By Forum Staff
Mayor Eric Adams and City Department of Veterans’ Services Commissioner James Hendon on Tuesday unveiled initial designs for a new memorial honoring the at least 100 fallen post-9/11 service members from New York City who made the ultimate sacrifice during their service in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The memorial — titled “Flames of Honor” and which will be located in Whitestone — was first announced during last year’s Fleet Week reception and will be designed by artist Douwe Blumberg.
Following an open call for submissions by DVS and the City Department of Cultural Affairs, the City received dozens of submissions for the new memorial. A diverse advisory panel of individuals from NYC’s veteran community reviewed these submissions, ultimately choosing Blumberg’s design for its mixture of modern and traditional styles, its deep and meaningful symbolism, and its use of space to promote reflection and remembrance.
“Flames of Honor” will be built on the Whitestone waterfront, home to the largest number of post-Sept. 11 service members who were killed in action. Queens is also the borough with the highest population of living veterans. The new memorial is part of the Utopia Parkway Seawall Replacement and Street Improvements project led by the City Department of Transportation and the City Economic Development Corporation that will incorporate a bike path, pedestrian walkway, and rebuilt bulkheads to revitalize the area and mitigate storm risk for the surrounding neighborhood.
In addition to commemorating the nearly 100 service members from Gotham, as well as the total 7,064 service members, who lost their lives in the post-Sept. 11 wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Flames of Honor will also serve as a lasting “thank you” and “welcome home” to the post-Sept. 11 veteran community. This site will provide a space for future commemorations, honoring both the fallen and the broader veteran community.
The son of a World War II veteran, Blumberg has been widely recognized for his work as a sculptor and artist. After attending the University of Southern California’s Idyllwild School of Music and the Arts, as well as four additional years of sculpture and metal working study, he shifted his career to focus on horse training before eventually returning to the arts. Douwe has since completed well over 200 private and public commissions across New York, California, Colorado, Kentucky, and other states. In addition to numerous awards, residencies, and shows to his credit, Blumberg has been hailed by former President Joseph Biden as being “America’s Greatest Sculptor.” He previously designed “America’s Response Monument” currently located at the World Trade Center site to pay tribute to U.S. Army Special Forces who responded to the Sept. 11 attacks.
“With one-third of these [fallen] service members having hailed from Queens, and with the largest population of living veterans in the city, Queens is a fitting future home to this tribute,” said Assemblyman Ed Braunstein (D-Bayside). “The memorial will not only serve as a lasting reminder of these service members’ ultimate sacrifice, but it will also function to educate New Yorkers about all post-9/11 service members and their families.
