UPDATE Regarding EVENTS

With thousands of like-minded followers, Patriot Connections has been dedicated to providing our veteran, military, first responder and patriot community with a comprehensive resource of events in NJ, PA and the surrounding areas for the last 10 years - including resources for veterans and first responders. Whether it's information on upcoming 5K Runs/Walks, Sporting Events, Job Fairs, Town Hall Meetings, Motorcycle Runs, Ceremonies, Dinners, Dances, Honor Missions, Welcome Homes, Golf Outings, or Resources for our Veterans, Military and 1st Responders. 

November 2021 - Over the last couple of years (including COVID), many events were cancelled/postponed and most organizations have chosen to list their events on social media platforms such as Facebook. Due to decrease in organizations listing their events directly on the Patriot Connection website, we primarily just list events on the Patriot Connections Facebook Page. Feel free to visit our Facebook Page for upcoming events and submit your events there. 

 

 

04 May

75th Anniversary of D-Day

The Air Mobility Command Museum would like to announce a Commemoration of the 75th Anniversary of D-Day. We are paying tribute to those who served, their sacrifices, and the history, with many events planned for the day. Events will include up to 200 personnel parachute drops from modern Air Force aircraft by the 82nd Airborne Division. A most historical aircraft will also be participating and visiting the AMC Museum on its way over to Normandy. ‘That’s All Brother,’ the lead C-47 of the 800 aircraft that dropped two American airborne divisions into France will be here. There will be many historical presentations and re-enactors on the D-Day operations throughout the day, and a swing dance with 1940’s music performed by the “Smooth Sound Big Band” [...]
04 May

DAV Chapter 16 Somerville NJ - Forget me not Fund Raiser

DAV (Disabled American Veterans) Chapter 16 Somerville NJ with hold a "Forget me not" fund raiser on May 4, 2019. It will be held at the IHOP restaurant at 1340 Centennial Ave. Piscataway, NJ 08854. DAV Chapter 16 has been in continuous operation since 1932. The mission of  this chapter has not changed since it was established.  "VETERANS HELPING VETERANS" 100% of all monies collected during all our drives go directly to assist injured veterans suffering from PTSD, (Post traumatic Sress Disorder) TBI Traumatic Brain Injury and other maladies. These brave men and women have served our country and deserve our respect and assistance. Please stop by.. learn about our chapter and Help us Help these veterans.  
04 May

Corporal Frederick W. Grigg Way Street Dedication

Merchantville American Legion Post #68 along with Borough Officials would like to invite all residents and the public to this historic and very special event. West Chestnut Ave will be named after a young man that was recognized by the WW1 Battle Commission, the name sake of your neighborhood American Legion Post and one of the most heroic young men that called our community home. Corporal Fredrick W. Grigg. He enlisted at the age of 15 and served on two fronts with the US Army and New Jersey National Guard. Corporal Grigg was killed in action making the ultimate sacrifice at the age of 18 during WW1. 100 years later we will honor his legacy of service and pay tribute to this young man in [...]
04 May

Ride for Recovery & Bike Show

Maryville Addiction Treatment Center presents its 7th Annual Ride for Recovery & Bike Show.Join us in raising funds for the Peter P. Black IV Scholarship Fund at Maryville, which helps reduce the cost of treatment for those who can’t afford it.The ride begins at Barb's Harley-Davidson and ends with a BBQ lunch at Maryville's Williamstown campus.$20 for riders, $15 for passengers, or $15 to attend the BBQ only. Sponsorships are available.Compete for a prize in the Battle of the Bikes!Registration starts at 10 am at Barb’s Harley-Davidson.Kickstands up at 12 pm.BBQ starts at 1 pm.https://www.facebook.com/events/331206577509847/
04 May

2019 Coast Guard Community Festival

The Cape May County Coast Guard Community Festival is presented by the Cape May County Coast Guard Community Foundation in partnership with the County of Cape May and its 16 municipalities, the Cape May County Chamber of Commerce, the City of Cape May and community sponsors.The festival honors the men and women of the United States Coast Guard and celebrates the county’s designation as a Coast Guard Community. The designation was awarded after approval by the United States Coast Guard and an Act of Congress in 2015.Considered by many to be the Coast Guard’s hometown, the festival takes place at Training Center Cape May (TRACEN) - the only active Boot Camp for Coast Guard recruits in the United States. Learn more about this FREE event [...]
04 May

4 HEROES DESIGNER BAG BINGO

BYOB/snacks and come out for a fun night playing bingo for a chance to win a designer bag, door prizes, basket auction and 50/50. All proceeds go to 4 Heroes Charity which supports our first responders, police, military and firefighters. Tickets are $35 each and include a free bbq platter with soda or water. 10 games and a coverall game at the end for the grand prize! Discounts for reserved tables of 10 or more! Doors will open at 5pm. Stay tuned for more details. Also looking for anyone who would like to donate a basket for our auction!You can see any member for tickets or email tink@rollingbadges.comVenmo accepted!https://www.facebook.com/events/245111776430262/
 


PATRIOT CONNECTIONS DOG TAG PROJECT

The Patriot Connections DOG TAG PROJECT MISSION: Return dog tags that were lost and found to the veterans they belong to or their families. If you believe we may have your dog tag please contact Director of Research/Returns Sue Quinn-Morris at squinn9807@aol.com or 856-495-7270.

