During World War II life in Cresskill was much the same as in any other community in the United States. The citizens endured shortages of many kinds and many of its citizens served in the armed forces for the duration.

As was the fashion at the time, an Honor Roll, listing all those local citizens in service, was prominently placed somewhere in the town. This Honor Roll, usually a large bill board, would be in front of the Borough Hall or in the town park.

Cresskill placed its Honor Roll, facing east, in Veterans Square. It was about 15 feet in height and 30 feet wide. During these years the Borough Photographer was Peter Kegan. He lived in an apartment on the top floor of Kelly and Burns Park View Tavern and what is today Mooseheads. His apartment overlooked Veterans Square, looking north. Mr. Kegan did all his own developing and printing in one of the rooms of his apartment. Peter Kegan's pictures of Cresskill's Honor Roll have survived but the Honor Roll itself was destroyed by a wind storm in 1948.

Cresskill celebrated its 50 th. anniversary in May of 1944. The Mayor at the time was Mr. Charles F. Pierce. A full day was set aside for both sporting activities and patriotic observances. A small booklet was published listing public officials, the events of the day and, most important, a full listing of all known members of the armed forces for both World War I and World War II that were citizens of Cresskill.

Copies of the photographs of the Honor Roll and the booklet published for the celebration were placed in cardboard storage boxes along with many newspaper articles etc. collected by Borough Historian Harold Tallman.

 

Sometime in 1999, Cresskill Borough Photographer / Archivist William Zimmer started sorting all these stored items. When the photos of the Honor Roll and the celebration booklet from 1944 were found it was realized that Cresskill was one of the few communities that did not have a memorial honoring those citizens that did so much to preserve this nation.

Mr. Zimmer approached Cresskill's Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3286 and asked if the membership would like to contribute a plaque listing all the veterans from Cresskill that served in World War II. After a brief discussion the membership voted to finance the full cost of a brass plaque.

At the suggestion of William Zimmer, Cresskill's Mayor, Ben Romeo, and the Borough Council members all agreed that Cresskill should construct a base for the plaque in Veterans Square. The monument would be large enough to place, side by side, not only the new WW II plaque, but also an existing WW I memorial plaque. This WW I memorial plaque was created by the artist Catherine Lamb of Cresskill and was cast by the Lamb Studio located in Tenafly. The WW I plaque was dedicated in 1924 and lists those citizens of Cresskill that served during World War I, 1914 - 1918. It was mounted on a large stone and during World War II was placed to the right of the Honor Roll. After the wind storm destroyed the World War II memorial the stone and plaque stood alone.

Today the new memorial stands at the center of Veterans Square alongside the American flag and both WW I and WW II veterans of Cresskill are honored and remembered, side-by-side.