KOREAN WAR MONUMENTS IN NYC

By DAVID MELTZER
Forgotten NY contributor

THE Korean War lasted for three years, from June of 1950 until the armistice signed in July of 1953.  It is often called “The Forgotten War,” remembered, if at all, through the adventures of Hawkeye Pierce in M*A*S*H. But the war was not forgotten in NYC. There are three major monuments to those who served in the Korean War. The Korean War Veterans Parkway starts at the Outerbridge Crossing and ends in Greenridge, transferring its traffic to Richmond Avenue at Arthurkill Road. The parkway opened in 1972 as Richmond Parkway and was renamed the Korean War Veterans Parkway in 1997 (let’s be honest – nobody ever calls the road anything other than Richmond Parkway). There is also a traffic triangle in Ridgewood, Korean Square.

One of the oldest monuments to the Korean War is found in Battery Park, just north of Castle Clinton. The memorial, dedicated in 1991, was designed by Welsh-born artist Mac Adams. In 1987 the Korean War Veterans Memorial Committee was formed to raise money to build a monument to commemorate the soldiers of the “forgotten war.” Adams’ design features a 15-foot-high black granite stele with the shape of a Korean War soldier cut out of the center. Also known as “The Universal Soldier,” the figure forms a silhouette that allows viewers to see through the monument to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. Adams also designed the piece to function as a sundial. Every July 27 at 10 a.m., the anniversary of the exact moment in New York when hostilities ceased in Korea, the sun shines through the soldier’s head and illuminates the commemorative plaque installed in the ground at the foot of the statue.

The other notable monument is found in Kissena Park, dedicated in 2007.  This location is significant as Kissena is home to a large Korean-American population. It can be found at the intersection of Rose Avenue and Parson’s Boulevard – about 100 feet into Kissena Park. The bronze sculpture, by artist William Crozier, is entitled “The Anguish of Experience.” It consists of a larger-than-life solitary soldier, rifle at the ready. His face portrays the anguish of war. On a smaller scale behind him are the silhouettes of five soldiers carrying a stretcher and scaling the dangerous mountain terrain of Korea, where many battles were fought. At the dedication of this monument, Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe stated “monuments are created to remind us of the people and events that should never be forgotten. It will serve as a tribute to this conflict and inspire appreciation for the men and women who served — and died — for our country.”

Are there any other major Korean War monuments in NYC? Comments are open.

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8/10/26