Clifton Merchant Magazine - May 2013

Clifton Merchant May 2013 3

May 2013 Clifton Merchant4

16,000 Reasons to RememberThe Meaning behind Memorial Day

Roll Call of Honored DeadMichael Tarlavsky, CHS 92, KIA 04

Clifton Vets, Living HistoryShare Stories of Service at WWMS

Avenue of Flags at City HallSee the Patriotic Display on May 27

Unforgettable PeopleLois Wienbrock Remembers Coach Bob

Putting Out HungerClifton Firefighters Host Food Drive

Whats Inside?7

12

28

34

38

40

42

Examining a Notorious NaziEyeball to Eyeball with Rudolf Hess

16,000 Magazines

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Editor & PublisherTom Hawrylko

Business ManagerCheryl Hawrylko

Graphic DesignerKen Peterson

Staff WriterJoe Hawrylko

Contributing WritersTania Jachens, Carol

Leonard, Rich DeLotto,Don Lotz, Jack DeVries

1288 Main AvenueDowntown Clifton, NJ 07011

2013 Tomahawk Promotions

20 Johnny Ace inVietnam

Table of Contents


b

Free Hearing ScreeningsAt Montclair States Bloomfield Clinic

A Mustang in the ShadowsJosh Navanjo Undercover

Route 66 Road TripBill Walton Wrote the Book

1973 CHS ReunionParty Planning Mustangs

Moments of GraceChris de Vincks Essay

Lax Hair. Not FriendsCHS Junior Brendan Schreiber

46

50

52

56

66

8260 Infiniti Party at Fette

100thAnniversary

1913-2013

School #562


1R R

p


Memorial Day is a day to remember the sacrificesmadebymilitarypersonnel.

NosinglegroupsufferedmorethanthePOWstakenbythe

JapaneseinthePacifictheatreduringWorldWarII.Asmany

as80,000AmericansfellintoJapanesehands,includingsixfrom

Clifton,betweenthefallofWakeIslandinDecember1941and

theB-29bombingraidsofTokyoinAugust1945whenJapansur-

rendered.

OnehalfofthePOWsnevercamehome,some40,000mendid

not survive. Torture, execution, non-existent medical care, and

other formsofdeathprevailed. Theydiedonprisonships,called

hell ships because of the unspeakable conditions; on the Bataan

Death March where they were worked to death on the Burma

Railway,orinJapanesecoalminesandfactories.

Whathappened to theDoolittleRaiderswasaperfectexampleof

JapanesePOWtreatment.

The raidoccurredonApril 18, 1942. Eightymen in sixteenB-25

bombers attacked Japan. Threewerekilled in action, and eightwere

takenasPOWs. Threemenwereexecutedaswarcriminals. Five

were sentenced to lifetime solitary confinement,where one died from

malnutritionandonesufferedamentalbreakdown.Eventuallyfourmen

returnedhomeinSeptember1945,onlyonehalfofthosecaptured.

However,even theseatrocitiescannotcomparewith the thousandsof

POWswhoperishedbydrowningwhenprisonshipswereshelledandtor-

pedoedunknowinglybyUSNavyships.

16,000Reasons toRememberBy Rich DeLotto

MEMORIAL DAY MAY 27, 2013

In 1925, Cliftons Joseph V. DeLiberto who lived on Barkley Ave., served as a buglerwith the National Guard in Ossining, New York

In 1944 alone, over 16,000 POWsperished in ship sinkings in the Pacific theatre.


Inearly1942, the InternationalRedCross requested

thattheJapaneseNavymarktheshipscarryingPOWs.

At first, the Japanese refused, then began marking all

theirships,includingthosecarryingonlyweapons.

By1943theDepartmentofWarmade theirdecision

theonlywaytoshortenthewarwastodestroyship-

pingtherefore all ships were to be attacked.

Uncoveredattheendofthewar,recordswerekeptbythe

enemyof shipandcargo lossesguns, ammo,POWs.

In1944alone,over16,000POWsperishedinshipsink-

ingsinthePacifictheatre.

It shouldbementioned that in theEuropean theatre,

American POWs weremore than double those of the

Pacific.POWsdiedatthehandsoftheNazisatabout

a5percentdeathrate.Nearly10,000Americansdiedin

captivity.TwentymilitarycemeteriesinEuropeholdthe

remainsofmorethanonehalfofthesemen.

ThisMemorialDay,rememberthemenandwomenwho

paid the highest price for our country, especially the

POWs.Cometo theWarMemorialMonumentonMain

Ave.onMay27at11amtohonorthosekilledinaction.

Sheriff Richard H. Berdnik

HappyHappyMothers DayMothers Day

from my family to yours...

MEMORIAL DAY MAY 27, 2013T

2001 photo by Al Zwiazek


May 5 will be the 43rd anniversaryofthedeathinVietnamofFirstSgt.

William E. Malcolm Jr (5/5/70),

101stAirborne,U.S.Army, the last

manfromCliftonlostinthewar.

It should be noted that Malcolm

servedatPresidentKennedysfuner-

al as Commander of the 21-gun

saluteinNovember1963.Heispic-

tured here at President Kennedys

grave.OnNovember22,itwillbe50

yearssincethepresidentsassassina-

tion,and50yearssinceatwenty-one

year old Clifton soldier served his

country,firstinpeacetime,andseven

yearslater,theninwar.

The Dwyer family moved toDelawanna from New York in thelate1940sduring the famousbaby

boomexplosion.Theneighborhood

didnottakelongtonoticethegood

naturedkidnamedMatt.

VFW7165member PeteCarroll

still remembers coming back from

Germany in hisArmy uniform and

talking toMatt in the early 1950s.

Justthenicestkidyoucouldimag-

ine.Lotsofquestions,andalwaysa

bigsmile.

People from Delawanna always

remembered when the Dwyers

boughtahomeinNutleyandmoved

away around 1960. No one could

forgetakid likeMatt. Sowhenhe

graduatedfromhighschoolin1964,nobodywassur-

prisedhejoinedtheMarines.

PFCMatthewM.Dwyer Jr.went toVietnam as a

combatengineerinMay1966andcamehomeinJuly

1967 as a corporal, with a Purple Heart from a leg

wound.Sixmonthslater,hereceivedordersforasec-

ondtour.ArrivinginearlyFebruary1968,hewassent

tothe3rdMarinedivisionduringthemostfamousperi-

odofthewar,theTetOffensive.OnFebruary28,1968,

Dwyerwasordered intoKheSanhbyhelicopter. He

nevermadeit.Approachingthebase,theCH-46with

twenty-three on board was struck by ground fire,

crashedandexploded.

In early March 1968, Marine Corp. Matthew M.

Dwyer Jr. was buried at East Ridgelawn Cemetery,

Clifton,justblocksfromtheneighborhoodthatalways

rememberedthekidwithasmile.

Two Who Died in Vietnam


During World War II, communities across America createdhonor rolls to let friends, neighbors and passerbys know ofthose men serving the Armed Services of our nation. Thisboard was erected on what today would be the parking lot ofSchool 5 on Valley Rd. Pictured inset from left is Louis,Catherine and Bessie Lotz pointing to the name of their broth-er. Beginning on the following page and organized by the warin which they served, we have again published the name ofevery Clifton man who died while in service to our nation.

MEMORIAL DAY MAY 27, 2013


M


World War OneLouis AblezerAndrew BlahutTimothy CondonJohn CrozierOrrie De GrootOlivo De LucaItalo De MattiaAugust De Rose

Jurgen DykstraSeraphin FioriRalph GallassoOtto Geipel

Mayo GiustinaPeter HoroschakEmilio Lazzerin Joseph LiechtyJacob Morf, Jr.

William MorfEdwin C. PetersonRobert H. RoatAlfred SifferlenJames R. StoneCarmelo UricchioAngelo VaretoniMichael VernarecCornelius VisbeckIgnatius WuschingBertie ZanettiOtto B. Zanetti

REMEMBERING OUR HONORED DEAD

The poppy, still associated withMemorial Day, was inspired by thepoem In Flanders Fields writtenby Lieutenant Colonel JohnMcCrae of the Canadian forces in1915 before the United Statesentered World War I. Selling repli-cas of the original Flanderspoppy originated in some of theallied countries immediately afterthe Armistice. Disabled veteransmake these artificial flowers, andearn a small income after theirwork is sold by members of localveterans posts on Memorial Day.

