Freedom is not free. Sometimes, it comes at a very high cost. 

CAMDEN & TUCKERTON  , N.J.
IMPROVED ORDER
OF RED MEN
 WORD WAR I WAR MEMORIAL

This sculpture was commissioned by a fraternal organization, the Improved Order of Red Men, to memorialize South Jersey members who died while serving with America's armed forces during World War I. Nicola Berardo, a sculptor who lived in Camden, was commissioned to execute project.

Dedicated on May 29, 1920, this monument was originally located on the Haddon Avenue side of Pulaski Park in Camden NJ, adjacent to Cooper Hospital. A rededication ceremony was held on October 13, 1920. In 1981 the park was demolished to make way for the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey Camden Campus. This statue and a statue of General Pulaski were supposedly put in storage, to be re-erected in Camden. This, however, was not the case, as this monument was taken to Route 9 and Center Street in Tuckerton NJ, where it was rededicated on May 21, 1981. The Pulaski Monument was taken to Cooper River Park in Pennsauken NJ.

The Improved Order of Red Men traces its roots back to the Sons of Liberty, making it America's oldest fraternal organization. This monument is dedicated to those members of the Red Men who gave their lives in this Nation's service during World War I.

Click here to visit the official website of the Improved Order Of Red Men. If you would like to learn more about the Red Men, click here.  

CLICK ON THE PICTURES FOR AN ENLARGED VIEW

A WALK AROUND THE STATUE

 



   This section of the monument is inscribed with the names of Redmen members who died while serving America during World War I. The individual Red Men lodges are called TRIBES, and the number is an identifier similar to that used by the American Legion and VFW for their individual posts, and that those listed below the name of a tribe were members of that tribe.

The Red Men Female Auxiliary is known as the Daughters of Pocahantas. You will note that the right hand column of the plaque lists the 7 Daughters of Pocahantas tribes and their members who served in our Armed Forces during World War I.

CLICK ON THE PICTURES FOR AN ENLARGED VIEW

IN MEMORY OF OUR BROTHERS
WHO MADE THE SUPREME SACRIFICE
IN THE WORLD WAR 1917-1918
Name Rank Bramch Unit Born Died

WILLIAM H. CARROLL JR.

      

 

 

JOHN T. HYLAND

 CIVILIAN   Army Postal Service

 

7/15/1918

JOSEPH F. COVERT

 PVT ARMY 34th Base Hospital

6/16/1887

3/22/1918

J. RICHARD GEIST

 PVT ARMY Battery F, 16th Field Artillery

3/1/1893

1/11/1918

FILMORE HAINES

 PVT ARMY 39th Company
153rd Depot Brigade

12/18/1889

9/28/1918

BURTON D. BAGG

 PFC ARMY

309th Infantry Regiment
78th Infantry Division

4/22/1895

10/20/1918

JOHN HARKINS

 PFC ARMY

309th Infantry Regiment
78th Infantry Division

2/24/1887

11/17/1918

WILLIAM SCHUCKER

 PVT ARMY Machine Gun Company
309th Infantry Regiment
78th Infantry Division

4/29/1892

10/16/1918

RALPH BENNER

 PVT ARMY Medical Detachment
314th Infantry Regiment
78th Infantry Division

11/14/1891

4/26/1919

HARRY B. LEEDS

 PVT ARMY 109th Infantry Regiment
28th Infantry Division

 

7/15/1918

FREDERICK G. FRANK

 PVT ARMY 153rd Depot Brigade

8/4/1893

9/30/1918

FRANKLIN FORTINER

 PVT ARMY 153rd Depot Brigade

4/7/1896

6/30/1918

ALLEN I. MORGAN

 CPL ARMY Troop G
15th Cavalry Regiment

3/25/1889

3/22/1918

WILLIAM TRAUB

      

 

 

Philadelphia Inquirer - May 30, 1920

Philadelphia
Inquirer

May 30, 1920

Click on Image to Enlarge

 

1946 Map of Camden

The monument was originally located in Pulaski Park,
just southeast of Cooper Hospital, on Haddon Avenue

CLICK ON THE BLUE LINKS FOR MORE ABOUT EACH INDIVIDUAL

HMTS Rohna

       Six men from Camden NJ, Frank Ballerino, Michael Carr,  Michael Yachus, Stephen V. Koscianski, Lewis Riondino, and Joseph H. Johnson died together when the troop transport HMTS Rohna was struck by a German guided glider bomb and sank of the coast of North Africa. Six other Camden County men, Harry V. Taylor Jr. of Haddonfield, Carl Johanson and Jacob Kessler Jenkins of Pennsauken, William McKeon of Blackwood, Merle Reagle of Lindenwold,  and Elmer F. Day of Merchantville also were lost that day, plus 8 other men from South Jersey. In total, 1,015 men were lost, but the story was never told to the families or the general public for over 57 years due to wartime censorship. 

     

CAMDEN COUNTY NJ
  MONUMENTS & WAR MEMORIALS

       Click links to visit web-pages on these memorials, and to visit "virtual memorials" to Camden County's fallen heroes.

GUEST BOOK & E-MAIL

     As of this date, May 28, 2002 I have not erected a guest-book. Please e-mail all comments to phil552@reagan.com. If you would like your comment published in the upcoming guest-book, please let me know.

Phil Cohen, Camden NJ

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