, after his wooden structure was up for about 24 years, the Budd Lake Civic Association, under the direction of their president John C. Planker, started working on replacing the Honor Roll with something more permanent. On February 16, 1968, Mr. Planker called for a meeting asking that each township organization send a delegate. The War Memorial Association was formed at that meeting with Mr. Planker as the chairman. They decided to replace and erect the Mt. Olive Township War Veterans’ Memorial Monument. There is no documentation found as to the association's plans or decisions leading to its completion.

J. B. Formisano & Sons Monument Company, Jersey City, NJ was chosen to make and erect the monument. The cost of the monument was $3, 4000 and Civic Association pledged a contribution of $1000. Mr. Planker asked the township committees for help and they supplied the footing for the monument. Letters asking for donations were mailed out to the township residents. A total of $2,500 donation envelopes were distributed throughout the township. The Budd Lake Postmaster collected all the donations for the association. A teenage committee held a benefit dance and donated $100. The original plan was to have the dedication on Memorial Day 1968 but due to construction problems, it was delayed. On July 4, 1968 the monument was dedication after a huge parade. Due to the numerous men that served in World War II form Mt. Olive, it was decided by the committee that the names of the men who died while serving on active duty would be honored in granite. Their branches of service are displayed as well as the order in which the men gave their lives. There were nine men’s names on the monument went it was erected. Eight men died in World War II and one in Viet Nam. In 1970 the tenth name was added when another Viet Nam pilot was killed.

In 2003 eighteen Civil War Soldiers names were added to the monument in the center section of the monument. In November 2005 the last name was added when a Navy Seal died in Afghanistan. A ceremony to honor him was held at the monument on Veteran’s Day.

The inscription on the monument reads “Erected in grateful tribute to the men and women of Mt. Olive Township who faithfully served in the Armed Forces of our country.”

Inscribed above the branches of service is “THOSE WHO MADE THE SUPREME SACRIFICE.”

Not the "official" site of the All Veterns Memorial