MichaelA.WallerDirector

James J. Marrocco CFSP, CPCManager, NJ Lic No. 3320

WWW.MARROCCOS.COM

Dino Primo Ambrosi Michael Carbonella Peter J. Chuprevich Louis De Molli Sr. Frank Thomas Derelitto Vincent Gentiluomo Samuel J. Kahwaty

Emil Markovich Joseph N. Nicastro Joseph Peter Patti Henry J. Scussel Peter Senyshyn Rudolph F. Sokasits Leonard Tanzillo Leonid Tomaczuk

The memory will live forever.Over the past year, we have hadthe privilege of serving the fam-ilies of many veterans. Inrecognition of the service theseveterans rendered to their coun-try, we would like to show ourappreciation this MemorialDay. In memory of their livesand their service, we recall...

470ColfaxAve.Clifton,NJ07013

(cornerofBroadSt.)

973-249-6111


World War TwoJoseph SperlingCharles Peterson Thomas Donnellan

Jerry TothFrank LennonJoseph CarboyJulius WeisfeldEdward LadwikIsrael RabkinPeter PagnilloHarold WeeksWilliam WeeksSalvatore Favata Herman AdamsEdward Kostecki

Charles Hooyman, Jr.Salvatore MichelliRichard NovakJames Potter

Adam LiptakJohn Van Kirk

Carlyle MalmstromFrancis GormleyCharles StanchakJoseph Ladwik

Karl GermelmannRobert StevensAlbert Tau

William ScottBenjamin PuzioJames Van NessGregory Jahn

Nicholas StanchakFrank Smith, JrCarl BredahlDonald YahnJoseph Belli

Edwin KalinkaStanley Swift

Charles LotzJoseph PrebolWalter NazarBenedict Vital

Thaddeus BukowskiLeo GrossmanMichael KasheyStephen Messineo

John JanekJohn YanickHerbert Gibb

William NalesnikJoseph SowmaBronislaus PitakHarry TamboerJohn Olear

John KoropchakJoseph NugentSteven GombocsThomas Gula

paid for by Committee to Elect Sheila Oliver

Proudly Serving Assembly District 34... Clifton, Orange, East Orange & Montclair

The Honorable

Sheila Y. OliverSpeaker of New Jersey

15-33 Halsted St., Suite 202 East Orange, NJ 07018973-395-1166 [email protected]

paid for by Committee to Elect Sheila Oliver

Be sure to visit Cliftons Avenue of Flags this Memorial Day, May 27, from 6am-7pm.



NancyShookGarretson,President

NJLic.No.3657

RoyB.Garretson,Manager

NJLic.No.3550

ThomasJ.Garretson,Director

NJLic.No.4988

KevinV.White,Director

NJLic.No.4964

JosephM.Shook,Sr.,Founder

1924-2008


World War TwoRaymond CurleyHarry EarnshawJames HenryJohn Layton

Charles MessineoJoseph PetruskaBogert TerpstraJohn Kotulick

Peter VroegindayMichael SobolDonald SangAndew SankoGeorge Zeim, Jr.Robert Van Liere Vernon BrosemanHarold OKeefeEdward Palffy

Dennis SzabadayLewis Cosmano

Stanley Scott, Jr.Charles Hulyo, Jr.Arnold Hutton Frank BarthJohn KanyoBryce Leighty

Joseph BertneskieSamuel BychekLouis NettoDavid Ward

Edward RembiszLawrence ZanettiAlfred Jones

Stephen BlondekJohn Bulyn

Gerhard KadenWilliam LawrenceRobert Doherty

Samuel GuglielmoRobert Parker

Joseph MolsonStephen KuchaJames De BiaseDominick GianniManuel MarcosNicholas PalkoWilliam SlyboomHerman Teubner

Thomas CommiciottoStephen Surgent Albert BertneskieCharles GashPeter Jacklin

Peter Shraga,Jr.John Aspesi

Micheal LadyczkaEdward MarcheseRobert Stephan Roelof Holster, Jr.Alex Hossack



Siber SpeerFrank Klimock

Salvatore ProcopioHarry Breen

Gordon Tomea, Jr.Douglas GleesonFred HazekampHarold Roy

Andrew Servas, Jr.Francis AlessoWalter BobzinVincent LazzaroJohn Opt HofJoseph Sondey

John ZierPeter HellrigelSteve Luka

Arthur Vanden BreeHarold BakerHans Fester

Patrick ConklinJohn Thompson

Thomas Dutton, Jr.Harold Ferris, Jr.

Donald FredaJoseph Guerra

Edward HornbeckWilliam HromniakStephen PetrilakWayne Wells

Vincent MontalbanoJames MilesLouis Kloss

Andrew KacmarcikJohn Hallam

Anthony LeanzaWilliam Sieper

Sylvester CancellieriGeorge WorschakFrank Urrichio

Andrew MarchincakCarl AndersonGeorge Holmes

Edward StadtmauerKermit Goss

George HuemmerAlexander YewkoEmil Chaplin

John HushlerEdgar Coury

Robert HubingerWilbur LeeVito VeneziaJoseph RussinErnest Yedlick

Charles CannizzoMichael BarberoJoseph PalaganoWilliam HadrysJoseph Hoffer, Jr.Joseph PiccoloJohn RobinsonFrank TorkosArthur MayerEdward JaskotGeorge RussellFrank Groseibl

Richard Van VlietBenjamin BoykoHarry CarlinePaul DominoJohn Fusiak

Buonafina Plumbing & Heating, 385 Lakeview Ave., Clifton973-340-2200 www.buonafinaplumbing.com

Master Plumber Lic. # 12406 Home Improvement Contractor # 13VH05704200

Cliftons Hometown PlumberOscar Buonafina takes pride in the work of his firm.Every job is unique. Among our services...

Bathroom Renovations Faucet Repair & Installation Drain Cleaning & Rooter Service Sewer & Water Replacement Sewer TV/Video Inspection Boiler Repairs & Installations Hot Water Heaters Sump Pump Installation French Drain Installation

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World War TwoLouis Ritz

William NiaderAlfred AipleMario Taverna

Sebastian De LottoMatthew Bartnowski

John BogertJoseph ColluraMatthew DanielsJames Doland, Jr.Walter DolginkoPeter KonapakaAlfred MasseroniCharles Merlo

Stephen MiskevichJohn PtasienskiLeo Schmidt

Robert Teichman

Louis VuoncinoRichard VecellioRobert HegmannErnest Triemer

John Peterson Richard Vander Laan, Jr.

Stephan KuchaGigito Netto


Memorial Day Weekend CeremoniesSunday, May 26 7 pm - Volunteers decorate the area around the War Monument in Main Memorial Park with American Flags

Monday, May 27 6 am - Avenue of Flags Set-up at City Hall 8:15 am - Fire Dept. Memorial at the Brighton Rd. Firehouse 9 am - Memorial Day Parade, Hepburn Rd. 9:30 am - Allwood Memorial at Chelsea Park 11 am - City Wide Memorial Service at Main Memorial Park Noon - Military Order of Purple Hearts at the Clifton Library 12:30 pm - Post 347 Memorial at the Clifton Rec Center 2 pm - Athenia Veterans Memorial on Huron Ave. 6 pm - Avenue of Flags Take Down at City Hall

CHEIDEMANNERNEST T.

AGENCYS1297 MAIN AVENUE CLIFTON973-478-5967 or 800-43-HOUSEYour trusted Independent Insurance Agentssince 1916. Let us evaluate your coverage!

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We Honor Americas Veterans


Korean WarDonald FrostErnest HausslerWilliam KullerJoseph Amato

Herbert DemarestGeorge ForneliusEdward Luisser

Reynold CampbellLouis Le SterDennis Dyt

Raymond HalendwanyJohn CrawbuckErnest HagberyWilliam Gould

Edward FlanaganWilliam Snyder

Allen HillerArthur GrundmanDonald Brannon

Vietnam WarAlfred Pino

Thomas DandoWilliam SiposBohdan Kowal

Robert Kruger, Jr.Bruce McFadyenCarrol WilkeKeith Perrelli

William ZalewskiLouis Grove

Clifford Jones, Jr.George McClelland

Richard CorcoranJohn Bilenski

Donald CampbellJames Strangeway, Jr.

Donald ScottHoward Van VlietFrank MoormanRobert Prete Guyler Tulp

Nicholas CerratoEdward DeitmanRichard Cyran

Leszek KulaczkowskiWilliam MalcolmLeonard BirdJohn France

Stephen Stefaniak Jr.

