4 DECEMBER 6, 2018 RIDGEWOOD TIMES WWW.QNS.COM
New Queens Vietnam Vets memorial a long time in coming
BY MARK HALLUM
MHALLUM@CNGLOCAL.COM
Many Vietnam War veterans
returned home to cries of
protest — something that
Manfred Edenhofer, president of the
Queens chapter of the Vietnam Veterans
Association, believes does not do
justice to the individuals who served
either voluntarily or through the draft .
“I didn’t know why we were over
there, but we were over there, so let’s
do our job,” Edenhofer said. “I knew I
was going to Vietnam, didn’t know if
I was coming back. I lost my closest
friend over there … We didn’t want
applause. We just didn’t want to be
called baby killers. It was a strange
war. Maybe we shouldn’t have been
over there, but we were.”
But the new Vietnam Veterans Memorial
in Elmhurst Park — for which
ground was broken on Nov. 29 — seeks
to set a diff erent tone for remembering
a generation of men and women who
feel that served their country like any
other soldier in any other confl ict, but
have been forgotten.
Supporters gave credit to the chapter’s
late president, Pat Toro, for his
work pushing for the memorial. He
died in 2014 from cancer related to
the chemical Agent Orange, which
was used during the Vietnam War in
which Toro served. His dying wish
was to see the memorial completed,
after spending years advocating
for it.
He didn’t live to see Thursday’s
groundbreaking ceremony, but
retired servicemen from Queens
neighborhoods including Bayside and
Woodhaven took part in the event.
Photo courtesy of Queens Borough President's offi ce
Queens Borough President Melinda Katz, Vietnam veterans and other
dignitaries helped break ground on the new Vietnam Veterans Memorial
in Elmhurst on Nov. 29.
Up to 370 Queens residents were
killed in the confl ict and the memorial
will remember those soldiers along
with veterans such as Toro who died
of illness related to the war.
Borough President Melinda Katz
allocated $2.5 million to building the
memorial which she and Edenhofer
did not believe would ever be completed
as it was 15 years in the making.
According to Edenhofer, with the
majority of Vietnam veterans in
Queens being above the age of 70,
there was concern many of them
would not live long enough to see the
groundbreaking.
“Ultimately this is going to be
something good. There are a lot of
monuments around Queens County,
but this is going to be the only one
that’s going to have all the names,”
Paul Schottenhamel, the adjutant for
Queens County American Legion, said.
Schottenhamel was an Army infantryman
in Vietnam who was awarded
a Purple Heart for wounds he endured
in Cambodia.
Katz was joined by state Senator
Joseph Addabbo, Assemblyman
Brian Barnell and Councilman Robert
Holden at the groundbreaking
ceremony.
Woodside is known to have the highest
number of losses in Vietnam by ZIP
code, according to Michael O’Kane, the
former president of Queens chapter
the VVA.
“In 2008, Pat Toro had an idea. It became
his dream to build a monument
to the men and women who made the
ultimate sacrifi ce in the mountains,
rice patties, rivers, skies and waters of
Vietnam,” O’Kane said. “I visited Toro
in the hospital several times. I was
there the night before he passed. One
of the last things he said to me was in
regard to this memorial. ‘Get it done,’ he
said. This was literally his dying wish.”
The city Department of Parks and
Recreation is slated to have the project
completed by the fall of 2019.
“We are elated to celebrate the start of
construction on this memorial, which
is the product of years of collaboration
between Parks, Borough President Katz,
and local veterans,” Queens Parks Commissioner
Dorothy Lewandowski said.
“The result is a thoughtful design that
pays tribute to our borough’s heroes,
and provides a physical space for contemplation
and community gathering.”
Although veterans groups advocated
for a combat cross, the design of a
helmet atop a rifl e, the Parks Department
design will feature a wall and
gardens instead.
Board 5 to vote on
Glendale housing plan
Community Board 5 is scheduled
to vote on a controversial
supportive housing plan in
Glendale at its next meeting on
Wednesday night, Dec. 12, in Middle
Village.
As announced by District Manager
Gary Giordano, the session
begins at 7 p.m. in the cafeteria of
Christ the King High School, located
at 68-02 Metropolitan Ave.
The board will consider a recommendation
from its Land Use
Committee for or against a proposed
six-story building at 80-97 Cypress
Ave. in Glendale.
As previously reported in the
Ridgewood Times, nonprofi t Well-
Care Network is seeking a Board of
Standards and Appeals variance to
allow for the construction of the
building, which would include 23
units for senior citizens with disabilities,
23 units for individuals
suff ering from mental illness and
20 for other community members.
The board is also expected to
consider a proposed BSA variance
for the operation of a gas station at
73-13 Cooper Ave. in Glendale.
The rest of the meeting agenda
includes the public forum; a review
of liquor license applications and
demolition notices; reports from
Chairperson Vincent Arcuri and
District Manager Giordano; and
committee reports.
For more information or to register
to speak at the forum, call Board
5 at 718-366-1834.
ST. NICHOLAS DAY
Greater Ridgewood Historical Society
The Vander Ende - Onderdonk House
1820 Flushing Avenue, Ridgewood
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2018
Visit with St. Nicholas - 12 to 5 pm
Learn the legend, Holiday treats and sweets, Traditional music & crafts
Children & Members Free, Adults $5.00 donation
For information
www.onderdonkhouse.org
follow us on FACEBOOK https://facebook.com/onderdonkhouse/
718-456-1776
Supported in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs,
in partnership with the New York City Council
Antonio Reynoso, Robert Holden and Jimmy Van Bramer
Directions
1820 Flushing Avenue, Ridgewood, Corner of Flushing and Onderdonk Avenues
Subway: L to Jefferson Street, then walk five blocks north along Flushing Avenue
Check for closures and alternate routes to the Onderdonk House - http://tripplanner.mta.info/
Bus: Q54 to Flushing and Metropolitan Avenues. B57 to Flushing and Onderdonk Avenues
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