A local World War II veteran who spent nearly two months as a prisoner of war was honored Tuesday afternoon for his heroism.

    U.S. Rep. Chris Smith presented Harry Havens, 88, with the POW medal, the Good Conduct Medal, the European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with 1 silver service star and the World War II Victory Medal.

    “Harry Havens is one of the most decorated combat veterans of World War II in all of the state of New Jersey,” Smith said at his Hamilton office.
 
    Havens had previously been given the Silver Star, which Smith said is the second highest award for gallantry in action, and the Distinguished Service Medal, which he received shortly before he was captured by the Germans and held as a POW for nearly two months. Smith called Havens “one of the bravest men in all of the state of New Jersey.”

    The veteran, who lives alone and remains active in Bordentown Township’s military and veterans affairs committee, said he and others were saved from being killed by the Germans by a German lieutenant who had been treated well as a POW by the Americans.

    “We were lucky,” said Havens, a lifelong Bordentown Township resident.

    Hard work is the secret to a long life, said Havens, who retired as a master sergeant. To stay healthy and young, he said, just “keep moving.”

    “Exercise. Exercise is good. I don’t do as much exercise as I should. But most of the time, I do (about) 20 pushups a day,” he said. “And I do some walking.”
 
The article as published with a photo can be found here:
http://www.trentonian.com/article/20120411/NEWS01/120419936/1007/life/world-war-ii-pow-from-bordentown-honored