Due to measures beyond our control as of March 2024
Give2Those will no longer be taking orders for Plaques of Honor.
We thank Doug Pickel for all his hard work and dedication to Gold Star Families and Those Who Serve and wish him and Azuant Custom Plaques nothing but the best in future endeavors.
Plaques of Honor
Plaques of Honor is a way to publicly Honor, Remember, Reflect and Recognize the service and sacrifices made by members of our Armed Forces, First Responders and Families of Fallen Heroes.
Azuant Custom Plaques has exclusively collaborated with Give2Those.org to Honor and Remember our Nations Heroes and their Families.
Give2Those.org launched Plaques of Honor in October of 2021 to mark the 20th Anniversary, when our Military first deployed into Afghanistan - October 7, 2001; 27 days after the Attcacks on 9/11. Give2Those.org became the exclusive charity to that Azuant Custom Plaques would make these Plaques for. Azuant Custom Plaques had started with their Purple Heart and Service Plaque since the mid- 2000’s. Seeing where Give2Those.org Honors and Remembers Our Military and First Responders, we wanted to expand the plaque designs to First Responder Plaques and also add to the Military Plaque line up with the POW/MIA Plaque. On January 1st, 2022 we launched our First Responder Plaques of Honor to the line up. Then on Memorial Day, May 30th, 2022 we launched our POW/MIA Plaque of Honor.
Did you know as of May 22, 2023, more than 81,000 Americans remain missing from WWII, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Cold War, and the Gulf Wars/other conflicts. Out of the total, approximately 75% of the losses are located in the Indo-Pacific region, and over 41,000 of the missing are presumed lost at sea (such as ship losses and known aircraft water losses). This information is provided by The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency's, who's mission it is to search for missing personnel from World War II (WWII), the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Cold War, the Gulf Wars, and other recent conflicts. Their research and operational missions involve coordination with hundreds of countries and municipalities worldwide.
Heroes that we have Honored
Below are the Heroes we have Honored
They risk their lives for us, Let us Honor & Remember Their Lives TODAY!
Nicholas was born on Feb. 12, 1988, in Hyannis. He is the first child and first son of Yarmouth Police Lt. Steven Xiarhos and his wife Lisa Xiarhos of Yarmouthport. His siblings are Alexander, 19, and his twin sisters, Ashlynne and Elizabeth, 15.
Nicholas attended Yarmouth schools and played Yarmouth Little League baseball with the Athletics. In 2005, he completed the Massachusetts State Police Junior Trooper Academy with honors. In June 2006, he graduated from Dennis-Yarmouth Regional High School, where he was selected to be a Student Ambassador and played baseball and football with the D-Y Dolphins.
His family, friends, teachers, and coaches remember him as a kind-hearted, selfless person who went out of his way to help others. He was affectionately nicknamed "The Mayor of D-Y" due to his outgoing personality, popularity, and ability to get along with everyone. In their senior year, his classmates presented him with the title "Does Most For Others." Nicholas enjoyed music — particularly hard rock, playing videos games, driving his Jeep, and especially spending time with his family and friends.
Nicholas had an enduring passion about serving his country and joining the military, which was heightened by the events of Sept. 11, 2001. Nine days after graduating from high school, he entered the U.S. Marine Corps Boot Camp at Parris Island in South Carolina, where he was selected to be a Squad Leader. On Sept. 22, 2006, he earned the title of U.S. Marine.
Nicholas entered his first tour of duty in Iraq's Anbar province as a member of the historic 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment (1/9), nicknamed "The Walking Dead." 1/9 was responsible for all security missions in that area and was divided into Police Transition Teams (PTT) that worked directly with Iraqi police.
The lives of Nicholas and 49 other Marines and Iraqi police officers were saved in April 2008 when Marine Cpl. Jonathan Yale of 2nd Battalion, 8th Marines (2/8) and Lance Corporal Jordan Haerter of 1/9 stood in the path of a suicide bomber's truck and prevented it from entering the Marine outpost in Ramadi, Iraq. The two Marines gave their lives for the "Fortunate Fifty." Nicholas and his family were honored to attend the special ceremony at the Museum of the Marine Corps where Jonathan's and Jordan's sacrifices were recognized by the presentation of the Navy Cross Award for Valor, the highest award given by the Navy, to their families.