Nov. 8, 1961Plane CrashRobert De VogelVernon GriggsRobert MarositzRobert Rinaldi

Raymond ShambergerHarold SkoglundWillis Van Ess, Jr.

Passaic County Clerk

Kristin Corrado

Honor Our Veterans!God Bless America!

US Army/Special Forces Captain Michael Tarlavskywas killed in Najaf, Iraq on Aug. 12,2004 and buried with honors inArlington National Cemetery on Aug.24. Tarlavsky, CHS Class of 92, wascaptain of the Swim Team and enlist-ed in the Army in 1996. He served inIraq and Afghanistan and was award-ed the Bronze Star. He is survived byhis wife Tricia, son Joseph, his parentsYury and Rimma and a sister, Elina.The Veterans Alliance engraved hisname on the Downton Clifton MainAvenue War Memorial in 2004 thefirst name added in 34 years.

To volunteer in decoratingMain Memorial Park for theMay 27 ceremonies, callMayor James Anzaldi at973-470-5757. To help outwith the Avenue of Flags,turn to page 38 for details.


Johnny AceADegreeinLifefromtheUSMC

By Joe Hawrylko

Clifton Veterans


Now look at the photo of those Marines in Vietnam.

Cliftons Johnny Ace, the 19 year old kid with the machine

gunners bandolier across his sinewy body, embodies those

traits and more. Lean and steely-eyed, he has swagger, looks

a little scary and is ready to lead.

Ace was the Platoon Sergeant in charge of three squadrons

and two rocket crews, some 50 men. He was under the com-

mand of Lt. Abel Daredes who was perhaps six years older.

They were leading the men of Company F, Second Battalion,

First Marine Division, back in 1967.

I always covered ammo for the gun teams. Everybody

takes turns. Thats so if you get caught in the field with your

pants down, you got some ammo. On more than one

instance, Ace would need not only those belts of machine

gun ammunition but also all of his Marine Corps training to

get him and his men back home alive.

Looking back on his time in the jungle, and the meritori-

ous service which earned him the Navy Commendation

Medal with the Combat V, Ace has remorse for the lives

of young men left on the battlefields and in the rice paddies

of Vietnam. Perhaps too he is sorry about the shaky years

after his return to civilian life and the failed marriages.

But as far as being a Marine, Johnny Ace has no regrets.

When Im making decisions in life, he continues, I take

into consideration, subconsciously, the same things Id make

in the field, only in a civilian way.

Now 65 and retired from the commercial real estate busi-

ness and after almost two decades as a lonely cross country

trucker, Ace lives with his fourth wife in Arizona.

But looking back to the Marines and his time in Vietnam,

he said the enlistment was the first right move he made. I

would take my experiences from the Marine Corpsnot

only Vietnam, but my four years in the Marine Corps active

dutyand say that it was the best thing that I ever did for

myself. I was heading to jail the way that I was going.

Now look at the inset of that young Clifton boy on this

page.

Marines put a lot of stock in bearing. One of the 14Marine Corps Leadership Traits is defined as: The wayyou conduct or carry yourself. Your manner should reflectalertness, competence, confidence, and control.


Thats Cliftons Johnny Ace, (also pictured below

today), the kid with a mischievous smile in 8th grade at

Woodrow Wilson Junior High School, the year before he

dropped out and tried to enlist.

Ace was his birth name. No kid-

din. That was my fathers name. He

left when I was two. He does not

remember his dad but like the lines in

a Johnny Cash song, he has no great

love for his namesake. Ace was a lit-

tle hard. Try being called an acehole

all the time.

He was raised by his mom and

stepfather, Mr. and Mrs. Thaddeus

and Evelyn Motyl on Graham Place in

Acquakonack Gardens. He recalled

good times growing up in what was

then called the Veterans Barracks.

Ace went to School 5 on Valley Rd. and ran with the

Nobles and the Bolero Boysfor the landmark bowling

alley where Fette Ford is today. Some of his old street

corner pals included Jimmy Brittan, Rich DiOrio, John

Henry, Bobby McDermett, Richie and Mike Brechko.

Ultimately, Ace wasnt cut out for school. He

dropped out at 17, and took up a dead end job at a facto-

ry. With few prospects to improve his lot in life, Ace

made the choice to enlist in the Marines one afternoon in

the summer of 1965 while in New York City with some

friends.

There was five of us and we all wanted to join the

Merchant Marines, he recalled. We went down to the

New York harbor and they said Were not hiring any-

body, One of the guys was like why dont we join the

Marine Corps and so we did.

Though Ace had filled out paperwork in New York, he

was still only 17 at the time, and needed his moms

approval to go.

I just said I am going, he

recalled. She had to sign for me to

get into the Marines, and I said I am

splitting out of here if you dont.

Aces parents eventually signed,

and he went off to Parris Island for

boot, graduating in December of

1965. The Cliftonite was then

assigned to Fox Company, 2nd

Battalion, 2nd Marines out of Camp

Lejeune. Ace would spend the next 11

months getting combat ready.

It was good for me, he recalled.

I learned to read a map, I learned to

call artillery. I learned all that stuff

that you would use in the field but that youd never get

if you went to boot and then to Nam. Thats why I was

able to pick up rank. I knew the inner workings. Most

guys were going through boot and getting shipped out

right away. At least I knew what to expect and what I

had to do. I believe that saved my ass. That and my

grandmothers (Anna Levendofsky) prayers, of course.

Ace received his orders in the fall of 1966, and spent

23 days in November at sea aboard a transport before

arriving in Da Nang, Vietnam.

One of the first things that Ace noticed upon landing

was the notoriously brutal weather.

The heat was always there, he said. The only thing

you had for it was the monsoon season, when it would

rain for 30 days straight. Sometimes it was a blessing if

youre in a fire fight. Rockets or bullets would

My husband Eric and I areproud to support LaurenMurphy in her 2014 cam-paign for Clifton CityCouncil. If you would like tojoin us in her progressivecampaign please contact herat [email protected].

paid for by the Oliver Family

Lauren Murphy

2014 Candidate forClifton City Council

The progressthe voiceWe need...deserve.


Thats Cliftons Johnny Ace, (also pictured below

today), the kid with a mischievous smile in 8th grade at

Woodrow Wilson Junior High School, the year before he

dropped out and tried to enlist.

Ace was his birth name. No kid-

din. That was my fathers name. He

left when I was two. He does not

remember his dad but like the lines in

a Johnny Cash song, he has no great

love for his namesake. Ace was a lit-

tle hard. Try being called an acehole

all the time.

He was raised by his mom and

stepfather, Mr. and Mrs. Thaddeus

and Evelyn Motyl on Graham Place in

Acquakonack Gardens. He recalled

good times growing up in what was

then called the Veterans Barracks.

Ace went to School 5 on Valley Rd. and ran with the

Nobles and the Bolero Boysfor the landmark bowling

alley where Fette Ford is today. Some of his old street

corner pals included Jimmy Brittan, Rich DiOrio, John

Henry, Bobby McDermett, Richie and Mike Brechko.

Ultimately, Ace wasnt cut out for school. He

dropped out at 17, and took up a dead end job at a facto-

ry. With few prospects to improve his lot in life, Ace

made the choice to enlist in the Marines one afternoon in

the summer of 1965 while in New York City with some

friends.

There was five of us and we all wanted to join the

Merchant Marines, he recalled. We went down to the

New York harbor and they said Were not hiring any-

body, One of the guys was like why dont we join the

Marine Corps and so we did.

Though Ace had filled out paperwork in New York, he

was still only 17 at the time, and needed his moms

approval to go.

I just said I am going, he

recalled. She had to sign for me to

get into the Marines, and I said I am

splitting out of here if you dont.

Aces parents eventually signed,

and he went off to Parris Island for

boot, graduating in December of

1965. The Cliftonite was then

assigned to Fox Company, 2nd

Battalion, 2nd Marines out of Camp

Lejeune. Ace would spend the next 11

months getting combat ready.

It was good for me, he recalled.

I learned to read a map, I learned to

call artillery. I learned all that stuff

that you would use in the field but that youd never get

if you went to boot and then to Nam. Thats why I was

able to pick up rank. I knew the inner workings. Most

guys were going through boot and getting shipped out

right away. At least I knew what to expect and what I

had to do. I believe that saved my ass. That and my

grandmothers (Anna Levendofsky) prayers, of course.

Ace received his orders in the fall of 1966, and spent

23 days in November at sea aboard a transport before

arriving in Da Nang, Vietnam.

