Veterans Day at the Col. Donald G. Cook Memorial

From left: NYS Assemblyman James F. Brennan in cap, Edward Schloeman, Sr Patrol Leader Thomas Leopoldi, Boy Scout Troop 237; Brooklyn Parks Commissioner Kevin Jeffrey; Dep. Commissioner Marty Maher (in dark glasses), and two more unidentified men.

Stop by KWT’s newest rendezvous point and sit down on the two new benches, to be installed by Saturday, at the Col. Cook triangle, at McDonald and Caton. Today’s re-dedication of the Col. Donald G. Cook memorial saw Brooklyn's Deputy Parks Commissioner Marty Maher and members of Boy Scout Troop 237 digging out the foundations for the new flagpole and sign explaining who Cook was: the first Marine captured in Vietnam, who died in 1967 while a prisoner of the Vietcong. He is also the only Marine awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his behavior in captivity. In addition, there is a ship named in his honor.

“We are memorializing this American hero,” Assemblymember James Brennan said at the brief gathering.

CMS (ret) Edward W. Schloeman, the man instrumental in getting the triangle rejuvenated, said he hoped to see the entire triangle redone in a couple of years. Donations are welcome; contact ESchloeman@aol.com for more information.

As someone interested in seeing the triangle revamped as an open plaza with landscaping and benches, I asked Deputy Commissioner Maher what that would take.

“Capital funding," he said. “What Parks is doing here is an upgrade on the cheap. Here we’re starting off with a small plaza. We’ll check it out and see if works.”

Should Parks discover a neighborhood interest in expanding this idea, it would work up a conceptual design and present it to the parks committees of the relevant community boards (12 and 7) for approval. The public input on the design would be restricted to the “public comment period” before the community board were to on it.