Former Police Chief Joseph J. Manghisi passed away on on his 92nd birthday, the police department announced on Oct. 21, 2016.
CLINTON - Former Police Chief Joseph J. Manghisi passed away on Thursday on his 92nd birthday, the police department announced Friday.
Manghisi joined the Newark Police Department after serving in World War II. During 28 years on the force he had reached the rank of Deputy Chief and Chief of Detectives. After retiring, he became Chief of Police in Clinton.
He would later go on to become the Undersheriff of Hunterdon County and then an investigator in the Hunterdon County Prosecutor's Office.
The town honored Manghisi on Arbor Day by dedicating a tree - called the Joey tree - to him for his commitment and dedication to the town.
A Mass to celebrate Joe's life will be held at 10 a.m. Oct. 28 at Immaculate Conception Church, 316 Old Allerton Road, Annandale, according to his obituary. Burial will be in the Church Cemetery.
Born on Oct. 20, 1924, to John and Rose Manghisi of Astoria, Queens, he moved to Newark as a child and attended South 17th Street Elementary School, Essex County Technical High School and the City College of New York.
He enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1943 and was assigned to the U.S. Seabees 68th Battalion, serving in the Pacific Theater of the war on the islands of Attu and Okinawa.
In 2010, he spoke to NJ Advance Media about his war experiences. His battalion was sent to Attu in the Aleutian Islands off the coast of Alaska after it was taken from the Japanese by the Army.
"There were some Japanese still hiding up in the caves, " he said. The Japanese honor code did not permit the enemy soldiers to surrender, but they were starving and cold because "Attu has the worst weather in the world.
"They actually came down and got on chow lines," he said. That way an enemy soldier "didn't surrender - he was captured."
Manghisi went with the Seabees to Okinawa, where they built a runway, a hospital and a water department. "The islands started filling up with troop ships, " he said. "MacArthur's plan was to invade Japan on November first or second ... It never happened."
He saw first-hand how the atomic bombs changed the war. The Japanese had been bombing Okinawa every day, but "when the A-bomb was dropped in August, the bombing stopped, " he said.
Manghisi valued his family, his faith and his country, it was stated in his obituary. He was a member of the International Police Chief's Association, the PBA, the Fraternal Order of Police and The Superior Officers' Association.
He was an active parishioner of Immaculate Conception Church in Annandale. He enjoyed running and was a member of the Hunterdon Roadrunners and was also an expert marksman.
During his retirement, he enjoyed volunteering for the Town of Clinton Parks and Recreation Committee and being a part of the Gem Vac Veteran's Group.
Manghisi is survived by his wife of 62 years, Joan, and their four daughters and spouses, Maria (Robert) Montalbano of Clinton, Roe (Jill) Manghisi of Lawrenceville, Nicole Gill of Flemington and Annette (Louis) Sciarretta of Wilton, CT.
He is also survived by his greatest treasurers, his grandchildren: Danielle Carniero, Robert (Nicolle) Montalbano, Jonathan Gill, Michelle Montalbano, Allison Sciarretta and Andrew Sciarretta - and his great grandchildren: Giulian, Giovanni and Natalie. He is predeceased by his parents and siblings: John Manghisi, Frank Manghisi, MaryAnn McCall, and Victor Manghisi.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to one of the following veterans' charities: Summit for Soldiers, offers assistance to veterans suffering from service-related mental health issues, 205 West Henderson Road, Columbus, OH, 43214. Puppies Behind Bars, trains prison inmates to raise service dogs for wounded war veterans, 263 West 38th ST, 4th Floor, New York, NY, 10018.