MAYS LANDING — During the Vietnam War Era between 1955-1975 nearly 9.1 million American military members served active duty while 2.7 million actually had boots on the ground in Vietnam. From the first day American troops set foot in Da Nang on March 8, 1965 until the final troops vacated Saigon on March 29, 1973, approximately 58,220 American soldiers died in combat.
Thousands of courageous young men from Atlantic and Cape May counties served their country during those eight years of conflict. Nearly 1,500 from the State of New Jersey, 47 of whom hailed from Atlantic and 13 from Cape May counties, paid the ultimate sacrifice. Many others returned home hoping to forget what they saw by building new lives for themselves and their loved ones while others would never be the same again.
Three Atlantic Cape Community College (then known as Atlantic Community College prior to 1999) alumni – Ray Williams, ’72, David Abbamondi, ’72 and Paul Hornig, Jr., ’75 – had the opportunity to earn an associate degree at the College thanks to the generosity of the GI Bill following active duty. These degrees gave William, Abbamondi and Hornig, Jr. the knowledge and skills to continue further with their education, start rewarding careers and families.
Ray Williams, ‘72
Williams, 77, was born and raised in New Brunswick, NJ, where he graduated from New Brunswick High School in 1967. After getting married in 1968, Williams was called for active duty and served on the USS Sierra (AD-18), a Dixie-class destroyer tender tasked to service other destroyers to keep them ready for duty, with more 900 other soldiers and officers. Williams was stationed at Norfolk, VA and spent two months aboard the Sierra at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
At the end of his active duty service, Williams enrolled at Atlantic Cape and earned his Associate Degree in Business Studies in 1972. He also earned his Bachelor of Science in Finance from Stockton State College (now Stockton University) in 1974 and his Master’s Degree in Business Administration from Monmouth University in 1979.
“We are bringing this event to Atlantic Cape to thank the College’s professors and administrators for providing us with the academic tools and knowledge that have allowed us to succeed in our lives,” said Williams, who never forgot his fellow soldiers from the Vietnam Era, even as he was raising a family and founding Human Capital Resources, an executive search firm that specialized in recruiting bank executives in the tri-state area.
“I worked at the College for the Veterans Administration as a benefits counselor. I would split my days between the College and Stockton from 1974-79. I was also the advisor to the Veterans Clubs on both campuses,” said Williams, who was awarded a U.S. Presidential Citation from President Jimmy Carter for his service to Vietnam Era veterans in 1979. “I was also the first president of the Vietnam Era Veterans Club at the College in 1971-72. Between 1971 and 1979 we helped nearly 10,000 veterans use their GI Bill to attend college at Atlantic Community College and Stockton.”
Three of Williams’ four children graduated from Atlantic Cape. His oldest son, Paul, was editor of the Atlantic Review student newspaper and graduated from Jersey City State University. Daughter, Tara, was Ski Club president, graduated from Stockton University with Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in English Literature, and is currently an adjunct professor of English at Atlantic Cape. His son, Michael, also graduated from Atlantic Cape.
“Atlantic Cape gave me the academic tools that I needed to succeed before the era of computers. The professors taught me how to conduct research for quality term papers, public speaking and creative writing,” said Williams. "I used those tools I acquired at Atlantic Cape while at Stockton University to earn an internship with the US Housing and Urban Development. I was then hired upon my graduation by the US Veterans Administration to remain as Veterans Benefits Counselor at Atlantic Cape and Stockton from 1974-1980.”
David Abbamondi, ‘72
Abbamondi, 79, was born in Franklinville, NJ and has been a resident of Mays Landing, NJ since 1961. He graduated from Oakcrest High School in 1964 and earned an Associate Degree in Business Studies from Atlantic Cape in 1972. Abbamondi served in the United States Air Force between 1965-69 where he trained as a firefighter for both structural and crash rescues and was stationed at Castle Air Force Base in Atwater, CA. He was honorably discharged after earning the rank of sergeant in 1969.
Thanks to the benefit of the GI Bill, Abbamondi decided to enroll part-time at Atlantic Cape in 1969 while working at Lenox China. Shortly thereafter, he would decide to leave his job and become a dedicated full-time student.