One of the first things that Ace noticed upon landing

was the notoriously brutal weather.

The heat was always there, he said. The only thing

you had for it was the monsoon season, when it would

rain for 30 days straight. Sometimes it was a blessing if

youre in a fire fight. Rockets or bullets would


be dampened. Most of my feet, the skin fell off. Your

feet are always wet. It still bothers me to this day. Ive

got dead nerves under my toes.

Over the course of his 13 month deployment, Ace

estimated that he participated in 10 major operations,

eventually taking over the lead of the platoon at just 19

years of age. Eventually, his paperwork was sorted out

and he was attached to the 1st Marines.

Major fire fights and all that stuff, I remember very

clearly, he said. We were in combat just about every

single day because we had the helicopters. The average

infantry man in Vietnam spent 240 days in combat out of

13 months. In World War II, they spent about 40 days in

combat out of four years. The whole thing was mobility.

Ace said that the harsh weather conditions, booby-

traps and constant ambushes took a mental toll on him

and his comrades. In a June 1967 letter home to his mom

and dad, Ace wrote bluntly about the action, some of the

conditions and the things he saw. It was later published

that year in a local newspaper.

The booby traps and mines took most of the Marines.Its not a pretty sight, Mom. Especially when its yourgood buddies getting it out there. I watch them fall and

try to help but I have to keep my men going cause if wedont find Charlie in a hurry hell only get more of us. Sowe have to kill him and everyone who sympathizes withhim. They are all no good, Mom. I shoot everyone ofthem I see.

But despite the killing and chaos going on around him

in Vietnam, Ace said he tried to do his best to stay

focused in the field and complete his 13 month tour.

Everybody counted the days. When youre with

infantry company, if you make it to three months, you

got a pretty good shot of making it out of there. We lost

many guys because they were new, he said. I used to

go by month when I was still in the field. When I was

supposed to be out I really wasnt even thinking about

home... I was thinking about staying alive. At one point

I am still in the field on my last day and they send a

chopper in for me and take me out. I didnt think about

rotating. If you think about it, it may take away from

your attention span that you need to keep your ass alive.

When he was discharged in October of 1967, Ace

was nominated for the Bronze Star, and ended up receiv-

ing the Navy Commendation Medal, which is one of the

most prestigious honors in the Navy.

In 2001, Johnny Ace with some of hisClifton family which includes PatriciaMotyl, Larry Motyl, Jane Motyl, Lois AceUhleman, Joseph Gebbia, ArnoldUhleman, Susan Ace, Tammy MotylGebbia, Joseph Motyl, Christian Motyl,Jake Gebbia and Lisa Uhleman Bisher.


be dampened. Most of my feet, the skin fell off. Your

feet are always wet. It still bothers me to this day. Ive

got dead nerves under my toes.

Over the course of his 13 month deployment, Ace

estimated that he participated in 10 major operations,

eventually taking over the lead of the platoon at just 19

years of age. Eventually, his paperwork was sorted out

and he was attached to the 1st Marines.

Major fire fights and all that stuff, I remember very

clearly, he said. We were in combat just about every

single day because we had the helicopters. The average

infantry man in Vietnam spent 240 days in combat out of

13 months. In World War II, they spent about 40 days in

combat out of four years. The whole thing was mobility.

Ace said that the harsh weather conditions, booby-

traps and constant ambushes took a mental toll on him

and his comrades. In a June 1967 letter home to his mom

and dad, Ace wrote bluntly about the action, some of the

conditions and the things he saw. It was later published

that year in a local newspaper.

The booby traps and mines took most of the Marines.Its not a pretty sight, Mom. Especially when its yourgood buddies getting it out there. I watch them fall and

try to help but I have to keep my men going cause if wedont find Charlie in a hurry hell only get more of us. Sowe have to kill him and everyone who sympathizes withhim. They are all no good, Mom. I shoot everyone ofthem I see.

But despite the killing and chaos going on around him

in Vietnam, Ace said he tried to do his best to stay

focused in the field and complete his 13 month tour.

Everybody counted the days. When youre with

infantry company, if you make it to three months, you

got a pretty good shot of making it out of there. We lost

many guys because they were new, he said. I used to

go by month when I was still in the field. When I was

supposed to be out I really wasnt even thinking about

home... I was thinking about staying alive. At one point

I am still in the field on my last day and they send a

chopper in for me and take me out. I didnt think about

rotating. If you think about it, it may take away from

your attention span that you need to keep your ass alive.

When he was discharged in October of 1967, Ace

was nominated for the Bronze Star, and ended up receiv-

ing the Navy Commendation Medal, which is one of the

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The following is an excerpt the Commanding General

of the Pacific Fleet Marine Force wrote about Ace:

As a Platoon Sergeant, on 7 September, he led asquad of swimmers across a river and, despite a heavyvolume of enemy fire, skillfully deployed his men, forc-ing the enemy to withdraw. Again, on 14 September,when one of his squads was pinned down by a numeri-cally superior Viet Cong force, Sergeant Ace unhesitat-ingly led a relief unit to the besieged Marines andforced the enemy to abandon numerous packs andequipment and flee in panic and confusion.

The award is one thing. Its the faith that your guys

have in you. The trust you platoon commander puts on

you, those are the most rewarding things, said Ace.

My guys never questioned me, and my platoon com-

mander never questioned me. That was worth more to

me than anything, any commendation.

The former Marine did his best to return to civilian

life, but had his fair share of troubles adjusting.

Eventually Ace did find solace on the road as a truck

driver for Filigree Foods.

Most of the time, I used to run the 48 States and

Canada, he said. I liked it because most of the time, I

was by myself. I didnt wanna deal with people, so it

worked out real well. Being alone when I was on the

truck was no responsibility as far as I was concerned.

But what Ace didnt realize that was his aversion to

people wasnt just a personality quirkit was PTSD.

He only realized that after two back surgeries derailed

his trucking career, and he started to develop depres-

sion from lying about the house.

I was diagnosed in 1984, he recalled. Everything

I did I thought was right until I went to the VA in 1982

or 1983. I told them Ive got these problems. I told

them exactly what happened: nightmares, flashbacks,

my temper... they put me in a program and gave me

medication. I still do the same thing to this day. It

keeps me stable.

They had just made it a disability in 1983 or 1984,

Ace continued. I didnt know what it was. I just

thought it was normal stuff. Probably the worst part

was the depression. Thats what sent me to the VA to

start. I can deal with flash backs. I can deal with

dreams. Depression? It will make you kill yourself. I

am not a suicide guy, but I know a lot of guys who have

pulled the trigger because of depression.

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Since being diagnosed and undergoing treatment,

Aces quality of life has improved dramatically. He

eventually recovered enough to return to work, and

spent many years working in commercial real estate.

But even though it has been decades, Ace still finds

himself thinking like a Marine. I have an office at

home where I have all my stuff from the Marine Corps

in there, he said. I draw strength from that... War

time experience gave me the mentality that everything

can be figured out tactically. Its when emotions get

involved is when stuff gets messed up.

While the war ended on April 30, 1975 with the Fall

of Saigon and the formal reunification of Vietnam into a

communist state, Ace knows that his struggles against

PTSD and depression will be a battle for the rest of his

life. Its a dull pain in your mind that doesnt go away,

Ace continued. I can go two weeks without a dream,

but then I will wake up in the middle of the night soak-

ing wet, I smacked my wife... I just dont know when

this stuff is gonna come up. It aint my fault. I try the

best I can. It is just something that stays with you.

Go to www.cliftonmerchant.com to seemore about Johnny Ace.


In Berlin, Dr. Gregory Zipf Met the InfamousNazi Rudolf Hess... and his Clifton Bride!

TreatingThe Prisoner

Clifton Veterans

By Joe Hawrylko

In the center of the photo above, thats Dr. Gregory Zipf at the Berlin Wall. He was an Army opthamologist in Germanyfrom 1982 to 1985. While there, Zipf treated the infamous Nazi, Rudolf Hess, pictured before his death and during WWII.

When Cliftonite Gregory Zipf accepted his healthprofessional scholarship, he knew that it would entail

him serving three years for Uncle Sam. What the

opthalmologist didnt know was that he would be

shipped to Berlin, Germany, where he would not only

meet his future wife, but would also come face to face

with one of the most infamous Nazis from World War

II, Rudolf Hess.

