Highlands can always take pride in the men and women from this community who have always answered the call to the military when needed. One of several families within the borough who have given more than one offspring to serve the nation in the armed forces is the Kavookjian family, long respected for the kindness, thoughtfulness and generosity of the patriarch of the family, Haik Kavookjian. Two of his sons, Haik, Jr. and Sarkis served during World War II.
Sarkis, who was a T-Sgt. in the Army Air Force, served in the Pacific theater during World War II and completed forty-eight missions as first engineer on a Liberator.
Haik, Jr. served with the US Navy where he was a pharmacist mate first class and also sailed in the Pacific theater.
T.Sgt. Kavookjian earned the Pacific Campaign ribbon with a Silver Star for his service, together with the Presidential Citation, Air Medal with Silver Star and the Order of the Purple Heart. He was injured in combat while parachuting after the loss of the bomber in which he was the first engineer. His return to Highlands for a 21 day visit came after 22 months in the war zone, after which he reported to Atlantic City for yet another war assignment.
Haik, Jr., completed boot camp basic training, in Newport, R.I. before receiving assignments in Virginia, Panama, San Diego and Washington, D.C. He was studying medicine at the University of Buffalo at the time of his enlistment in the Navy, and had also been a student at Columbia University and a graduate of Alfred University.
The Kavookjian family lived on Portland Rd.
