New Jersey veterans surprised with medals for their service

SOUTH BRUNSWICK, N.J. (PIX11) – Four veterans in New Jersey thought they were simply going to be recognized for their service. What ended up happening was a little bit more.

Eugene Holland, Michael Bongo, Bob Saiewitz and Joseph Hellerman live together at Brandywine Princeton in South Brunswick, where they received service medals from the State of New Jersey Thursday.

“It’s a long time coming for me,” said Bongo, a Navy veteran.

“I enlisted in the Marine Corps at 17. I was in Vietnam when I was 18,” said Holland, who was honorably discharged as a corporal after serving in combat until 1967. “I’m still proud of my service, no matter what anybody else says.”

Holland received the New Jersey Distinguished Service Medal, the state’s highest military honor, awarded to a veteran honorably discharged who is also a 20-year resident of New Jersey and served in combat.

His daughter, Patty, also presented him with a shadowbox of his service uniform.

“My dad has been through a lot,” said Patty Holland, “especially with PTSD and everything from Vietnam.”

“My daughter’s here, that was a nice surprise,” said Saiewitz, who was moved to tears. “I felt I was good to Uncle Sam, and Uncle Sam was very good to me.”

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