Prior to enlisting, Zipf was a standout football play-

er at CHS, where was a part of the undefeated team

that won the state championship prior to his gradua-

tion in 1973. He then attended Notre Dame


TreatingThe Prisoner

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before going on to the Pennsylvania College of

Optometry in Philadelphia.

There, as a part of his agreement with the government,

his final three years of school were paid for in exchange

for three years of military service with the Army.

Senior year, they sent me to Letterman Army

Hospital in San Francisco, and then when I graduated,

they sent me to San Antonio for overseas training, he

said. Zipf also did his basic in San Antonio, TX. Then

they sent me to Berlin on Sept. 1, 1982.

At that point in time, tensions were still extremely

high in Germany due to the Cold War.

Following the end of World War II, the occupying

powers in Germanythe United States, Britain, France

and the USSRdivided Berlin into quarters, each being

governed by a single country.

Eventually, the Cold War progressed, international

relations worsened and the Soviets absorbed their territo-

rydubbed East Germanyinto the Eastern Bloc, ulti-

mately constructing the infamous Berlin Wall to keep out

Russias enemies.

We were always on constant alert because they were

always thinking the Russians were coming over,

recalled Zipf. About my third or fourth night there,

they put me up in the officers apartments. About 4 am,

the whole building started shaking. I looked out and it

was tanks rolling on by.

But outside of occasional drills and shows of military

prowess, life in Berlin was relatively quiet. Most days,

Zipf would go to work, see his patients and then end up

with buddies over at the local officers club.

They took Hitlers hotel, where he hung out in World

War II, and we made that into our officers club. It was

an absolutely awesome building, he recalled. The

whole bottom floor was a gigantic bar. Wed have happy

hour on Fridays, and everyone would come, from gener-

als to colonels, all the way down. Everyone would come

drinking in their fatigues. You were drinking a 16 ounce

German beer for 25 cents. Any kind of drink was maybe

40 cents. We had a huge buffet too, all you can eat.

Another ever-present reminder of what had transpired

in World War II was the looming presence of Spandau

Prison, located in West Berlin.

Spandau dated back to the 1500s. It kind of looked

like a castle or fortress, recalled Zipf.

After the Nuremberg Trials, some of the highest rank-

ing Nazi officers were imprisoned at Spandau, including

Karl Dnitz, Konstantin von Neurath, Baldur von

Schirach, Albert Speer, Erich Raeder, Walter Funk and

Rudolf Hess.

Of those seven, Hess was the only one still incarcerat-

ed when Zipf was in Germany, as he was serving out a

life sentence. Hess was primarily known for two things:

being Adolf Hitlers right hand man while in power, and

his bizarre capture in 1939, when Hess secretly flew over

to England to negotiate a peace treaty and was instead

taken into custody.

As an Army doctor, Zipf had only heard stories about

Spandau and Hess from other soldiers that he had cared

for. But in late August of 1984, the Cliftonite wound up

caring for the man known as The Prisoner.

I was actually on optometrist on call to the emergency

room. It was a Friday. Back then, Fridays were great.

Youd get out of work in the afternoon, go home and then

go to the officers club, said Zipf. On the way home,

my beeper went off. I stoped at the PX and I called in and

they said, Oh, weve got an emergency. Go home, get

your dress uniform, and then come back to the hospital.

What the hell? So I get my dress uniform and run back

and the internist is there waiting with a limo and they said

Hop in, were going to Spandau, weve got an emer-

gency. I just thought, this is going to be crazy.

Cliftons Sandra Palinkas and Greg Zipf were marriedon June 15, 1984 in Berlin, where they met.


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It was in the summer. We were

having our big festival at the

German American Folk Festival on

our base. Wed set up gigantic tents

like they had at the Clifton picnic,

food, sausage, beer... just a great

time, he laughed. Thats where I

was supposed to be and here I am at

prison and I cant believe it.

Zipf arrived at Spandau and pro-

ceeded passed the big iron doors at

the front gate, but the guards there

stopped him.

I just had my Army ID and

couldnt get in, he said. You had

to have your ID signed by all four

governors (from each Allied coun-

try). The internist was having a fit.

Eventually, the needed represen-

tatives were contacted and Zipf was

allowed access. He went into the

main building to a small clinic, and

a few minutes later, in walked

Rudolph Hess.

It was a total shock. I never

thought we were involved with the

prison. I always thought if they had

a problem, theyd bring in a special-

ist, he said. The crazy thing about

it was, while I am looking at him,

the French, the Russians... all of

them are looking over my shoulder.

They had me there to determine if

he was having a retinal detachment.

If he was, everything would go

crazy. Theyd have to close down

whole sections of the city to get him

out of the prison and over to the

British hospital.

It turned out that Hess, who

already did not have vision in his

right eye, was actually suffering

from macular degeneration, which is

an aging of the eyes and not serious.

After the session was over, Zipf

went back out to meet his friends at

the officers club.

I told them, I just happened to

see somebody on the way here,

laughed Zipf. Eventually he let on

that he was at Spandau, and every-

one realized where Zipf was.

Everyone was kind of flipping out.

It was kind of amazing.

Zipf returned to treat Hess twice

more. The Cliftonite was later ques-

tioned by authorities after Hess tried

to get an early release by claiming

that the American doctor had told

him his vision was failing.

In August of 1987, Hess was

found hanging in his cell, reportedly

dead of suicide at the age of 93.

In addition to his run in with The

Prisoner, Zipf remembers his time in

Germany due to meeting his wife,

Sandra Palinkas, whom he was

introduced to in February of 1983.


My buddy, who was an infantry guy, we were talking

and he said My girlfriend said theres this girl that just got

a job in finance and shes from New Jersey. Do you want

to invite her the next time we come to the officers club,

he recalled. The next week, we go in there and shes sup-

posed to come at 7. About five to seven, Im looking

around and said I wouldnt mind meeting that blonde over

there and he said, Oh, thats her. I asked her and said

north or south. And she said, oh my dad is originally from

Clifton. I thought my friend had set me up.

But it was trueSandras father was originally from

Kulik St. in Botany Village, and her aunt and uncle lived

on the same street as his parents. Sandra ended up in

Berlin because her father was a career military man who

was stationed in Germany after earning a Purple Heart

and Bronze Star in World War II.

Zipf and Sandra quickly hit it off and began dating

regularly. We had our first date and from that point for-

ward we were seeing each other. Then a year and a half

later we were engaged in 1984, he said. We had a dou-

ble wedding. If I didnt get married there, then I could-

nt bring her back as my wife. We were married on June

15, 1984 at Berlin City Hall. We had the reception at the

officers club.

On Nov. 3, 1984, Zipf returned home to Clifton to

have a ceremony with family. They were wed at St.

Brendans Church, and the reception was held at the

Knights of Columbus on Main Ave.

Eventually the two moved to Pompton Plains, and then

settled in Washington, NJ, where they have lived for 26

years. The Zipfs have two children: Eric and Stephanie.

Greg and his brother, John Zipf, a former Clifton cop.


Eighth grade students at Woodrow Wilson MiddleSchool will be celebrating an early Memorial Day withtheir 13th annual Veterans Teaching History program.

Eighth grade teachers Jennifer Lanzerotti and

Vanessa Gaba coordinate the May 17 event, which will

bring in area veterans to share their experiences with

the young teens. The veterans will also enjoy a lunch-

eon and then a special concert.

Veterans who served in war or peace from any era

are invited to volunteer and share their stories of serv-

ice. To participate, leave a message and phone number

at the WWMS main office: 973-470-2350.

Vets come in and talk to the students for about 30

minutes, and then everyone goes to the auditorium

where the bands plays and we have an assembly in their

honor, said Lanzerotti. Theres poetry that students

have written, and the chorus sings too. We allow veter-

ans to speak if anyone wants to. A couple have spoke

in the past, but not many. And then they march out.

This is the first year that Lanzerotti has been in

charge of the program, which she estimated has been

around for over 10 years.

Its really student driven, she said. The HSA

pays for the luncheon, but everything else is in

By Joe Hawrylko

Woodrow WilsonStudents Honor Veterans

with Fanfare & Conversation


house. The students are responsi-

ble for creating invitations and

sending them out. They help cre-

ate the program too.

The day starts with a brunch for

the veterans. Afterwards, the vets

go to 8th grade classrooms to talk

about their experiences and field

questions from the students.

After that has concluded, the

veterans parade into the auditori-

um, where the band plays and stu-

dents recite poems for their guests.

