You are reading

Woodside War Hero Inducted Into State Senate Veterans Hall of Fame

Pedro Nieves, second from the left, was inducted into the State Senate Veterans Hall of Fame Monday. From L to R: Pedro Nieves’ grandson; Pedro Nieves, State Sen. Michael Gianaris, David Espinosa SCS (Photo provided by Mike Gianaris)

June 16, 2022 By Michael Dorgan

A Woodside resident who served in the United States Army during World War II and the Korean War, has been inducted into the State Senate Veterans Hall of Fame.

Pedro Nieves, 96, was inducted into the veterans hall of fame Monday by State Senator Michael Gianaris during a ceremony at Sunnyside Community Services, located at 43-31 39th St.

The State Senate Veterans’ Hall of Fame, which was established in 2005, honors and recognizes outstanding veterans from the state who have distinguished themselves both in military and civilian life.

War hero Nieves was honored for a decorated career serving in the armed forces and for his dedication to his community, Gianaris said.

Nieves, Gianaris said, earned numerous awards for his bravery while enlisted in the military including the Combat Infantry Badge, the Purple Heart, the Korea Service Medal and the Good Conduct Medal.

He also had a lengthy career working for the United States Postal Service and is an active participant in senior programs at SCS.

Members of Nieves’ family, local veterans, SCS staff and participants in the SCS senior program also attended the event.

“Pedro Nieves served our community and our country and it is an honor to know him,” Gianaris said.

“To be joined by four generations of his family and his friends at Sunnyside Community Services was a truly special occasion. All of New York salutes Pedro Nieves.”

Nieves served in the 65th Infantry Regiment, known as the “Borinqueneers,” which was made up of all-Puerto Rican-born servicemen.

He was in the United States Army from 1943 through 1945 in field artillery and achieved the rank of corporal. He was stationed in Panama, Italy, France, and Germany.

Nieves was then deployed to Korea until the conflict ended in 1953.

During the Korean War, according to a Gianaris spokesperson, Nieves fought with the 65th Regiment in the infamous Battle of the Chosin Reservoir that lasted 17 days in sub-zero temperatures.

Some historians consider it to be the most brutal battle in modern warfare due to its high casualty rate, and ferocious weather conditions. There were nearly 18,000 U.S. casualties, around 7,500 of which were due to frostbite.

In 2014, the Borinqueneers were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal in appreciation of their meritorious service — the highest civilian honor that can be bestowed by the United States of America. The 65th Infantry Regiment was the first Korean War unit to receive this honor.

Following his military service, Nieves worked as a truck driver for Miller Brewing and as a die-setter for a local manufacturer. He passed the civil service examination to work with the United States Postal Service.

Nieves met his wife Betty at the SCS and they have been married for 17 years.

Attendees at a ceremony inducting Pedro Nieves into the New York State Senate Veterans Hall of Fame (Photo provided by Mike Gianaris)

email the author: [email protected]
No comments yet

Leave a Comment
Reply to this Comment

All comments are subject to moderation before being posted.


The reCAPTCHA verification period has expired. Please reload the page.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Recent News

CM Moya announces support for massive Metropolitan Park proposal near Citi Field

Council Member Francisco Moya announced his support for Metropolitan Park, a proposal put forward by New York Mets owner Steve Cohen and Hard Rock International that calls for the construction of a casino and entertainment complex on the parking lot just west of Citi Field.

In a lengthy statement released on Thursday afternoon, Moya said that when he was first approached about the project, his main consideration was ensuring that it would meet the needs of his constituents and provide a major boost to the local economy.

Long Island man charged in fatal Flushing hit-and-run that left 81-year-old man dead: NYPD

A Long Island truck driver was arrested on Tuesday and booked at the 109th Precinct in Flushing for a fatal hit-and-run collision that killed a Murray Hill senior who was riding an electric bike on Northern Boulevard three months ago.

Kyle Schreiber, 27, of Lincoln Boulevard in Hauppauge, was charged with leaving the scene of an accident resulting in the death of 81-year-old Peter Seo on the morning of Thursday, Dec. 28.

MTA seizes 19 ‘ghost’ cars registered to toll violators at Queens Midtown Tunnel on Monday

Two days before the MTA Board approved the controversial congestion pricing plan for Manhattan on Wednesday, the agency cracked down on persistent toll violators at the Queens Midtown Tunnel in Long Island City.

MTA Bridges and Tunnels seized 19 vehicles registered to persistent scofflaws on Monday and issued 81 summonses and confiscated two fraudulent incense plates. The MTA noted that the scofflaws accounted for approximately $483,000 in combined unpaid tolls and fees. One of the top persistent toll violators from the targeted enforcement owed nearly $76,000 in tolls and fees.