Nicholas rose conventionally from Private First Class to Lance Corporal and in March 2009 he was meritoriously promoted to Corporal.
When he learned that fellow Marine and D-Y classmate Cpl. Andrew Coville of Yarmouthport was deploying for battle in Afghanistan, Nicholas left 1/9 to fight alongside Andrew — and to honor the battalions of Jordan and Jonathan.
Nicholas personally met President Obama at Camp Lejeune in 2009 when the President gave a speech to the thousands of Marines preparing to deploy for war in Afghanistan with his historic 10,000-member Marine Expeditionary Brigade as a renewed offensive against Taliban insurgents. President Obama spoke of great sacrifices, stating, in part: "Each of you has your own story. And that story is now a part of the history of the United States of America — a nation that exists only because free men and women have bled for it from the beaches of Normandy to the deserts of Anbar; from the mountains of Korea to the streets of Kandahar. You teach us that the price of freedom is great. Your sacrifice should challenge all of us — every single American — to ask what we can do to be better citizens."
At the time of his death on July 23, 2009, Nicholas was an Infantry Assaultman Shoulder Launched Multi-Purpose Assault Weapon (SMAW) Gunner, Squad Automatic Weapon (SAW) Gunner, and Squad Leader with 2nd Battalion — known as "America's Battalion" — of the 8th Marine Regiment Weapons Company based at Camp Lejeune, N.C. During his three years of service, Corporal Xiarhos earned a Meritorious Mast Award for Outstanding Performance, Good Conduct Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, National Defense Medal, Iraqi Campaign Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, Combat Action Ribbon, Naval Unit Citation, and will be awarded the Purple Heart posthumously.
Jared C. Monti enlisted in the National Guard as a high school junior under the delayed entry program on March 11, 1993. He went to basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., between his junior and senior year of high school. After graduation, he switched over to active duty and completed his initial military training at Fort Sill, Okla. After graduating from his Advanced Individual Training, he was awarded the military operations specialty 13F, or Fire Support Specialist. A fire support specialist leads, supervises, and serves in an intelligence and target-processing role in Field Artillery units of all sizes across the Army.
After graduating from basic and AIT he was stationed at Fort Riley, Kan. Monti was then assigned to the Korean Peninsula as part of the 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment, in the demilitarized zone. After leaving Korea, he moved to Fort Bragg, N.C. From Fort Bragg he went back to Korea before eventually ending up at Fort Drum, N.Y.
His military education includes completing the Combat Life Savers course in 1995, Basic Airborne School in 1997, Primary Leadership Development Course in 1998, Basic Noncommissioned Officer course in 2001, Air Assault course in 2002 and the Joint Firepower/Control course in 2004.
Monti was deployed with his unit when they were attacked by a group of enemy insurgents. When another soldier was wounded, Monti attempted to rescue him three times and was killed in action. President Barack Obama signed the authorization for Monti to receive the Medal of Honor and the medal was presented to his family in a ceremony, the President's first, at the White House in 2009. Monti was the sixth person from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to be awarded the Medal of Honor.
His awards and decorations (prior to earning the Medal of Honor) include the Bronze Star Medal, the Purple Heart, the Army Commendation Medal with four oak-leaf clusters, the Army Achievement Medal with three oak-leaf clusters, Good Conduct Medal 3rd Award, National Defense Service Medal (2), Korean Defense Service Medal (2), Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (2), Kosovo Campaign Medal, Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon with numeral two, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon with numeral three, NATO Medal, Afghan Campaign Medal, Global War of Terrorism Service Medal, Combat Action Badge, Parachutist Badge and the Air Assault Badge.
In January of 2023 we presented a plaque of honor to his Granddaughter and Great Granddaughter.
She was born in Fitchburg on July 26, 1968, daughter of Sandra (Tyler) Massalski of Townsend and the late John Joseph Massalski. Tracy was a 1986 graduate of No. Middlesex High School and later graduated from Mt. Wachusett Community College as well as Henry’s Hairdressing School. She had lived in Templeton for many years.
