WWII-Era Veteran Honored In South Brunswick: See Details

SOUTH BRUNSWICK, NJ — A longtime resident and veteran was recently honored during a Veteran Street Sign Dedication Ceremony in Kendall Park.

On Saturday, the Township of South Brunswick honored Edmund M. Mastandino during this special ceremony, which was held at the intersection of Cambridge Road and Winant Road.

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Mastandino family members spanning four generations, friends, neighbors, and fellow veterans gathered to recognize Mastandino’s military service and lifelong contributions to the South Brunswick community.

Representing the Township were Mayor Charlie Carley, Deputy Mayor Ken Bierman, Councilwoman Jo Hochman, Councilwoman Archana “Ann” Grover, Councilwoman Patty Germain, and Township Manager Bryan Bidlack.

The ceremony opened to the sound of bagpipes played by a family friend, Jim Cooney, followed by welcoming remarks recognizing Mastandino’s service and sacrifice, and then the National Anthem.

American Legion Post Commander Jimmy Chin then led attendees in the Pledge of Allegiance and shared Mastandino’s military history.

Born in Brooklyn in 1928, Mastandino enlisted in the U.S. Army on August 3, 1946, during the World War II era, and then became part of the founding generation of the then-newly established U.S. Air Force.

Serving with Headquarters Squadron, 374th Air Base Group, Mastandino was stationed in Japan and earned both the World War II Victory Medal and the Army of Occupation Medal for his faithful service to the Nation.

During Saturday’s ceremony, Mayor Charlie Carley expressed gratitude for Mastandino’s military service and admiration for his lifelong devotion to family.

"A community is something we build, and we keep, together through patient faithfulness to family, to neighbors, and to the work each day asks of us,” Carley said.

"So much of the good in a place like ours," he reflected. "We owe to people like Ed Mastandino, who never ask to be noticed for it. They go when their country needs them. They keep faith with their families. They watch over their neighbors.”

“Over the years, the quiet work of a long, faithful life takes root in a place,” Carley continued. “South Brunswick is the town we know because Ed Mastandino is part of it."

Deputy Mayor Ken Bierman read the official Township Resolution recognizing Mastandino for his “distinguished and selfless service to our Country” and honoring the role his courage played in helping preserve freedom for all Americans.

Mastandino’s great-grandchildren — Milo, Maria, Adria, and Alessia — unveiled the commemorative veteran street sign, ensuring his legacy will remain a visible and lasting part of the South Brunswick community.

Following remarks from family members, the event closed with a moving bagpipe tribute performed by Jim Cooney.

South Brunswick’s Veteran Street Sign Program honors local veterans by placing commemorative secondary street signs throughout the township in recognition of their service, sacrifice, and dedication to the U.S. Armed Forces.