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Honoring legacy of WWII vet who died as oldest living soldier | Exclusive
Carmen P. Poloff lived a full life in South Jersey. He helped build Belleplain State Forest, worked as a contractor across the region and, most notably, held the title of oldest living veteran from World War II. A longtime resident of Bridgeton and Cedarville, Carmen Poloff died in March 2025 at age 105 years and five months after a life spent serving his country and helping develop South Jersey. Born October 13, 1919, Carmen Poloff came of age during the Great Depression. As a teenager, he joined the crew that built Belleplain State Forest, where he helped dig Lake Nummy by hand. Veteran's Day events: Vineland will reveal War on Terror Memorial Monument on Veterans Day Carmen Poloff enlisted in January 1939 and began training at Fort Dix that March at age 19. He served throughout World War II and took part in major events, including D-Day and the Battle of the Bulge. Although his service earned him two Purple Hearts and a distinguished service medal, Carmen Poloff was never known to brag. His son, Steve Poloff, said Carmen Poloff rarely talked about the war, and when he did, it was always positive or humorous memories. “He was really a