Message from Councilman Roshan White | 6/24/21
As we eagerly look for ways in which to honor World War II veterans in Scotch Plains, the Township hosted a birthday party for William Kiamie, who turned 97 on June 22.
In front of 35 family members, friends and municipal staff in the council chambers, William shared in some red, white, and blue birthday cake as everyone celebrated his long life and enormous service to our country.
“I am just flabbergasted,” Kiamie said. “Thank you all so much. This is quite nice.”
Kiamie’s younger brother, Arthur, shared stories of the pair growing up in Cranford, where there were six siblings under the same roof. After the oldest brother, Charlie, went off to fight in the South Pacific in the early 1940s, William arrived home one day from Cranford High School with some news for his father.
That day, William had enlisted in the military.
“How can I be going to class when Charlie is off fighting in the war?” William asked his dad.
The father relented, knowing that William was fully committed to doing his duty for the country. The teen soon departed, serving as a search light radar outfit with the 93rd Mortar Battalion.
From there, William went to England, eager to join the frontlines in combat. In his wait, he went to France and Germany, where he joined the 7th army division. From there, William went to Linz, Austria, where he fought the Germans under General Patton.
When William returned from service, he graduated from New York University and worked as an accountant and and auditor before retiring at 62.
The Township Council passed a resolution to express our appreciation to William for his service. During his birthday party, my colleague, Councilman Matt Adams, read the resolution for the audience, noting that William has lived in our town for 51 years. He and his late wife, Violet Sadie, were married for 57 years, raising their children Kimberly Ann Kiamie and William John Kiamie right here.
Our entire community is enormously grateful and proud of William’s service to our country. It is a pleasure to honor his remarkable life and congratulate him on this his 97th birthday. William, along with the other remaining World War II veterans in Scotch Plains, remain an important and immense treasure.
