6 times • DECEMBER 24, 2015 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.qns.com Indigent veteran receives military burial after Glendale service By Anthony Giudice [email protected] @a_giudicereport One veteran finally received a proper military burial on Dec. 22 thanks to the work of the Queens County Committee of the American Legion. Russel Platt was born on July 7, 1931 and served in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War Era from March 14, 1949 to Jan. 26, 1954. He died in the Bronx on Jan. 12. When Platt died he was not survived by any known family; as an organizational friend of unclaimed veterans, the Queens County Committee of the American Legion is tasked to perform the honorable duty of giving indigent veterans such as Platt a proper burial at Calverton National Cemetery. “Russell Platt has no other friends or family to honor him except the American Legion and the veteran community,” said Paul J. Schottenhamel, Commander of the Queens County American Legion and Chairperson of the Unclaimed Veteran Burial Committee. “With the help of the George Werst Funeral Home, we hope to give him this final honor.” The service took place on Tuesday morning at George Werst Funeral Home, located at 71-41 Cooper Ave. in Glendale. After the veteran service, Platt was brought to Calverton National Cemetery for a proper veteran’s burial. Platt had been scheduled for interment on Nov. 25, but when the funeral director went to pick up the body, it was discovered that Platt had already been buried in City Cemetery on Hart Island, commonly known as Potter’s Field. The Mayor’s Office of Veterans Affairs (MOVA) was immediately notified of the error and they took prompt action to have the body disinterred as quickly as possible. A review of the city’s process was conducted and new procedures have been put in place to prevent a repeat of this mistake for future indigent veterans. “I wish to thank the Mayor’s Office of Veterans Affairs, especially Ms. Ines Adan, and the other city agencies involved in this incident, for promptly resolving this issue,” Schottenhamel said. Pedestrian fighting for his life after being struck by car in Ridgewood By ANTHONY GIUDICE [email protected] @a_giudicereport One man was critically injured on Monday morning after being hit by a car on Metropolitan Avenue in Ridgewood, according to police. Reportedly, the unidentified male victim was crossing mid-block, south to north on Metropolitan Avenue near the Woodward Avenue intersection at about 10:39 a.m. The 50-year-old male driver of the 2005 Mercury Grand Marquis was traveling westbound on Metropolitan Avenue when he struck the victim, law enforcement authorities said. Officers from the 104th Precinct responded to the incident. EMS units removed the victim to Elmhurst Hospital where he was listed in critical condition with severe head trauma. Police stated that the driver remained at the scene and no arrests have been made. An investigation is ongoing. RIDGEWOOD TIMES/Photo by Anthony Giudice Indigent veteran Russel Platt was given a proper military burial after initially being buried on Hart Island. Photo via Google Maps A man was sent to the hospital Monday morning with severe head trauma after being struck by a car on Metropolitan Avenue in Ridgewood. Vietnam vets honored at Italian cultural association’s annual Christmas party During their Christmas party at Vetro Restaurant in Howard Beach, the Associazione Culturale Italiana di New York proudly presented John Rowan, president of Vietnam Veterans of America, with a $1,000 donation to help them continue their work in support of the organization that assists veterans who served during the decade-long Vietnam War. FOR ALL THE LATEST NEWS 24 HOURS/ 7 DAYS A WEEK. Log on to qns.com
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