SCOTCH PLAINS — When Scotch Plains launched its Veterans Advisory Board in May 2022, a key goal was to ensure that every local veteran who died in combat or is missing in action would receive special recognition.

Another “Gold Star” family and local military member will be honored on Monday, May 27, when U.S. Army Private Henry L. Siedentop, Jr., killed in action in World War II, is remembered during the township’s annual Memorial Day ceremony.

A street sign “topper” will be placed where the fallen hero had lived in Scotch Plains, at the intersections of Newark Avenue and Maple Hill Road and Newark Avenue and Hetfield Avenue. Pvt. Siedentop, born on July 13, 1925, lived at 2067 Newark Avenue.

Pvt. Siedentop entered military service on November 20, 1943 and deployed overseas in July 1944 as part of the 737th Tank Battalion. A Purple Heart recipient, he was tragically killed in action in France on November 17, 1944, at only 19 years of age. He is buried at the LorraineAmerican Cemetery in Lorraine, France.

The ceremony will include participation by Scotch Plains’ elected officials and other dignitaries, local veterans and their families. American Legion Post 209 coordinates all aspects of the ceremony, providing an honor guard and rifle salute in tribute. Mayor Josh Losardo and the township council will issue a proclamation honoring Pvt. Siedentop for his ultimate sacrifice.

Initiated during World War I, the title “Gold Star” distinguishes a family member who lost a loved one in military service. Today, immediate family members (parent, sibling, spouse or child) receive a Gold Star from the U.S. Department of Defense to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice.