Following up on the previous post asking for help locating the Hopewell Valley WW II Honor Rolls, we have some more information on honor rolls in Pennington.
The original World War II Pennington Honor Roll is discussed and pictured in Margaret J. O’Connell’s 1966 book, Pennington Profile. The first photo below shows the 1943 dedication, in front of the bank at the corner of Main Street and Delaware Avenue. The second later photo shows that the Honor Roll was extended with two side panels for additional names of locals who had entered service (as was also done in Hopewell).
O’Connell reports that the Pennington Honor Roll named 205 who served in the military, with seven who were killed. The book also has lists of the names on both the World War I and World War II Honor Rolls.
- See post and full digital edition of Pennington Profile – Digital Edition
Pennington Honor Rolls
Courtesy of Kim Ha at the Pennington Public Library, we can share three additional Pennington Honor Rolls, for World War I, World War II, and the Korean Conflict.
These framed lists with beautiful calligraphy are hanging in the meeting room of the Pennington municipal complex (that includes the Pennington Borough Hall, the Police Department, and the Public Library).
In addition, the room also has a framed service flag honoring World War I veterans. This has a white field surrounded by a red frame, with a total of 79 stars. Most of the stars are blue, but there are three silver stars, honoring those who died in service. The stars also are annotated with the name of each veteran.
Other Towns
The Honor Roll for Hopewell Borough was installed in 1943 along with the Service Flag next to the then Hopewell National Bank building on East Broad Street at North Greenwood Avenue. It was removed in 1951 and replaced with bronze plaque to honor all veterans, mounted on a large stone at the then Hopewell Borough Hall at South Greenwood and Columbia (now the firehouse).
The Honor Roll later was held by the American Legion Post, displayed on floats in multiple Hopewell Memorial Day parades, and was in front of the Museum building in 1992. But that was the last known sighting.
We do not have much more on other local honor rolls, only a photo of a Washington Crossing / Titusville World War II honor roll, and a newspaper reference to a planned Hopewell Township honor roll.
The Hopewell Borough Honor Roll and Service Flag are described in Dean Ashton’s 1947 book, Be It Ever So Humble, The Story of Hopewell, New Jersey, and its Servicemen During World War II. Aston reports that in total Hopewell Borough provided more than 200 men and women for the Armed Forces. The book provides a list of 206 Hopewell residents, with four who died in service, plus a second list of 140 more people who lived nearby, with three who died in service.
- See post and full digital scan of Ashton’s book, with “Hopewell News” – from the WWII Homefront
So where are these memorials now? Please contact us if you have more information, photos, or other materials about these or other honor roll / service flag recognition for local veterans.
Thanks to the contributors of the materials that helped to inform and illustrate this project (as credited in the image captions).
More on Memorial Day Activities
Posts on Memorial Day parades and activities
See also Town Events and Veterans Organizations
Memorial Day Parades
- Hopewell Parade Videos 1946 – 1948 – Memorial Day & 1948 Firemen’s videos
- Hopewell Memorial Day Parades c. 1950
- Hopewell Scenes – Memorial Day 1950 – 1990
- Hopewell Memorial Day Parades – 1960s & 70s
- Memorial Day Snapshots – Behind the Scenes – 1960s and 2005
- Memorial Day 1967 – Eagle Bakery
- Pennington Memorial Day Parade Video – 1984
- Hopewell Borough Memorial Day Parade – 1992
- 1990s Pennington Parade Videos – May Day, Memorial Day
Memorial Day and Related History
- Memorial Day – Hopewell’s First Fatality in WW II (1943)
- V-J Day in Hopewell (1945), as reported in the Hopewell News
- 1940s Hopewell Videos – Hopewell Honor Roll
- Where are the Hopewell Valley WW II Honor Rolls?
- Where are the Pennington Honor Rolls?
- Building World War II Avenger Torpedo Bombers at Mercer Airport (1942-45)
Veterans Organizations
- Hopewell Borough Veterans Organizations – GAR & American Legion
Media
- Images: Hopewell Memorial Day Album (Image Gallery)
- Video: Anderson Hopewell Parades 1946-48 (YouTube)
Memorial Day Observances
