West Long Branch War Veteran Receives Posthumous Bronze Star

The family of West Long Branch resident received a special honor this week, as the World War 2 veteran received a posthumous award he had been entitled to for over 70 years.

Olivadotti died in August 2011, and was an active member of the community which included 40 years of service on the Shore Regional Board of Education. 

Olivadotti served as 1st Sergeant with the 39th Infantry of the 9th Infantry Division for the Central Europe and Rhineland Campaigns in the European Theater of Operations in World War II. He was awarded a Purple Heart, as well as the WWII Victory Medal, the American Campaign Medal, the EAME Campaign Medal and the Good Conduct Medal for his military service.

However, there was one other honor he should have received that he did not; a Bronze Star. Bronze Stars are awarded to a person in any branch of the military service who distinguished himself by heroic or meritorious achievement or service.

Mr. Olivadotti’s sister, Sandra Rubino, sent a request to Congressman Frank Pallone’s (NJ-06) office which opened an official Congressional Inquiry into Olivadotti’s military record and found that he was entitled to the Bronze Star for his service on March 1, 1945 for meritorious achievement in active ground combat.

“I am honored to present this distinguished military award to the late Russell T. Olivadotti, who in addition to serving our country with honor in WWII, also served our community throughout his entire adult life on school boards and in other volunteer roles,” Pallone said in a release. “Though overlooked for seventy years, he more than deserves this posthumous recognition for exemplary service to our country.”

Pallone presented the Bronze Star medal to Olivadotti's son, Russell M. Olivadotti in Long Branch on Wednesday in front of several of his family including Rubino.