Tag:

Afghanistan

Air Force Firefighter, RWJ Paramedic Who Died Of Leukemia Saved First Life At 10 Air Force Firefighter, RWJ Paramedic Who Died Of Leukemia Saved First Life At 10
Air Force Firefighter Robert Conklin III Dies At 39 Robert J Conklin III, a New Jersey first responder and Air Force veteran, died on Monday, Aug. 12. He was 39 years old. Robert's mother, Arlene Savarese, said that he died of leukemia. Savarese said her son saved his first life at just 10 years old, when he performed the Heimlich maneuver on his aunt.  "The rest of the path was set for him," Savarese said. Robert went on to serve as a firefighter in the United States Air Force, helping to evacuate Afghanistan in 2021. Upon return to the U.S., he continued his work as a volunteer firefighter and as a paramedic for Rober…
Col. Kenneth Yeasky, Decorated Army Veteran From NJ, Dies Suddenly (TRIBUTE) Col. Kenneth Yeasky, Decorated Army Veteran From NJ, Dies Suddenly (TRIBUTE)
Col. Kenneth Yeasky, Decorated Army Veteran From NJ, Dies Suddenly (Tribute) Col. Kenneth John Yeasky, of Belvidere, passed away unexpectedly on March 3, 2024, his family writes in his obituary on the MacFadden Funeral Home website. He was 60 years old. Ken was born on July 3, 1963 to Mary Ann “Tommie” Tomczyk and the late Edwin Yeasky.  He grew up in Carteret and graduated from Green Brook High School (Somerset County). Ken had a distinguished 38-year military career at multiple levels in different branches. He graduated from Kean University with a bachelor's in industrial engineering, and had graduated from numerous other military schools. "He wanted to be…
Organs Of NJ Army Sergeant Killed In Motorcycle Crash Will Help Four Others Live Organs Of NJ Army Sergeant Killed In Motorcycle Crash Will Help Four Others Live
Organs Of NJ Army Sergeant Killed In Motorcycle Crash Will Help Four Others Live The organs of a U.S. Army sergeant from the Jersey Shore who was killed in a motorcycle crash will help four other people live. Dennis Andrew Vaccaro, 27, crashed on Tuesday, June 14, in Ocean Township, and was kept alive so he could donate his organs. Further details on the crash were not immediately known. An airborne combat medic in the U.S. Army, Dennis achieved the rank of sergeant, and spent five years in the military, including a tour of duty overseas in Afghanistan, his obituary says. He was apparently a student at Monmouth University, according to a statement published by school o…
NJ Marine, 33, Killed By Missile Helping In Ukraine, Organization Says NJ Marine, 33, Killed By Missile Helping In Ukraine, Organization Says
NJ Marine, 33, Killed By Missile Helping In Ukraine, Organization Says Pete Reed, a 33-year-old New Jersey native and global activist, died helping civilians in Ukraine on Friday, Feb. 2. Reed was "actively aiding in the evacuation of Ukrainian civilians when his evacuation vehicle was hit with a reported missile in Bakhmut," according to Global Outreach Doctors.  Pete Reed helps an elderly woman evacuate in Ukraine.Albert Lores A Bordentown native and US Marine veteran, Reed served as the country director for the nonprofit, and founded Global Response Medicine, a different nonprofit. "The GoDocs team is devastated by this news, as are our humanitarian ai…
'Invincible' Harrison Firefighter Who Served In US Marines, Law Enforcement Dies 'Invincible' Harrison Firefighter Who Served In US Marines, Law Enforcement Dies
'Invincible' Harrison Firefighter Who Served In US Marines, Law Enforcement Dies Vincent Doffont spent much of his life serving and protecting his country as a U.S. Marine and, later, his community in Hudson County as a sheriff's officer, police officer and firefighter. Doffont, 37, died suddenly this weekend, leaving those who knew him in shock and profound grief. "He was one of the hardest men I have ever met," wrote friend Blake Upton. "I always thought of him as invincible." Doffont, indeed, seemed indestructible as a football running back, defensive back and placekicked for the St. Mary's High School Gaels from 1999 through 2002. He was praised for his "speed, s…
Murphy To White House: NJ Welcomes Afghan Refugees Murphy To White House: NJ Welcomes Afghan Refugees
Murphy To White House: NJ Welcomes Afghan Refugees Afghan refugees are more than welcome in New Jersey, Gov. Phil Murphy told President Biden over the weekend. Reacting to the Taliban-driven turmoil in Afghanistan, Gov. Murphy wrote that "New Jersey stands ready to provide safe harbor, support, stability, and peace to Afghan refugees." Gov. Phil Murphy's tweet welcoming Afghan refugees to New JerseyTwitter @GovMurpny Murphy, who announced the letter via social media over the weekend, said he was "making it clear that we welcome these brave individuals and their families to the Garden State." Meanwhile, the U.S. Northern Command @jointb…
Pilot Killed In PA Plane Crash ID'd As Air Force Vet Pilot Killed In PA Plane Crash ID'd As Air Force Vet
Pilot Killed In PA Plane Crash ID'd As Air Force Vet The pilot who died in a plane crash Friday at a Pennsylvania airport has been identified as a 50-year-old U.S. Air Force veteran. Andy Travnicek was heading north in a T-6 Texan when the plane suddenly veered to the left and crashed into the grass and caught fire at the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport around 12:35 p.m. Travnicek, the sole occupant of the air craft, was a 20-year veteran of the U.S. Air Force, a commercial airline pilot and a certified flight instructor. The plane was part of the GEICO Skytypers Air Show Team, which flies World War II-era aircrafts. …