By Jersey Shore Online
Published September 6, 2025

              TOMS RIVER – Just ahead of his widow’s 104th birthday, President Donald Trump signed legislation naming the new Veterans Affairs clinic in Toms River after one of Ocean County’s most revered war heroes, Leonard G. “Bud” Lomell.

              The bill, authored by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), honors Lomell, a U.S. Army Ranger credited with helping secure the success of the D-Day invasion during World War II.

The new VA Clinic is located on Hooper Avenue in Toms River. (Photo by Stephanie Faughnan)

              “One of the most decorated Army Rangers of World War II, Bud Lomell served our nation and its veterans with enduring courage and selflessness, and is exceedingly deserving of this posthumous honor,” Smith said. “I am thrilled that Charlotte, who turns 104 on Monday, gets to see Bud’s many achievements memorialized in this special way.”

              Lomell was hailed by historian Stephen Ambrose as second only to Gen. Dwight Eisenhower in ensuring the success of D-Day. On June 6, 1944, he scaled the cliffs of Pointe du Hoc with fellow Rangers, discovered and disabled German artillery aimed at Allied forces, and went on to earn the Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star, Bronze Star, and Purple Heart with two Oak Leaf Clusters.

This portrait of Bud Lomell hangs in Toms River Town Hall (Photo by Stacy Proebstle)

              After the war, Lomell became Ocean County’s first Veterans Service Bureau director, later founding a prominent law firm and serving in numerous community roles. He and his wife Charlotte raised three daughters in Toms River.

              The Toms River clinic, which opened last year, offers primary and specialty care for a growing veteran population, including dental services, women’s health, mental health counseling, and physical therapy.

              “This clinic, which has already done so much for the veterans of Ocean County and beyond, will be a lasting testament to Bud’s life of service on behalf of his country, community, and fellow veterans,” Smith said.

              The new facility replaces the original VA clinic Smith helped open in Brick Township in 1991, which served the region until it exceeded capacity. The “Bud Lomell” clinic now stands as the next generation of care for veterans across Ocean and Monmouth counties.