THE DOG TAG COLLECTIONS

SOUTH JERSEY COLLECTION – This collection of dog tags (450) journey home began in 1993 from DaNang and China Beach area in Vietnam where they were being sold in shops. Gloucester County Time Reporter Jim Six asked the then Deptford Police Chief Ray Milligan to purchase as many as he could and bring them home, as Milligan traveled back and forth to Vietnam for Operation Smile. He brought back 450 of them and gave them to Jim Six. Over the years several people/organizations worked with Jim Six on returning some of the dog tags. In 2010, he gave the rest to us to try and locate and return the rest of them. With much effort and research, we have located many, completed returns and have more returns underway throughout the United States. 

BOUGOURD COLLECTION - This collection of dog tags began their journey home after British Army/Navy veteran, Aaron Bougourd, received them from the family of Major Thien in 2006. Bougourd had been volunteering for the Father Ray Foundation Orphanage in Thialand when he met Major Thien, and helped him find his lost family in Vietnam. Thien, a South Vietnamese officer living as a refugee. Major Ly Kim Thien was commissioned as an officer of the Republic of Vietnam Air Force in 1964 and served in several capacities throughout Vietnam up until the fall of Saigon in 1975. It was after this that he was sent to a communist reeducation camp, where he was tortured and forced to denounce his anti-communist beliefs. In 1994 he escaped Vietnam on foot through Cambodia and on to Thailand, which is where Aaron Bougourd met him. Thien’s family, as a token of appreciation, gave Bougourd some dog tags they had found at Ben Hoa Air Base. Aaron, a resident of the UK, reached out and sent some of the dog tags to Patriot Connections Dog Tag Project to help return them. Returns are underway. 

SANTAYANA COLLECTION - Touring the Ho Chi Minh trail in 1998, Wall Street trader Manny Santayana stumbled onto a Vietnamese man who made a living out of extracting bombs from the ground, grinding up the metal and selling it for profit. Sometime he would stumble upon dog tags from U.S. soldiers, which he would collect and store in an ammo bag under his bed. Santayana paid him $100 for 105 dog tags and brought them back home.Over the next several years, he was able to make some returns to dog tag owners, but he eventually became too busy to continue with the research. He then enlisted the help of Senator James Beach, who formed a committee for dog tag returns – Quinn-Morris has researched and facilitated returns from this collection. The collection is stored in the NJ State House.

HUTCHINGS COLLECTION - In December 2012, Jack Hutchings, a prominent businessman in Florida,  had been traveling on his yacht in the Solomon Islands. There, the villagers gave him some American WWII dog tags they had found. He brought them home in hopes of getting them returned to the veterans/families. . Upon returning home, he stumbled across a newspaper article in the Orlando-Sentinel about the dog tag return to USMC Vietnam veteran, James Alderman that we did. This prompted him to contact us in hopes that we could located and return the dog tags to the veterans/families they belong to.

MISC COLLECTIONS - From time to time we are contacted by people that have found dog tags and are looking for help in returning them. As long as they are looking to do so with NO CHARGE to the veteran, we do aide them in finding and returning.

Organizations helping with Dog Tag Project The following organizations have and continue to aid with the return of the dog tags nationwide; Nam Knights of America MC, American Legion Riders, VFW Riders, Warriors Watch Riders, Patriot Guard Riders, various American Legion Posts and VFW Posts. Returns have taken place in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, North Carolina, Florida, Illinois, New York, Arizona, Tennessee, Connecticut, Oklahoma, Ohio, Maine, Kentucky, Washington DC, Oregon, Texas, California, Washington and Michigan.

It is essential to the Project that the dog tags are handled and delivered to the veterans and/or their families in a dignified manner.  From the moment the dog tag is handed off, to the moment it reaches the hand of the veteran, the dog tag is well cared for and attended to, to ensure that it arrives to the veteran/family safely. If you believe we may have your dog tag, or a dog tag that belongs to a family member or friend, please contact Director of Research/Returns Sue Quinn-Morris at squinn9807@aol.com or 856-495-7270.

* Over 100 dog tags have been reunited with the veterans/families they belonged to. Please bear with us as we update the dog tag return stories and dog tag lists *