Camden, N.J. — St. Joseph's Parish WWII War Memorial

The Polish-American community added much to the flavor and fabric of life in Camden, N.J. St. Joseph’s Catholic Church at 10th and Liberty Streets was and remains the anchor of that community, and Mass is celebrated in Polish every Sunday.

The bronze memorial plaque was presented by the Catholic War Veterans, St. Joseph’s Post 418, in grateful remembrance of their heroic comrades in World War II. The plaque appears in the vestibule of St. Joseph Church, Camden, New Jersey.

As St. Joseph’s was and is a predominantly Polish parish, some of the men listed had either changed their names to more “American” versions or had alternate spellings. There are at least four instances of that on this monument, perhaps more. In one case, that of John Shuler, a misspelling was made when the monument was engraved — he is named Shulek on this monument. Similar errors exist through many of the monuments in the county. One must take into consideration that these were all erected years after the fact, and in the pre-computer era of paper records, accurate data was far harder to come by.

America, “the land of the free and home of the brave”, was conceived in liberty and dedicated to the ideal that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the Pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. But, while such rights are the priceless heritage from our heavenly Father, the founders of this Nation were called to pledge to each other, their lives, their rights for themselves and their posterity.

One hundred seventy-two years have passed since the birth of the nation. Within this comparatively short lifetime our American way of life has been threatened by the War of 1812, endangered by the Civil War, and thrown out of balance by the Spanish American War. The First World War and especially World War II, definitely aimed at the life of this nation. But ever faithful, the Nation rallied for the defense of our liberties. The same pledge resounded throughout the land as of old: “For the defense of our freedom we pledge to one another, our life, our fortunes, and our sacred honor”.

From among those who were called to battle for the defense of our liberties in World War II, thirty-seven young men of St. Joseph’s Parish of Camden, New Jersey made the supreme sacrifice— worthy followers of Kosciusko and Pulaski— heroes one and all until judgment day.

In grateful remembrance, St. Joseph Post 418 of the Catholic War Veterans has inscribed their names in bronze on this 3rd day of April in the year of our Lord, nineteen hundred and forty-nine and bequeathed the same to posterity.

On November 26, 1943, twelve young men from Camden County died together when the troop transport HMTS Rohna was struck by a German guided glider bomb and sank off the coast of North Africa. From Camden: Frank Ballerino, Michael Carr, Michael Yachus, Lewis Riondino, Joseph H. Johnson, and Stephen V. Koscianski (memorialized on this monument); Harry V. Taylor Jr. of Haddonfield, William McKeon of Blackwood, Merl Reagle of Lindenwold, Joseph Jenkins of Pennsauken, Carl Johanson, and Elmer F. Day were lost that day. Eight other South Jersey men were also killed. 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.

• The Rohna Disaster — Camden County Internet War Memorial
• MSNBC Coverage — Tom Brokaw