Military Peacetime Memorial in Teaneck
On April 3, 2023 the Military in Lasting Memorial monument was installed next to the WWI,
WWII, Vietnam & Korean War monuments on the Municipal Green. On May 29, 2023, Memorial Day, the Township Manager and the Teaneck Patriotic Observance Advisory Board will introduce this monument. The Military in Lasting Memorial monument is dedicated to the residents who died while serving honorably on active duty during peacetime activities from 1985 to the present and who are included in the online site Department of Defense Military In Lasting Memorial.
Michael K. Pleasants
Michael Pleasants was born on December 31, 1993 in the Bronx, NY and in 1997 moved to Teaneck, NJ. He attended early childhood education programs at the township’s recreation center; Bryant Elementary School; Whittier Elementary School; Benjamin Franklin Middle School and is a member of the 2012 Teaneck High School graduating class. While at Teaneck High School, he was a member of various clubs including the BYO, Track, Wrestling and the Teaneck Terpsichoreans. He excelled academically attending summer business camps at Fairleigh Dickerson University and received an academic scholarship to Hampton University in Virginia. Michael was also active in the community, volunteering for several years alongside Mayor Lizette Parker on the Teaneck Youth Advisory Board.
In 2015, after his sophomore year at Hampton, Michael enlisted in the United States Navy, continuing his family legacy of honorable military service. Michael’s father is a United States Air Force veteran and his grandfather is a United States Army, World War II veteran. While in the Navy, he achieved the rank of Petty Officer Second Class, assigned as a Yeoman 2. He was twice selected as Navy Sailor of the Quarter and distinguished as Navy Sailor of the Year. He was decorated with two Navy / Marine Corps Achievement Medals; the Meritorious Unit Commendation; the National Defense Service Medal; the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal; the Sea Service Deployment Ribbon; the Navy / Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon; the Pistol Marksmanship Medal and posthumously was awarded the Navy / Marine Corps Commendation Medal.
During Michael’s active military service which included duty stations in California, Japan and deployments within the Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron VAW-115, he earned two college degrees. He graduated with an Associate of Science degree from Bergen Community College and in 2021 he graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree from Pennsylvania State University. Michael was also involved in a wide array of entrepreneurial endeavors, creating several variants of a software application that was designed to bring people together. He also had special passions that included an in depth understanding of business and finance.
Yeoman Second Class Petty Officer Pleasants died in a vehicle accident in San Diego, California. This outstanding sailor was posthumously awarded the Navy / Marine Corps
Commendation Medal for his meritorious service. Second Class Petty Officer Michael K.
Pleasants is buried in George Washington Memorial Park, Paramus, NJ.
Summary:
Birth: 12/31/1993, New York
Death: 5/23/2021, San Diego, CA
Local Address: 1652 Irene Court, Teaneck, NJ
Rank: Petty Officer 2nd Class
Unit: Commander, Navy Region Southwest, Transient Personnel Unit
Medals: Navy / Marine Corps Achievement Medal (2x); Meritorious Unit Commendation;
National Defense Service Medal; Global War on Terrorism Service Medal; Sea Service
Deployment Ribbon; Navy / Marine Corps Overseas Service Ribbon; Pistol Marksmanship
Medal; Navy / Marine Corps Commendation Medal
