With his daughter Andrea, Anthony Buccino researched the unsung and long forgotten heroes of earlier generations from his present and former hometowns. His latest project – the Nutley Sons and Belleville Sons honor rolls – preserves for future generations of two towns the stories of 347 young men who paid for our freedom with their lives.
The Buccinos collected the stories of 138 Nutley sons and 209 Belleville sons who perished while in service to the United States during the American Revolution, Civil War, Spanish American War, WWI, WWII, the Korean War, the Vietnam War and as peacekeepers preventing war.
With the researching help of his daughter Andrea, the stories of the men were collected, edited and cross-referenced with newspaper accounts, Freedom of Information Act documents and veterans groups accounts.
The ongoing research project resulted in a searchable Internet web site recording the stories of the young men from both towns. Buccino published paperback editions of the collected biographies. Recently, new editions of each book were published and are now available digitally.
Suddenly, with the publication of the Honor Roll tales, the stories, untold and forgotten for 40, 60, and nearly 100 years were suddenly being talked about in Veterans clubs, middle school auditoriums and home libraries.
Buccino heard from widows, sisters, brothers, children, nieces and nephews of fallen soldiers who thanked him after they found their long lost loved one’s tale retold with a fresh breath. They expressed comfort that their loved ones were not forgotten.
In the spring 2005, a new memorial in Nutley was dedicated to Nutley casualties who, it was realized through this research, were not listed on any of the town’s 16 war memorials. Buccino is working with the mayor, veterans groups, and other sponsors and using book sales money to help finance the long overdue memorial.
In May, a new memorial to nine men who died in peacetime was dedicated in Nutley - based on the research in Nutley Sons Honor Roll.
The research effort was recognized by Buccino was named the recipient of the UNICO National 2005 Grand Order Filippo Mazzei William Paca Americanism Award.
UNICO, the largest Italian-American service organization in the United States, said the Americanism Award Committee selected Buccino for his noteworthy efforts in “researching historical facts and contributions of the many unsung heroes who have given their lives for our country.”
This prestigious award is named in honor of Philip Mazzei, an Italian and confidant of Thomas Jefferson, whose ideas and philosophies were instrumental in the formation of the most fundamental principles of our great nation.
The William Paca Award is presented in recognition of historical research and in recognition of the contributions of the many unsung heroes whose lives were expended in making our country the beacon of freedom in the world today.
In November 2005, more than 150 names were added to the Belleville memorial on Union Avenue, Bellleville, after having the blank slate for 50 years awaiting the list of names which was based on the research in Belleville Sons Honor Roll.
In 2006, six street names in a new residential development City Homes At Essex Park in Belleville, N.J., were renamed to honor veterans and four of the Belleville heroes who died while in service.
BELLEVILLE SONS HONOR ROLL
Biographies of the men of Belleville, N.J., who died while in service. In the last century, 156 Belleville sons died while in service to their country. World War II, by far, took the largest toll of 117 young men. World War I took 20 young lives. The Korean War took four lives, and preserving the peace cost us three more Belleville Sons.
NUTLEY SONS HONOR ROLL
Biographies of the men of Nutley, N.J., who died while in service. In the last century, 138 Nutley sons died while in service to their country.
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Copyright © 2009 by Anthony Buccino, all rights reserved. Photos and content may not be used for commercial purposes without written permission.
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