“While going to high school I never envisioned that I would be able to go to college since I thought that was only for the rich kids. I was a farmer’s son and nobody in my family ever went to college. My father only went as far as the fourth grade because he had to work on the farm and my mother only finished one or two years of high school,” 
admitted Abbamondi. “While in the U.S. Air Force I thought of taking classes, but because of my job I wasn’t able to. After I was honorably discharged I enrolled at Atlantic Cape. The College showed me that I had greater abilities, and it gave me the means and confidence to move forward. Thank you, Atlantic Cape for giving me a leg up and a stepping stone to the world.”
Abbamondi, whose older brother served in the Army National Guard, is grateful for what the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C. and the Mobile Wall that will appear at Atlantic Cape between September 16-20 stand for.
“The Vietnam Mobile Wall is very important to me because I could have been a name on that wall. I could have been drafted like so many other young men who died in the U.S. Army. I wish to honor those who served and died in my place, and to honor the sacrifices of the fallen. This is my chance to say thank you to my brother veterans,” said Abbamondi, who met his wife, Mary Paula, while both were students at Atlantic Cape, have two daughters, a son and four grandchildren.
“We, as Americans, must sacrifice for our country and always honor those who have served and protected our lives and freedoms,” Abbamondi concluded.
Paul Hornig, Jr., ‘75
Hornig, Jr. was born in Margate, NJ and is a resident of Somers Point, NJ. A third-generation veteran himself, both of Hornig, Jr.’s grandfathers served in the U.S. Navy during World War I. His father served in the U.S. Army during World War II, participated in the landing at Omaha Beach in France in June 1944 and at the Battle of the Bulge in Belgium and Luxembourg in December 1944. Hornig, Jr.’s uncle also a member of the U.S. Army, a prisoner of war and soldier in the Battle of Okinawa from April – June, 1945.
Enlisted from 1970-82 and called to active duty for 18 months to provide direct support in Hanza, Okinawa, Hornig, Jr., after completing his active duty service, utilized the GI Bill to further his education. He graduated from Atlantic Cape in 1975 with an Associate Degree in Art and from Stockton in 1977 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Liberal Arts, History.
Hornig, Jr. is a former Atlantic Cape employee who served as the veteran’s coordinator to “help thousands of my fellow vets transition home and receive a quality education.” Hornig, Jr.’s daughter is also an Atlantic Cape graduate.
Today, Hornig, Jr. remains active and engaged with local veterans in Somers Point at the American Legion Post 352, Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 228 and Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) and with organizations, such as Atlantic Cape’s Alumni Association.
For Hornig, Jr. the message is very clear to all that, “freedom is not free, service to humanity is the best work of life, and to give of yourself in service to country, community and humanity.”
To acknowledge the 50th anniversary of the official cessation of the Vietnam War and recognize the sacrifices made by the proud veterans throughout Southern New Jersey, Atlantic Cape and the Atlantic Cape Foundation are hosting a series of free and open-to-the-public events on the Mays Landing campus commemorating the end of the Vietnam War between Tuesday, September 16 and Saturday, September 20.
Designated as the final officially-recognized ceremony by the United States Department of Defense, the highlight of the week’s festivities will be the arrival of an 82-foot replica of the Vietnam War Memorial Mobile Wall, which will arrive at the College around 12 p.m. on the 16th, flanked by a dignified escort of American Legion Riders, New Jersey State Police helicopters and additional riders from numerous veterans’ organizations.
Visit atlanticcape.edu/vietnam for a full schedule of events.
About Atlantic Cape Community College
Atlantic Cape Community College is a Middle States accredited, 2022 Achieving the Dream Leader College and Hispanic Serving Institution proudly serving the residents of Atlantic and Cape May counties. As a comprehensive, two-year community college, Atlantic Cape offers 47 undergraduate degree programs, and 34 certificate and professional series programs at its Mays Landing, Atlantic City and Cape May County campuses. Atlantic Cape is home to the renowned Academy of Culinary Arts, rated the top culinary school in New Jersey, and for more than 50 years, our highly-acclaimed Nursing program. Atlantic Cape also partners with more than 30 colleges and four-year universities to offer students the opportunity to seamlessly earn a bachelor’s degree upon graduation.
About Atlantic Cape Community College Foundation
Atlantic Cape established the Foundation in 1978 as a 501(c)3 nonprofit charity to build a broad base of financial support for its programs and services. Foundation members are drawn from local industry and small businesses and represent a broad cross-section of active leaders in the community. The Foundation has raised more than $5 million for scholarships, Foundation operations and to enhance academic programs and the campus environment. Annually, the Foundation provides nearly $600,000 for institutional scholarships, grants and emergency help.
