QUEENS TO UNVEIL NEW VIETNAM VETERANS MEMORIAL IN ELMHURST PARK

Friday, December 20

QUEENS, NY – Borough President Melinda Katz and NYC Parks will hold a ribbon cutting ceremony for the new Queens Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Elmhurst Park on Friday, December 20 at 10:00 AM.

Built on the northwest corner of Elmhurst Park, the first-of-its-kind boroughwide memorial in Queens features the names of 371 Queens service members who died during the Vietnam War or served and are classified as “missing in action.” The memorial also recognizes borough veterans who have since lost their lives as a result of their service during the conflict.

Construction of the memorial has been long sought after by many of the nearly 59,000 veterans who call Queens home — more than any other borough — led by late former Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 32 President Pat Toro. Prior to his passing in 2014, the Marine Corps veteran was a staunch advocate for a boroughwide memorial to recognize the sacrifices made by hundreds of Queens residents and their families during the Vietnam War.

Following Toro’s lead, current Chapter 32 President Manuel Edenhofer, former group president Michael O’Kane and Vietnam Veterans of America National President John Rowan were instrumental in continuing to seek the funding needed to design and build the memorial.   

The memorial’s design and construction was fully funded by Borough President Katz, who has allocated $2.3 million in capital funding between FY17-18, which comes on top of the $550,000 first secured in FY08 by then-City Councilmember Katz.

WHAT:           Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for the Queens Vietnam Veterans Memorial

WHEN:           Friday, December 20, 2019 at 10:00 AM

WHERE:        Elmhurst Park, northwest corner of Grand Avenue and 79th Street in Elmhurst

WHO:             MELINDA KATZ, Queens Borough President

                        MITCHELL J. SILVER, FAICP, Commissioner, NYC Parks

                        JOHN ROWAN, National President, Vietnam Veterans of America

                        MANUEL EDENHOFER, President, Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 32

                        MICHAEL O’KANE, Former President, Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 32

Follow Borough President Katz via @QueensBPKatz on Twitter and Facebook

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