Raritan Borough is about 4,325 miles away from Italy but a common connection — a World War II hero named John Basilone — now ties the Somerset County town and a small Italian community even closer together. Basilone’s portrait hangs in the center of the Raritan Borough’s council’s chambers. A statue of Basilone stands proudly near the edge of town and every year a parade is held in his honor.

But his family wanted to take his recognition one step further. “A member from the Basilone family approached me earlier in the year and asked about making Colle Sannita our sister city and I brought it to the council and it went on from there,” said Mayor Charles McMullin.