Welcome to Township of South Brunswick

For further information, contact:

Jennifer Poppy

   South Brunswick Township

Public Affairs

    732-329-4000, ext. 7275

SOUTH BRUNSWICK HONORS KOREAN WAR VETERAN JOHN MORGAN HARDING JR. WITH STREET DEDICATION

SOUTH BRUNSWICK, N.J. (Oct. 16)—

South Brunswick Township dedicated Harding Court at the intersection of Old Beekman Road and Joye Lane in honor of Private First Class John Morgan Harding Jr., a decorated Korean War veteran and longtime Monmouth Junction resident.

PFC Harding’s family—including his wife, Phyllis; daughter, Tracey, with her son Brian; and son, John Morgan Harding III “Duke,” with his wife Karen and daughter Riley—joined Mayor Charlie Carley, Deputy Mayor Ken Bierman, Councilmembers Jo Hochman, Archana “Ann” Grover, and Patty Germain, Township Manager Bryan Bidlack, Deputy Township Manager Julie Trammell, representatives of local veterans’ organizations including the VFW and American Legion, members of the South Brunswick Police Department and Honor Guard, and community residents for the ceremony honoring his military service and legacy.

The commemorative street sign was unveiled as part of the Township’s Veteran Street Sign Program, which inscribes the names of wartime veterans on secondary street signs along existing municipal roads to ensure their service and sacrifice inspire future generations.

Born in New Brunswick in 1932, Harding entered the United States Army on February 1, 1950. During the Korean War, he served with distinction in Headquarters & Service Company, 151st Engineer Combat Battalion, carrying out vital combat engineering operations on the front lines. He was honorably discharged on January 31, 1953.

For his exemplary and courageous service, Private First Class Harding was awarded the Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart, Combat Infantryman Badge, Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Korean Service Medal with two Bronze Service Stars, United Nations Service Medal, Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation Badge, and the State of New Jersey Korean War Commemorative Medal.

Following his military discharge, Harding became a long-time resident of Monmouth Junction on Old Beekman Road, living a life grounded in devotion to his family, community, and fellow service members as a member of the American Legion.

“To Phyllis, to Tracey, to Duke and Karen, to Brian, Jack and Riley, and to the family: thank you for sharing Morgan with this township, in uniform and out of it. On behalf of South Brunswick Township, it is our honor to dedicate this sign in his memory.” Mayor Charlie Carley said.

The ceremony featured opening remarks from Public Affairs Coordinator Jennifer Poppy, the Pledge of Allegiance and military history presented by VFW Post Commander Scott Weyd, and the official council resolution reading by Deputy Mayor Ken Bierman. Remarks were shared by Harding’s daughter, Tracey, and son, Duke, before the family unveiled the new street sign. Tracey Harding nominated her father for the program.

For more information about South Brunswick Township’s Veteran Street Sign Program, visit southbrunswicknj.gov/public-relations/veteran-street-sign/

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For further information, contact:

Jennifer Poppy

   South Brunswick Township

Public Affairs

    732-329-4000, ext. 7275

SOUTH BRUNSWICK HONORS KOREAN WAR VETERAN
AND FORMER POLICE OFFICER CHARLES WIGGS WITH STREET DEDICATION

SOUTH BRUNSWICK, N.J. (Sept. 28)— South Brunswick Township on Saturday dedicated Wiggs Way at Roberts Street and Williams Road in Kendall Park in honor of Charles Arthur Wiggs, 95, a Korean War Navy veteran, former township police officer and longtime Kendall Park resident.

Wiggs and his family joined Mayor Charlie Carley, Councilwoman Jo Hochman, Councilwoman Archana “Ann” Grover, Councilwoman Patty Germain, Township Manager Bryan Bidlack, Deputy Township Manager Julie Trammell, representatives of veterans organizations, members of the South Brunswick Police Department, including Chief Jim Ryan and the department’s honor guard, and residents for the ceremony, held under the township’s Veteran Street Sign Program.

“He revived a neighbor’s child, he patrolled these streets at night, he built a church’s pulpit in his garage, he built that church where it stands today, and he learned the tango with Jean,” Mayor Carley said, “In those years Kendall Park was houses and streets. Neighbors like Jack Wiggs made it a town.”