Sadly, many of our WWII veter-

ans are dying, so it is becoming

increasingly important to pay tribute

so they are not forgotten, said Gaba.

Donald Gross, a woodshop

teacher at Woodrow Wilson, is also

one of the participating veterans.

Gross, who hails from North

Bergen, enlisted in 1973, hoping to

use the GI Bill to go to school at the

end of his service.

Gross did his basic training in

Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri and

was assigned to the 541st Engineers

of the 549th Battalion. For the

duration of his service, Gross was

stationed in Schwetzingen,

Germany. After returning home,

Gross went to Montclair State,

where he studied graphics and elec-

tronics. For many years, he worked

for Readers Digest.

However, Gross saw changes in

the industry and then one day he

was ordered to prepare a job so it

could be outsourced overseas. I

didnt serve this country to send

jobs out of the country. I quit. he

said. I still stand by that.

In 2006, Gross met with former

CCMS Principal Bil Hahn and was

hired as the woodshop teacher. He

learned about the veterans program

in 2007, and has been participating

since. I met a lot of friends

through this, said Gross.

Veterans like to talk and tell sto-

ries, and share what theyve been

though. I enjoy doing it.

Ashley Cordeno, Don Gross, Isaiah Buonafina, David Buonafina, Jennifer Lanzerotti, Vanessa Gaba and CharlesClayton. At right is Don Gross while in the Army, who was a corporal in 1976.

Al Zwiazek, Frank Smith and Bob Cirkus participated in last years program.


On May 27, the campus of

City Hall at 900 Van Houten

Ave. will once again be deco-

rated in red, white and blue, as

more than 1,500 American

flags dot the landscape.

Known as the Avenue of

Flags, it is one of the largest

exhibits of Old Glory east of

the Mississippi River, and its

all put together with the help of

several generous volunteers.

The Avenue of Flags was

the idea of Walt Pruiksma,

who in 2002, floated the idea

to a group of old soldiers and

sailors. The concept was sim-

ple: on Memorial Day, Flag

Day, Independence Day,

Patriot Day (9/11) and Veterans Day, volunteers get up

at the crack of dawn to put up the flags, and at the end

of the day, they return to take them down.

By Veterans Day of that year, more than 300 flags were

up on the grounds of City Hall. With each passing year,

that number slowly grows. Today, the Avenue has sur-

passed 1,500 flags and is coordinated by John Biegel.

There are even maps and volunteer guides available to

help donors locate where their flag is displayed.

The public is invited to sponsor a flag to honor a vet-

eran, living or deceased. The $100 donation includes

the flag, pole, sleeve, name plate and ground socket.

The necessary form for a flag can be found at

www.cliftonnnj.org by clicking on links and looking up

Avenue of Flags. Volunteers are also needed.

For more information or details on how to help,

email [email protected] or call John Biegel at

973-519-0858.

Clifton Veterans

Avenue of Flags


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On May 27, the campus of

City Hall at 900 Van Houten

Ave. will once again be deco-

rated in red, white and blue, as

more than 1,500 American

flags dot the landscape.

Known as the Avenue of

Flags, it is one of the largest

exhibits of Old Glory east of

the Mississippi River, and its

all put together with the help of

several generous volunteers.

The Avenue of Flags was

the idea of Walt Pruiksma,

who in 2002, floated the idea

to a group of old soldiers and

sailors. The concept was sim-

ple: on Memorial Day, Flag

Day, Independence Day,

Patriot Day (9/11) and Veterans Day, volunteers get up

at the crack of dawn to put up the flags, and at the end

of the day, they return to take them down.

By Veterans Day of that year, more than 300 flags were

up on the grounds of City Hall. With each passing year,

that number slowly grows. Today, the Avenue has sur-

passed 1,500 flags and is coordinated by John Biegel.

There are even maps and volunteer guides available to

help donors locate where their flag is displayed.

The public is invited to sponsor a flag to honor a vet-

eran, living or deceased. The $100 donation includes

the flag, pole, sleeve, name plate and ground socket.

The necessary form for a flag can be found at

www.cliftonnnj.org by clicking on links and looking up

Avenue of Flags. Volunteers are also needed.

For more information or details on how to help,

email [email protected] or call John Biegel at

973-519-0858.

Avenue of Flags


It was supposed to be a busy couple of days in 1986.My sister was getting married on Saturday and my hus-

band Bob was giving her away. And on Monday

night, Coach Bob was being honored at a dinner for his

sports related contributions to the youth in Clifton.

At this point in time Bob was quite ill battling lung

cancer, and unfortunately he did not get to partake in the

festivities. He passed away the day before the wedding

and three days before the dinner. He was 52 years old.

Bob began coaching children before our own chil-

dren were old enough to play, and continued to coach

after they graduated high school.

He coached basketball for our church league. He

then turned to Little League Baseball when Delawanna

had its own division. While in that division he held the

office of vice president and president. He coached foot-

ball for Delawanna and a city team for young boys, and

later American Legion baseball.

He was fondly known around town as

Coach Bob. I was usually known as

Coach Bobs Wife.

Some of Bobs proudest moments

would be seeing a CHS Mustang athlete

that he had coached playing either foot-

ball or baseball. And of course, watching

his own children playing. We had two

childrenhis daughter played softball

and his son played football and baseball.

Bob also had two children from a previ-

ous marriage.

Bob received a few accolades over the

years for his efforts including the Gil

Hodges Award from Post 8, Citizen of

the Year from the VFW, recognition from

the City Council and our Congressman.

The dinner to honor him in 1986 was

a culmination of all his achievements.

There were 400 people scheduled to

attend, so there wasnt any way to cancel

at such a late date. Besides, how could I

not acknowledge so many people that

thought enough of him to attend?

It was bittersweet to say the least. Our minister said

she had never spoke to such a large congregation and

surely wouldnt again. The most touching moment was

when the host asked for every young man that had been

coached by Bob to please stand. It was mind boggling!

Dozens of kids stood tall. My heart burst with pride.

Its been almost 25 years, but hardly a day goes by

that I dont think of him. We were married for 23 years.

We have two grandchildren that are involved in sports,

a CHS grad who played basketball, baseball and bowl-

ing. Another Mustang, graduating next month, who

plays volleyball, basketball, and softball. I can only

imagine how proud Bob would be of them.

Unforgettable PeopleRemembering Robert Wienbrock

Editors Note: Do you have an unforgettable per-son in your life? They can be living or deceased.Let us know in a short essay and perhaps well useyour story. Be sure to include your phone number.E-mail [email protected]

by Lois Wienbrock


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Food Drive

By their sworn duty and because they want to,FMBA Local 21 members have long supported

their community. In addition to fighting fires and

responding to calls for ambulance service,

Clifton Firefighters do charity work.

That includes annual fundraisers for

Toys for Tots and a coat drive to bene-

fit St. Peters Haven. Recently when

they heard the shelves were low at St.

Peters Haven Food Pantry on Clifton

Ave., theyve organ-

ized a May food

drive. Firefighter

Steven Turi is the

coordinator for

this campaign. He

said that Local 21

decided to get

involved after they

learned that the

pantry shelves tend

to get a little bare

over the summer.

Putting OutHungerHelp Clifton Firefighters Collect Food to Fill the Pantry at St. Peters Haven


d n

Since the fight against hunger is

a 365 day battle, Turi rallied his fel-

low firefighters around the cause.

We became first responders

because we want to help others in

our community. In an emergency,

it is easy for us to see who needs

help and it is easy for people to call

on us for help. But there are times

when needing help is not so obvi-

ous to others, explained Turi.

Turi and the other firefighters

turned to St. Peters Haven, which

has also has a long history of help-

ing Cliftonites in need.

Since 1986, the Haven has been

providing food and shelter to

At left Firefighter Steven Turi, andon this page Derek Cotten, Cpt.Ryan Fitzsimmons, and Lt. GaryTufaro. On our cover: Lt.Dominick Gallo, Jeff Escalante,Lt. Billy LeGates, Brian Reilly,John Warchola and Edward Polak.



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Food Drive

the regions most needy individu-

als. Today, more than 300 Passaic

County residents utilize the facili-

ties each month.

And the need to keep the shelves

filled is an ongoing operation.

Schools and civic organiza-

tions, a lot of those types of groups

take off for the summer, so thats

why it is an important time to get

food, Reverend Peter DeFranco of

St. Peters Haven offered as to why

donations slow down now.

Thanksgiving and Christmas, we

get the most food, and then we dry

up in January and Feb and then

things start up again.