Tracy worked as personal care assistant and life coach with Mitchell Borque of Templeton as well as multiple children for ABA Services in Fitchburg. She served as an EMT for the Town of Templeton for 11 years. Tracy was involved in many charities in support of veterans,
Cpl. Charlotte "Chotsie" Pennington passed away on Thursday, April 19, 2018, while a resident at Greentree Manor in Waterford.
Formerly from North Kingstown, R.I., she was the wife of Frank (Gunner) Pennington. She was born in Jersey City, N.J. on Jan. 14, 1924, the daughter of Lottie and Leonard Gordon.
Chotsie was a U.S. Marine veteran, having served during World War II. After her service in the Marine Corps, she worked in Massachusetts, married Frank, and became a Navy wife and mother of three children. After 30 years of living the Navy life in various locations, the family settled in North Kingstown.
She worked in the education department at the University of Rhode Island, during which time she earned her bachelor's degree in education. For nearly 20 years she taught 5th grade at Hamilton Elementary School in North Kingstown. During her retirement years, she and Gunner continued to travel extensively and spend as much time as possible on a golf course. She will be remembered for her love of life, her marriage of over 60 years, her moves on the dance floor, and her wonderful relationships with her grandchildren.
Mabardy also served as a field training officer and as a member of Nantucket's S.W.A.T team while with the Nantucket Police Department. Mike made an impact while part of our Nantucket community by not only serving as a police officer but also as a hockey coach for the Nantucket High School. Mike was a great police officer and a great addition to the community, he was also a loving father,son and amazing friend.
Following high school, Scott headed off to college at the University of New Hampshire [UNH] where his psychology professor remembers Scott as ever polite and always a gentleman. While attending UNH, Scott brought his sportsmanship zeal to the game of rugby. If you’re visiting UNH, seek out the remembrance bench for Scott near the rugby field on campus. Scott’s love of country and career interests took root as a participant in the Army ROTC program. There, Scott was recognized by the Department of the Army as a superior cadet. During that period Scott attended the airborne course at Fort Benning, GA, where he received his basic parachutist badge.
In 2009 Scott F. Milley graduated from UNH with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, earning honors status with a 3.3 grade point average amidst his active sports schedule and military training. Following UNH, Scott entered active duty in the infantry branch and completed ranger school. He was commissioned to the 2nd Battalion 30th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, where he served as a platoon leader. Scott was promoted to the rank of first lieutenant, and was deployed to Afghanistan as part of operation Enduring Freedom. Under Taliban fire, while conducting combat operations in the Baraki Barak district of Afghanistan, 1LT Scott Francis Milley was shot and killed leading his soldiers when insurgents attacked his unit. He died on November 30, 2010, at age 23, giving his life to our country’s mission less than one month after his arrival in Afghanistan. 1LT Scott Francis Milley was a recipient of the Bronze Star, Combat Infantryman’s Badge and the Purple Heart.
Remembered as being larger than life and a person of highest distinction who loved God and Country in equal measure, Scott left an an immeasurable void in countless lives, but none larger than the cavernous loss felt every day by his loving parents Steven and Janice Milley, and his devoted siblings Ashley and Steven Jr.
Pat lived in Grand Island, with Candie Reagan, his future wife, and their daughters, Veronica Reagan and Payton Hamburger.
He was born in Sioux City, Iowa on Memorial Day, May 25, 1981, and moved to Lincoln in 1985 with his parents, Douglas Hamburger and Joyce Peck, and his brothers, Michael Hamburger and Christopher Hamburger. He graduated from Lincoln Southeast High School in 1999. Pat enlisted in the Army National Guard in 1998, when he was a junior in high school. He was employed as a plumber until 2008, when he became a full-time helicopter flight engineer with the National Guard in Grand Island. Pat met Candie in 2005, moved to Grand Island with her and Veronica in 2008, and welcomed Payton into the world in January 2009. He loved spending time with his family and friends. Pat was a mechanical genius who loved his country intensely. Ensuring the readiness of Chinooks and flying were passions.