(Camden) The Camden County Freeholder Board, Gloucester County Freeholder Board and Congressman Donald Norcross marked the 76th anniversary of the December 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor at the Battleship New Jersey Museum and Memorial on December 5th.
“Each year we gather to honor those who served and lost their lives at Pearl Harbor on the fateful day that threw the U.S. into World War II,” said Freeholder Bill Moen. “The Freeholder Board invites all county residents to the Battleship to reflect on the contributions of the men and women, past and present, who have faithfully served our nation.”
The ceremony featured a 21-gun salute and a wreath laying in the Delaware River. Perry Levine, of Cherry Hill Township, was presented with the Peter Molnar Award. Perry ‘Johnny’ Levine served three years on active duty as U.S. Navy Supply Corps Officer, three years in U.S. the Navy Active Reserves and three years in U.S. Navy Standby Reserves.
Levine is a Past Jewish War Veterans Post 126 Adjutant, Quartermaster and Post Commander; Past Camden County Veterans Advisory Committee Adjutant;
Past Jewish War Veterans County Council Adjutant, Quartermaster, Sr. Vice Commander and Council Commander; and, Past Jewish War Veterans Department of New Jersey Adjutant. He currently serves as a member of the Camden City Homeless Veterans Action Committee; Camden County Veterans Advisory Committee 1st Vice Commander; Jewish War Veterans Post 126 Quartermaster, Department of New Jersey Chief Aide and National JWV Support Our Soldiers Program Chairman; and, Battleship of New Jersey Trustee.
The award is named for Reverend Peter A. Molnar, known as “Padre” to the Veterans’ Community, who died on October 19, 2012 after decades of devotion to his fellow servicemembers. He served as an Army Chaplain in Vietnam and served active Reserve and National Guard units for 32 years, earning the rank of Colonel. He belonged to American Legion Post #94 and #371, Jewish War Veterans of the USA Post #2013 and VFW in Berlin. Father Molnar worked as a Mental Health Administrator for Camden County for 17 years, and also served as an Assistant Hospital Administrator and Social Worker for the Veterans Affairs Office until retiring from government. During that time, he served a total of 50 years in the Episcopal Diocese of New Jersey, where he was Vicar at St. Mary’s Church in Clementon and Church of the Atonement in Laurel Springs.
Click here for photos of Ceremony.