In addition to food and shelter

the pantry also provides seasonal

items such as school items in the

fall, turkeys for Thanksgiving,

Christmas toys and coats for cold

weather.

The food pantry is open Tuesday

through Thursday, and on

Saturdays from 9 to 11:30 am.

Cliftons bravest will be collect-

ing canned and dried food and

other non-perishable items

throughout the month. Collection

stations are at each fire station:

Station 1, 69 1st St., Station 2, 7

Dumont Ave., Station 3, 180 Mahar

Ave., Station 4, 144 Main Ave.,

Station 5, 51 Brighton Rd., and

Station 6, 1202 Van Houten Ave.

To arrange a pick up, email

[email protected]. For

info, visit www.fmba21.org or call

St. Peters Haven at 973-546-5020.

Staff workers at St. Peters Haven help fight hunger year round. Call 973-546-3406 to volunteer or donate. From left, Giovanni Bellina, BarryRochester, Yiset Bellina, Elizabeth Zapata and Rev. Peter DeFranco


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Better Hearing Month

Armed with a Bachelors Degreein Communication Sciences and

Disorders from Pace University in

2010, Deidra Ramos-Perez consid-

ered a number of career options

then took some sound advice.

I took Intro to Audiology during

my second year at Pace and I fell in

love, the 24-year-old Dutch Hill

resident recalled how she discov-

ered her calling. I found it inter-

esting how the field encompasses so

many different disciplines.

Now in her third year of the four

year Doctoral Program in Audiology

at Montclair State University,

Ramos-Perez is on track to be a

Doctor of Audiology (Au.D.). She

attends classes at MSUs state-of-

the-art facility on Broad St. in

Bloomfield. The program is the

only of its kind in the Garden State

and one of 70 nationwide.

Audiology is the study and treat-

ment of hearing loss. Ramos-

Perez, who attended School 15 and

Woodrow Wilson Middle School

before graduating from Eastern

Christian High School in 2006,

originally went to Pace considering

a career in teaching.

Actually first I wanted to be a

chef, she admitted. My father is

a chef. She fulfills her desire to

teach by instructing Sunday School

at Hope Reformed Church at

Burgess Pl. and Third St.

Once at Pace, Ramos-Perez

found audiology more to her liking.

It was one of her professors, Dr.

Abbey Berg, Ph.D, who helped put

her on the path towards a career in

audiology.

I was two years in and she

asked if I was available for an

internship at Columbia New York

Presbyterian, she recalled of the

internship which turned into a job.

She got me that internship. Shes

always been there for me.

Dr. Berg, along with her boss at

Columbia Presbyterian, Dr. Maria

Olmeda-Jenkins, have both become

important mentors for Ramos-

Perez, and ultimately influenced

her to enroll at MSU.

I dont know if I would be so

passionate about audiology

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without those two, she said. Dr.

Berg, who got me my internship,

told me to apply there.

The Broad St. facility which is

within an office park, is not only a

teaching center but also a hearing

clinic. The public can come for

hearing testing, auditory processing

disorder testing, complete hearing

aid services, custom earmolds, bal-

ance testing and auditory brainstem

response testing.

My program, in my class alone

there are just 10 people. Its a very

small, tight knit program, she

explained of the Doctor of

Audiology program. There are just

over 40 people in the program.

After graduation, students from

this field are offered a wide variety

of opportunities for employment.

One of the most popular fields of

employment is pediatrics, either at

a private practice or in a hospital.

Hackensack has a great pro-

gram, added Ramos-Perez One

of the professors at Montclair is the

head of the newborn area over

there. Given her inclination to

teaching, Ramos-Perez said she

envisions herself one day working

at a busy hospital.

I really like the medical field. I

love being in the hospital, she

said. I love that whole dynamic.

Youre working on a team with

EMTs, doctors, occupational thera-

pists. I like being a part of that

whole cooperative.

Ramos-Perez said she would

also like to do charity work and

help low-income individuals get

care for their hearing problems.

I would really like to do a hear-

ing mission, she said.

Ramos-Perez recalled seeing the

hearing aid manufacturer Starkey

use its non-profit foundation to

donate hearing aids to a school in a

low income neighborhood in the

Bronx.

All this money is coming in,

and they use it to give back to the

community and have audiologists

go out and fit hearing aids. That

would be an excellent way to uti-

lize my education and give back.

While that option may lay in her

future, these days Ramos-Perez

remains busy. During the week,

Ramos-Perez is at the audiology

center. In addition to the clinic

time and classroom work she does

at MSU, her internship which

piqued her interest in the field of

audiology has turned into weekend

employment at New York

Presbyterian.

Were under the supervision of

an audiologist, she explained.

Basically we go into the nursery

rooms and test all the babies that

are born the day before. Usually

we wait until about 11 hours.

The small probe emits a tone

that is able to detect if the sounds

are being properly received and

processed by the brain. It is the

little things like that which make

me feel blessed to be in this field,

said Ramos-Perez. The science of

audiology is a gift and I am so

proud to be practicing it.

Despite the pace and the long

hours, she loves the career path she

has chosen.

Cliftonites Deborah Verderosa (left), graduate advisor and Joann Kuebler(right), administrative assistant, with Fredi Jarmel, MSUs clinic director.For more on the services of the center on Broad St., call 973-655-3934.

Free Hearing Screenings:For Better Hearing and SpeechMonth in May, the MontclairState University Center forAudiology & Speech-LanguagePathology will offer free hearingscreenings from May14 to 24by appointment at the Centersoff-campus clinic at 1515Broad St., Bloomfield. To sched-ule a time, call 973-655-3934.

Better Hearing Month


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Beating Cancer

In late January, Brendan Schreiber was snowboardingwith friends when he noticed a lump under his armpit.After a few doctors visits, on March 1 he got the news:

Lymphoma. Since then, he has undergone surgery to

remove two large tumors, and began an aggressive round

of chemotherapy.

Throughout it all, the CHS Junior has been doing all

the stuff a Clifton teen does. He continued to work and

attend school. That cleared him to return to the lacrosse

field where he plays on defense for the Mustangs.

After a few rounds of chemo, Schreiber began to lose

his hair so he went for the buzz cut. In a show of support,

his teammates decided to make a statement of friendship

and went and buzzed their heads as well.

Photo by Quinci Peri


On April 7, the entire Varsity

team, along with some junior varsi-

ty members and even one member

of the junior program gathered at

teammate Joe Cupolis house.

They lined up and fell under the

clippers of Anthony Bianchi of Pal

Joeys Salon in North Arlington,

who donated his time.

Three hours later, more than 20

lacrosse players were bald.

Brendans mother, Stephanie, came

to witness the event.

Schreiber, who had treatment all

day Monday, arrived at the Varsity

game midway thru the first quarter

to find the stands and fans dressed

in purple clothing, purple streamers,

and purple bandanas to support the

Cure for Lymphoma. Schreiber,

who works at the Venetian in

Garfield, played as if nothing was

out of the ordinary. It was not until

halftime when his teammates

removed their helmets that he saw

all of the shaved heads.

As of April 26, Schreiber was

still strong and had one chemo

treatment left. His blond hair has

begun to grow backwhiteas he

is pictured on the facing page.

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United Against Cancer. They will be at the

Downtown Clifton Street Fair on May 18.

selling food and snacks to benefit their

efforts. To participate and for more details on

volunteering or becoming a sponsor, visit

www.relayforlife.org/cliftonnj.


Interesting Jobs

In late 2003 Josh Naranjo was a pretty average Ohio State Buckeye.Studying music performance and business management information

systems, the former Marching Mustang tuba player was only a few

semesters short from graduating and entering the work force.

But at the end of the 2003, a lightening bolt of opportunity hit. He

decided to drop out of school to pursue a career as a personal body

guard. It was a risky decision, but one that has come to pay off.

Ten years later, Naranjo, now 31, it seems what some may have

considered foolhardy had turned to good fortune. Over the past

decade, Naranjo, who still calls Clifton home, has visited almost 50

countries on every continent except for Antarctica while serving as

personal body guards for artists such as the Backstreet Boys, Mary

Kate and Ashley Olsen, Sum 41 and others.

Naranjo is also an aspiring entrepreneur, and one of three owners in

Kros International USA, a company that sells uniquely designed uri-

nals that cut down the wait line at restrooms at entertainment events.

Since there is no clear path to becoming one, Naranjo charted his

own path to the personal body guard industry. While still in Ohio

Mustang Suit in the Shadow

Cliftons Josh Naranjo got Nick Carters back.


