Dominican vets memorial unveiled at Bx. Community College

An almost forgotten part of history has now been permanently enshrined on the campus of Bronx Community College in University Heights. Congressman Adriano Espaillat joined Councilman Fernando Cabrera in unveiling the ‘World War II Dominican Veterans Monument,’ on Friday, November 2. Beneath a thick canopy of clouds, leaders from the Bronx and the Dominican Republic hailed the new addition to the New York City landscape and the 351 heroes whose names are etched into its stone façade. Across the United States, there has never been a tribute to the courageous American servicemen and servicewomen of Dominican heritage who fought for the freedom of their country and the world during World War II. The names inscribed on the monument, including a Tuskegee Airman and a bronze and silver star winner, were identified through a joint effort between Bronx Community College and the Dominican Studies Institute, researched by a CUNY Dominican Studies Project called ‘Dominicans in New York.’