Wiggs was born in Rockford, Illinois, in 1931 and enlisted in the Navy in Chicago on October 12, 1948. He trained as a metalsmith and served aboard the battleship USS New Jersey during its 1951 deployment to Korea. He was honorably discharged October 3, 1952. His decorations include the Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Korean Service Medal, United Nations Service Medal and Korean Presidential Unit Citation.

Wiggs and his wife, Jean, settled in Kendall Park in 1957, on Palmer Road and later on Roberts Street, where the family lived until 1995. Known to his neighbors as Jack, he was one of eight special police officers appointed when the township formed a part-time night police force in January 1960, and he served on the force through the 1960s. In 1959 he revived a neighbor’s 18-month-old daughter after the child nearly drowned, and in 1960 he helped build the pulpit for Christ the King Lutheran Church in his garage. Wiggs and Jean were married 72 years; she passed in 2023. His children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren attended the ceremony.

The ceremony included remarks from Scott Weyd, commander of VFW Post 9111, on Wiggs’ naval service.  Police Chief Jim Ryan also spoke and presented Wiggs with an official South Brunswick Police retirement badge in recognition of his service to the department.  Councilwoman Germain read the resolution, and Wiggs and members of his family unveiled the sign. His grandson Michael Treiber nominated him for the program.

The Veteran Street Sign Program honors South Brunswick residents who served in wartime with commemorative signs on existing municipal roads. For more information, visit southbrunswicknj.gov/public-relations/veteran-street-sign/.

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For further information, contact:

Jennifer Poppy

   South Brunswick Township

Public Affairs

    732-329-4000, ext. 7275

SOUTH BRUNSWICK DEDICATES KORNACIVICH PLACE IN HONOR OF VIETNAM WAR VETERAN

SOUTH BRUNSWICK, N.J. (Sept. 21)— South Brunswick Township dedicated Kornacivich Place on Saturday in honor of Ronald John Kornacivich, a Vietnam War veteran and longtime South Brunswick resident who served in the United States Army.

Specialist Four Kornacivich’s wife, Cheryl, joined Mayor Charlie Carley, Deputy Mayor Ken Bierman, Councilwoman Jo Hochman, Councilwoman Archana “Ann” Grover, Township Manager Bryan Bidlack, representatives of local veterans organizations, members of the South Brunswick Police Department and Honor Guard, and residents for the ceremony honoring his military service and legacy.

The commemorative street sign was unveiled at the intersection of Ridge Road and Marc Drive, closest to Georges Road, as part of the Township’s Veteran Street Sign Program. The sign honors Kornacivich’s military service and his years as a member of the South Brunswick community.

Kornacivich was born in 1950 in Somerville and grew up in Manville. He entered the U.S. Army on Feb. 18, 1969, during the Vietnam War and served with the 82nd Airborne Division and the 3rd Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division. He served as a Radio Teletypewriter Operator, Wireman and Sniper before continuing his service with the U.S. Army in Germany and later the Army Reserve. He was honorably discharged in 1975.

For his military service, Kornacivich received the Bronze Star Medal, Army Commendation Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal and Parachute Badge.

Following his military service, Kornacivich made South Brunswick his home for more than 30 years. He worked for Verizon for more than 30 years as a Maintenance Cable Splicer and was a member of IBEW Local 827 and the Telephone Pioneers. He was also active in local veterans organizations and the Super Highway Buck Club of Monmouth Junction.

“From the people who knew him, if you needed help, Ron showed up. He kept his word. He lent his tools, his time and his knowledge without being asked twice,” Mayor Charlie Carley said. “Today, here, we make sure his name stays part of this town. Every person who drives past Kornacivich Place will see it… Now it is written into the streets he lived on.”

The ceremony included remarks from VFW Post 9111 Commander Scott Weyd, who spoke about Kornacivich’s military service and sacrifice. Cheryl Kornacivich accepted the tribute on behalf of the family.

Kornacivich passed away in 2012 at age 62. The Veteran Street Sign Program provides a lasting tribute to South Brunswick residents who served as wartime veterans, with commemorative signs installed along existing municipal roads.

“Every time someone passes Kornacivich Place, they will see the name of a soldier who put his life on the line for this country,” Weyd said during the ceremony.

The ceremony concluded with Taps played by Paul G. Feldman of Taps for Veterans.

For more information about South Brunswick Township’s Veteran Street Sign Program, visit southbrunswicknj.gov/public-relations/veteran-street-sign/.

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