However, if you refer to Bradley by his unofficial nickname, "The Button Man," then everyone recognizes him.
The 81-year-old Bradley is widely known for making buttons in the basement of his home in the Weehawken "Shades" section. If there's a needy cause that needs buttons, Bradley is hard at work, pressing and putting together the buttons.
"I just made a bunch of buttons for Valentine's Day for the Weehawken senior citizens," Bradley said.
When the World Trade Center tragedy took place in 2001, a quick-thinking Bradley raced to Hamilton Plaza with trusty camera in hand; taking a host of pictures as the majestic Twin Towers came crumbling down.
A few weeks later, Bradley's buttons with the images of the World Trade Center became a focal point of a fundraising effort by the North Hudson Firefighters' Association, raising more than $7,000 to help victims of the tragedy.
A life of service
In fact, for the last 60 years, Bradley's life has been dedicated to his volunteerism. A retired truck driver, Bradley was head scoutmaster for a Weehawken Boy Scout troop for more than 25 years. Bradley has also been active in helping the efforts of the military in Iraq, which is appropriate considering Bradley served his country with the U.S. Army in World War II.
"I turned 18 on the 13th of August in 1943, and on the 14th, I received my notice to report for duty," said Bradley, who spent three years in the Army Signal Corps. "I had to serve my country."
Every year, Bradley coordinates the efforts of the Weehawken Senior Citizens group to send Christmas cards to the servicemen and women who are stationed overseas during the holiday season.
Through his association with the Lyndhurst Elks, where he's been a member for almost 20 years, Bradley has spearheaded a drive to collect items to send to the troops currently stationed in Iraq.
"Since I'm the veterans' committee chairman for my lodge, I wanted to do something to help the soldiers in Iraq," Bradley said. "I had no idea how to go about it, because I really didn't know anyone in Lyndhurst. In Weehawken, where I live, it's different because people know me. But in Lyndhurst, it was harder."
Gifts for the troops
So Bradley hooked up with the American Legion Post in Lyndhurst and found people there willing to help his cause.
"We worked together and got some names of soldiers from the area who are stationed in Iraq," Bradley said. "We went to Town Hall in Lyndhurst as well and got names from there. We found about 20 different soldiers and sent out packages, not only to them, but to others in their platoons."
Bradley made gift packages of toiletries, socks, candy and energy bars and sent them along. He was able to get the American Legion to work with the schools in Lyndhurst, so the children could help donate goodies to the cause.
"The kids were collecting items in shoeboxes and bringing them in," Bradley said. "It got easier when we had more help."
Bradley said that he has been doing other things with the veterans of the American Legion and the Elks in Lyndhurst, helping vets get proper treatment at the Veteran's Hospital and Home in Paramus.
"I'll do whatever I can to help the vets," Bradley said.
Veteran of the Year
Last Saturday, the North Central District of the Elks, which covers about 15 Elks lodges in Bergen, Hudson and Essex Counties, honored Bradley as their Veteran of the Year at a special dinner in Bradley's honor at the Lyndhurst Elks.
It marked the second time that the Lyndhurst Elks honored Bradley. In 2004, Bradley was named as the Citizen of the Year. At that time, Bradley had to share the dais with other honorees. This time, the dinner was strictly in his honor.
"They put up a big banner congratulating me," Bradley said. "The dinner was amazing. There were 150 people there and 20 of them were my family, from my daughters down to my great-grandson. It was a great night and a great honor. I didn't think I'd get such an honor and it was just for me. It was a great feeling."
Bradley's not one to rest on his laurels. A few days after the dinner, he was back making buttons, back donating his time to some worthy cause.
In May, along with friend and fellow veteran Joe Fredericks Sr., Bradley will once again speak to the youngsters of Roosevelt School about his experiences in World War II and treat the students to a pizza party.
"I keep going strong," Bradley said. "At my age, I have to keep going and moving around. It's what keeps me young."
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