What:

Special ceremony to unveil plaque for Public Law 115-318 dedicating the Belleville Post Office on Washington Avenue to local Medal of Honor recipient Private Henry Svehla.

Who:

Anthony Svehla – nephew of Private Henry Svehla,
The Honorable Robert Menendez – United States Senator, NJ
The Honorable Bill Pascrell – Congressman, NJ 9th 
The Honorable Albio Sires – Congressman, NJ 8th
The Honorable Michael Melham – Mayor, Belleville NJ
Michael Deignan - USPS Northern NJ District Manager
Dennis Martin – USPS Manager Customer Service, Newark NJ
Mariset Arroyo – USPS Northern NJ District Marketing Manager
Fredd Mulligan – USPS Maintenance / Chaplain, Newark NJ
Lieutenant Colonel Samuel Morgan – U.S. Army, Picatinny Arsenal
Captain Adrienne M. Smith – U.S. Army, Newark NJ 
American Legion Post 150 Honor Guard – Belleville NJ
Belleville High School Choir
Representative from the office of U.S. Senator Cory Booker

When:

10:30 a.m. Monday, May 20, 2019

Where:

Main Post Office
413 Washington Avenue
Belleville, New Jersey 07109

Background:

Signed by the President on December 14, 2018, Public Law 115-318 designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 413 Washington Avenue in Belleville, New Jersey, as the "Private Henry Svehla Post Office Building."

Henry Svehla, who was born in Newark and lived for a time in Belleville, was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his heroism in the act that cost him his life in the Korean War. When an enemy grenade landed among a group of his comrades, Private First Class Svehla, without hesitation and undoubtedly aware of extreme danger, threw himself upon the grenade. Decades later, in a review of his action, his award was upgraded to the Medal of Honor and presented in 2011 to his surviving family members.

Media Contact:  George B. Flood – Cell: 908-477-0404

The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.

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