Thanks to the efforts of the New Jersey Mission of Honor (NJMOH), since March 2009, five abandoned veterans cremated remains stored on funeral home shelves for up to 30 years have been found and reunited with their families. One family of a reunited Vietnam veteran said he would be buried next to his father.

These wonderful stories come about due to the efforts of the NJMOH representatives who visit funeral homes to search for the cremated remains of abandoned veterans. Before turning over the cremains to the NJMOH for proper military burial, the funeral homes once again try to contact next of kin of these cremains. Only upon returnreceipt of refusal, or non-delivery of the certified letters will the NJMOH accept the cremains for proper military burial at the Brigadier GeneralWilliam C. Doyle Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Arneytown.

"It's almost like a miracle", Roman Niedzwiedz, chairman of the NJMOH said. "Now five New Jersey families have accepted their relatives cremains for a family burial. If no one replies, we provide the military ceremony to bury these veterans with the honor they deserve."

Those who would like to make a donation to the Mission of Honor can write a check payable to New Jersey Mission of Honor and mail to New Jersey Mission of Honor for the Cremains of American Veterans, P.O. Box 263, Bordentown, N.J., 08505. Visit the website www.njsmissionofhonor. org.

Wallace Noonan

Allentown