The Electrifying Story Behind How New York Keeps an Eternal Light on for Veterans

On the evening of Veteran’s Day in 1924, a solitary light flickered on over New York City’s Madison Square Park. A bright light shining in the darkness. A reminder of the U.S. Army and Navy forces that after World War I were received at this very site after the armistice. That light still shines today to honor them. A City That Honors Its Veterans Throughout the five boroughs of New York City, there are hundreds of memorials dedicated to the veterans who have bravely served our country throughout history. The Hiker in Tompskinsville Park in Staten Island remembers those who served in the Spanish-American War. At 142nd Street and Fifth Avenue in Manhattan stands the 369th Regiment Memorial that honors the “Harlem Hellfighers” of World War I. The Brooklyn War Memorial at Cadman Plaza lists the names of about 11,500 Brooklynites who served in World War II. The Korean War Veterans Memorial in Kissena Park, Queens, is an entire plaza dedicated to those who served.