Library of the Chathams Veterans Day Exhibit 2023

1. Veterans Day
Exhibit
November 2023

2. Veterans Project of the Chathams
The Veterans Project of the Chathams is an
initiative of Library of the Chathams that
seeks to collect, archive, and make
available to the public – via physical display
and digital acquisition – audio, video, and
written personal histories and testimonials
of veterans who are or were residents of
Chatham Borough and Chatham Township.

3. Veterans Day Exhibit 2023
This year, our Veterans Day exhibit honored Chatham veterans who have
served. Thank you to all who contributed and to everyone who has served, or
is currently serving, our country.

4. Miles Gilmore
Miles Gilmore, a retired Lieutenant Colonel, served in the U.S. Army, Transportation
Corps from May 1986 to August 2014. He was deployed various places during this time,
including 12 months in Camp Arifjan, Kuwait for Operation Iraqi Freedom from October
2004 to November 2005.

5. Justin Strickland
Captain Justin Strickland of the U.S. Army served on the front lines in Iraq for a
year as a Platoon Leader in Baghdad. He served an additional year as an Iraqi Army
Advisor in Mosul and earned a Bronze Star and Army Commendation Medals.

6. Joel Boroff
Captain Boroff served as an enlisted man in the MPs and later as an officer
with tours in Panama and Vietnam. He is from a family with a rich and
distinguished history of military service, including his wife, brother,
grandfather, and two children.

7. Ervin Hoag
Erv served in the Marine Corps during World War II in the Pacific Theater. He also
served on the Chatham Township Committee 1970-1972 and was mayor 1971-1972.

8. Madeline Codina Huebner
Madeline was recruited into a cryptology course for the Navy and was subsequently
inducted into WAVES. Her unit received a commendation for breaking Japanese code
before the Battle of Midway, which allowed the U.S. Navy to ambush the Japanese Navy
instead of the reverse. This was a turning point in the war.

9. Edward Nicolai
Lt. Edward A. Nicolai enlisted in the Navy Air Force in September 1942.
He was sent to Corpus Christi, TX for flight training, where he was
assigned to the Pacific Theater flying aircraft carrier-based Hellcats.

10. Samuel Averett
A lifelong Chatham resident, Sam Averett served in the Navy during
World War II, then entered the Naval Reserves. Within 5 years, he was
recalled into service for the Korean War (June 1950-July 1953).

11. Herbert E. Pappky
Herbert Pappky served in the Fifth Air Force in the Pacific during World
War II. Herbert lived in Chatham for 43 years and was an avid reader.

12. Jack Conlan
Chatham Borough resident Jack Conlan served in the United States
Marine Corps during the Korean War.

13. John Westcott Jr.
John Westcott, Jr. grew up in Chatham and taught school before he enlisted in
the U.S. Army. He was commissioned in June 1942, when he was sent to North
Africa. John was killed in January 1943 and was later awarded a Purple Heart
for his bravery and sacrifice.

14. Andrew Ruckriegel
Sergeant Andrew Ruckriegel grew up in Chatham, where his family still
resides. He served for the Army National Guard from 2014 to 2021 and
was deployed in 2019 to Somalia.

15. The Quon Family
The Quon Family from Chatham Borough has an extraordinary number of
family members who have served or are currently serving in the military.
Family members have served in multiple wars, from World War II to the
Vietnam War and beyond.

16. Emily Monks
Emily Monks served in the Marine Corps. She was stationed in Afghanistan in
2010 and Okinawa, Japan from 2011 to 2013. Emily received two Navy and
Marine Corps Achievement Medals.

17. Chatham Fire Department Memorial Axe
In Memory of Chatham Fire Department’s Military Veterans

18. Chatham Historical Society World War Poster

19. Thank you to all who have served our country. We are honored to be able to
share the accomplishments of Chatham residents with the rest of the
community.
Chatham Is Proud of Its Veterans