State, be began making the move by doing part time

security at Nationwide Arena, which is the home of the

Columbus Blue Jackets in the NHL.

Naranjo would network with the personal security

outfits that would come in during concerts. Hang around

enough and eventually, a job opportunity appeared.

Soon thereafter, opportunity prevailed. The 2000

CHS grad became the man in the middle.

The Brittney Spears Dream Within a Dream Tour

came through at the end of 2001, and I was the liaison to

her security and our security, he said. I spent quite a

bit of time with them. One of their security guys, I made

a connection with. He was from New York and Im from

New Jersey. So basically I just pursued that. They saw

that I wanted to get into it, to break into the industry.

Eventually, he took me under his wing as my mentor.

Over the next couple of years, Naranjo had an unpaid,

on the job training program as he was traveling around

the country to do various jobs with the outfit.

Eventually, he got his first crack at personal security in

January of 2005, when he was assigned to the Olsen

twins of Full House fame, Mary Kate and Ashley. Youre no longer responsible for an arena or a stadi-

um, he explained. Youre now responsible for two

individuals. Youre now on somebodys personal time.

Unlike venue security, personal security is no punch a

clock and go home. Naranjos work mirrored the life of

the celebrities he was covering. Hours fluctuated

depending upon their appearances or performances so he

spent a lot of time standing by waiting for the next move.

But that never posed a problem.

They lived in the city. It was close so I can go home

to Clifton every night, he said. Youre basically there

from the time they get up to the time they go to bed.

Certain people have security guys up from 7 am to 4

am, continued Naranjo. If they decide they want to be

up early, you just sleep whenever you can in the car.

Naranjo worked for the Olsen twins for about a year

before moving on to other opportunitys. In 2007, he

started to work for The Backstreet Boys. He has traveled

with the group on and off since then, going on three

world tours: Unbreakable, This Is Us, and the NKOTB-

SB tour with the New Kids on the Block.

With the Backstreet Boys, we went to Vietnam. Ive

been to China four or five times now, he said. Naranjo

said that hes been to 48 countries on his travels. Im

blessed. I didnt think, coming from Clifton, that s be

going to any one of these places.


When on tour, each guard is assigned to one per-

former, and Naranjo paired up with singer Howie D. In

2011, Howie D went on a solo tour to South America,

and the Cliftonite went as the stars personal body

guard.

Howie and I hit it off. His mother is Puerto Rican

and my mother is Puerto Rican. You become part of

that family,said Naranjo. Howie D of the Backstreet

Boys, he likes to go sight seeing. Hes adventurous,

likes to try new foods.

While the ability to see many new countries is a plus,

eventually, life on the road becomes tiring.

Three months straight, you do begin to miss your

bed, said Naranjo, who still lives in Clifton. You

miss your friends at home, your family. Granted, you

do make friends in these other countries. But you miss

your friends, and you miss food from home.

Currently, Naranjo is on a three week tour with

Emblem 3, the group which achieved fame on the

show, Xfactor. But when hes not traveling around the

globe, the Cliftonite invests his time into his business,

Kros International USA, Inc. The company sells cross

sectional urinals which are rough about the same size as

a normal portapotty, but can hold four people at once.

The urinals are popular across Europe, which is

where Naranjo first saw it being used.

My business partner is a Dutch international, and he

told me to take a look at it when I was over in Holland

last year during Queensday, he recalled. Naranjo

immediately liked what he saw, and became a business

partner this past February. This is my entrepreneur

side coming out. What I really want to deal with is

increasing the participant experience.

Ultimately, Naranjo would like to add in token

machines to his companys product line.

It would be used at venues for beer and food, he

said. It is designed to cut down theft and streamline

services.

Naranjo and his partners are now in the process of

attending trade shows to make headway into industry in

the United States. Though he has a lot on his plate at

the moment, the Cliftonite is very happy with the direc-

tion his life is heading.

I still think that I wouldnt have had the opportuni-

tys I have had today if I had not left school in 2003,

said Naranjo. I feel I have learned a lot too culturally.

Its a unique opportunity that I dont think youd get to

experience every day.

Interesting Jobs


As a young boy growing up in Clifton, Bill Waltonused to watch the Route 66 TV series and thought to

himself one day, Im going to do that. So in the summer of 2009, the 1966 graduate of

Clifton High finally got around to doing the drive, taking

a 38 day road trip in his red 1968 Cadillac de Ville with

his good friend Sal Santoro.

Afterwards, the two compiled and edited more than

8,000 photos and 125 pages of journal notes into a book,

Route 66, The People, The Places, The Dream. Thatbook caught the attention of Jay Leno, who flew out the

two to Los Angeles on April 6 to tape a segment for his

book club show.

Its still a lot to process for Walton, 65, who original-

ly just wanted to knock off a childhood dream off of his

bucket list.

It just has an atmosphere, almost a mystique. A lot

of Europeans say if you really want to see the US, you

have to drive Route 66, he said. Known as the Main

Street of America, Route 66 originally ran from Chicago

to Los Angeles. What that mean is so much of what

Europeans see of America is movies and television, and

movies and television take place in big cities.

The places on Route 66 are blue collar people,

Walton added. It is shop owners. Theyre part of the

mystique. So many of the people that we met along the

highway were wonderful. Some of them we would

spend hours talking with.

Though he had always wanted to take the journey

down Route 66, Walton never seriously considered the

trip until meeting Santoro though the Cadillac Club of

North Jersey, which Walton founded in 1991. His obses-

sion with Cadillacs started when he was a young boy

growing up on Greenland Ave. in Clifton.

Ace & Georges was a block away on Madeline Ave,

and for many years the owner, George Balkjy, he was a

Cadillac driver, Walton recalled. It was not a Cadillac

neighborhood. It was a Chevy/Ford neighborhood, so I

would remember when he would drive by.

Years later, the CHS 66 grad would end up working

for the owner of Ace & Georges. He had this 59 sedan

with these giant tail fins and bullet lights, said Walton.

Clifton Author

Route 66 Road Trip Leadsto Jay Leno Gig

By Joe Hawrylko

Bill Walton (far right) is a CHS

1966 grad who went on a road trip

down Route 66 with friend, Sal

Santoro, and wrote a book about it.

The two are pictured with Jay

Leno. On facing page is Walton

with his niece Allison Hoey who

did artwork for the book.


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I got to drive that thing when I started working for him

in 1965, sometimes doing deliveries.

Decades later, Walton drives his own Caddy, a red

1968 de Ville. It was this classic that the former Mustang

took on the road in the summer of 2009.

Planning for the trip started in 2008, when Walton

retired after teaching middle school music and elemen-

tary school for 37 years in the

Bergenfield school district.

Walton and Santoro compiled a list

of landmarks, museums and cities

they wanted to see along the way,

hopped in their car and set out for

Chicago to start their trip, which

lasted 38 days and took them

across the heartland of America.

We envisioned this as our

retirement gift to ourselves, he

said. We had zero responsibility.

We got in the car and just went.

We didnt even know when to tell

our wives when wed be home!

The trip allowed them to expe-

rience parts of America unlike

anything around here.

Those of us who live in suburban New Jersey, we

dont get to see the sky like they do out there, Walton

added. Arizona, New Mexico, even Texas, it is all flat.

You can see in miles for all directions there is all this

stuff and nothing blocking it. They have trains a mile

and a half long and you can see the whole thing. Theres

no building obstructing it.

By the time they returned home over a month later,

the two had more than 8,500 photos and 150 pages of

journal entries between the two of them. Eventually,

Walton and Santoro whittled down the photos to 500 and

showed their collection friends in the Club. People said

you should write a book, you should have a PBS special

and we were laughing, just, yeah right, he recalled.

But the two friends changed their minds, and spent the

next two years writing, editing and

designing their self published

book, Route 66, The People, ThePlaces, The Dream, which wasreleased in July 2012. Waltons

niece, Cliftonite Allison Hoey, did

the books artwork.

Walton and Santoro were

happy completing their book, but

definitely did not expect their

brush with fame that brought them

to Los Angeles. The two are fans

of Jay Leno, and decided to sub-

mit their book for review for his

bookclub.

We didnt hear from them, so a

couple months go by and I sent

them a letter. About a month ago,

I get a call: Sal? No, this is Bob Oh, this is Jay Leno,

he laughed.

Documents

Clifton Merchant Magazine - May 2013