He joined the
U.S. Navy in 1944 at 18 years old and was later enrolled in
ROTC at
Drew University. Azzolina left the Active Duty Navy in 1947 to serve in the
U.S. Naval Reserves, where he eventually earned the rank of captain. As well as being a politician and businessman, Azzolina also owned
The Courier newspaper, in
Middletown, which he purchased in 1982 and operated until it closed, in April, 2009. Azzolina served in the
United States Naval Reserve from 1947 to 1986, Captain (ret). He also served in the Assembly from 1966 to 1972 and again from 1986 to 1988. Azzolina also served in the
upper house of the
New Jersey Legislature, the
New Jersey Senate, from 1972 to 1973. Azzolina served in the Assembly on the State Government Committee. He ran for the
New Jersey State Senate in 1987, but lost by a very narrow margin. He also ran for the
Congress in 1988, but lost a close race to
state Senator Frank Pallone. Azzolina was defeated in the June 2005 GOP primary, and was replaced in the Assembly by fellow Republican
Amy Handlin, who took office on January 10, 2006 when Azzolina's term ended. As an Assemblyman, Azzolina sponsored legislation to provide a $250 property tax deduction for veterans, and a measure creating a model program in
Monmouth County that uses specially-trained nurses to provide care for and collect forensic evidence from victims of sexual assault. Another measure sponsored by the assemblyman would create a central registry containing records of all persons who have been charged with a crime or offense involved domestic violence. Under the measure, the records would only be released to law enforcement agencies and the courts. Azzolina was born in
Newark, New Jersey and was a resident of
Middletown Township, New Jersey. He was President of Food Circus Supermarkets, Inc. The bridge connecting
Sea Bright to
Highlands is called the "Captain Joseph Azzolina Memorial Bridge" in his honor. ==District 13==