Corporal John McHugh Sr. Courtesy of Vallone’s offi ce
TIMESLEDGER |20 QNS.COM | JAN. 3-JAN. 9, 2020
BY BILL PARRY
Queens Borough President
Melinda Katz reported
on the work of her Hurricane
Relief Task Force, a group of
government agencies, elected
officials and community leaders
who collectively developed
and implemented solutions
to problems that had previously
hindered and plagued
the borough’s recovery from
Hurricane Sandy. Katz prioritized
the recovery efforts by
forming the task force within
weeks after taking office in
2014.
The group first met nearly
16 months after the storm
wreaked havoc across the
borough. The objective was
to regularly and correctly address
what many found to be
an excruciatingly slow process
for repairing the damage
wrought by Sandy and for getting
thousands of displaced
Queens residents back in
their homes.
The Hurricane Relief Task
Force connected communities
most impacted by the
storm directly and regularly
with city, state and federal
agencies and elected officials
on the multi-year recovery effort.
This helped to ensure a
reliable channel of communication
between officials and
the community residents who
had “on-the ground” knowledge
of recovery-related
problems.
The Task Force also facilitated
interagency cooperation
by empowering community
leaders to create innovative
ways with elected officials to
enhance the efficacy or recovery
and resiliency efforts.
“The community-driven
Task Force model should be
used as a guide for how we respond
to future major disasters,
especially in this time
of climate change,” Katz said.
“A natural disaster of Sandy’s
unprecedented scope requires
a coordinated response that
minimizes bureaucratic red
tape and empowers impacted
communities to work directly
with government to launch
and complete the Herculean
task of recovery.”
Since February 2014, the
Queens Hurricane Relief
Task Force has inspired a
citywide zoning amendment
to facilitate reconstruction
of Sandy-damaged homes,
streamlined issuance of
necessary permits, cleared
roadblocks regarding the
U.S. Small Business Administration
disaster loan
applications, spearheaded
outreach to Build it Back
applicants, and improved
coordination between the
Broad Channel street raising
initiative and the Build
it Back program.
The Task Force also helped
to reduce delays in elevating
homes, supported legislation
to speed up the Buildings
Department’s permitting process,
prompted the aggressive
investigation and resolution
of construction delays.
“Our deepest thanks go
to all of the members of the
Hurricane Relief Task Force
who did such a great job of
delivering much needed help
to those impacted by Superstorm
Sandy,” Katz said.
She will be inaugurated as
Queens District Attorney on
Monday, Jan. 6, at Carnesecca
Arena at St. John’s University
beginning at 5:30 p.m.
BY JENNA BAGCAL
A street in Whitestone that
was the long time home of a
decorated World War II veteran,
will soon bear his name in
honor of his life and service.
The City Council approved
Councilman Paul Vallone’s
legislation to posthumously
co-name 156th Street between
14th Avenue and Cryders Lane,
“CPL. John McHugh Way” at
the Dec. 19 Stated Meeting.
During the war, Corporal
John McHugh Sr. served in the
U.S. Army’s First Infantry Division
and fought at the Battle
of Normandy and the Battle of
the Bulge.
“We as residents of Northeast
Queens were blessed
to have an American hero
like Corporal John McHugh
call our great neighborhood
home,” said Vallone. “Corporal
McHugh was a highly decorated
veteran who fought bravely
with the Allied powers at the
historic Battle of Normandy
and the Battle of the Bulge,
major turning points in World
War II. With this co-naming
in the spring, we will honor a
true man of courage.”
Born on March 6, 1924,
McHugh graduated from Morris
Park High School in the
Bronx in 1942 and enlisted in
the army with his friends following
Pearl Harbor. After
completing basic training at
Fort McClelland in Alabama,
the army transported him on
the Queen Elizabeth to the
UK.D
uring his lifetime, the
army and other entities gave
him the following awards and
recognitions:
• The Silver Star for
gallantry in action
• Bronze Star for
meritorious service
• European Theater of
Operations Ribbon, which
contains silver arrow head
for the Normandy invasion
• Four Bronze Stars
indicating the major battles
in which he fought
• Two Presidential Unit
Citations for Crucifix Hill
and Hurtgen Forest
• Combat Infantry Badge
and the Fort Eger given by
Belgium for action there
during the war
The State Senate Veterans
Hall of Fame inducted him in
2014 and he was an honoree
at the Little Neck-Douglaston
Memorial Day Parade in May
2019. McHugh passed away earlier
this year on July 21 at 95
years old.
“CPL. John McHugh was
a true American hero who
fought in WWII,” said John
McHugh Jr. “The McHugh family
is deeply appreciative and
thankful for the co-naming
of the street where he lived in
Whitestone for over 25 years.”
Vallone is currently collaborating
with the Department
of Transportation and the
McHugh family to set a date
for the official co-naming ceremony,
which will take place
some time in the spring.
Reach reporter Jenna Bagcal
by e-mail at jbagcal@qns.
com or by phone at (718) 260-
2583.
The Queens Hurricane Relief Task Force developed innovative
solutions and templates for future recovery efforts.
QNS/File
WW II vet honored
with a Whitestone
street co-naming
Queens Hurricane Relief
Task Force refl ects on
lessons learned for
future recovery
/QNS.COM
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