Retired Air Force Fighter Pilot And Vietnam POW To Be Guest Speaker For Hunterdon County Veterans Event On Veterans Day, November 11th
Colonel Joseph Milligan, a U.S. Air Force fighter pilot, originally from Hunterdon County, who was held as a prisoner of war in North Vietnam for five years and nine months, will serve as the special guest speaker at Hunterdon County’s Veterans Recognition Ceremony that will be livestreamed on Veterans Day, November 11th, County Board of Commissioners Director Susan J. Soloway announced at the Board’s November 3rd meeting.
Soloway, who also serves as the Board’s Veterans liaison, said, “It is my great honor to announce that the guest speaker for the ceremony will be retired Colonel Joseph Milligan, originally from Union Township. Colonel Milligan served in the U.S. Air Force from 1964 to 1988, a career that included 113 missions as a fighter pilot in Vietnam, and five years and nine months as a Prisoner of War in North Vietnam.
Colonel Milligan resides in Texas now. When asked to serve as guest speaker, he was excited to do so and was gracious enough to record his presentation for use during the County’s ceremony on Veterans Day.”
Colonel Milligan was a recipient of the Hunterdon County Veterans Recognition Medal in 2020.
Soloway noted, “Based on the advice of the County Health Department, the ceremony will again be held virtually this year and will be livestreamed on the County website (www.co.hunterdon.nj.us) and Facebook, live from the Historic Courthouse in Flemington, beginning at 2 pm.
Over the past few months, I had the great fortune to meet many of the honorees in order to individually and safely present their medals. Each Veteran has their own story, but I found the common theme among them all is pride in their service to our country.”
Thirty Hunterdon County Veterans’ service will be recognized with biographical sketches presented by the County’s Commissioners and Constitutional Officers.
Soloway said, “It is always a great honor for each of us on the Board, and our Constitutional Officers, to participate in the Veterans Recognition Medal Ceremony. This year it will be even more exceptional with the presentation by Colonel Milligan.
I encourage everyone to tune in, but if you cannot on Veterans Day, the program will be recorded for later viewing on the county website.”