Harbor Defense Museum closure threat on hold until at least July

As one of the many advocates for saving Fort Hamilton’s New York Harbor Defense Museum from closure, we welcomed the recent CBS telecast by Brooklyn correspondent Hannah Klinger, headlined, “Brooklyn’s Harbor Defense Museum faces possible closure  as community pushes  back.” She came out to the museum to interview longtime curator and executive director Justin Batt to record and highlight the significance of this historic building and its relevance to the community at large.

Klinger also reached out to the Center for Military History, based in Wasington, D.C., at Fort McNair. This is the U.S. Army agency responsible for adding  the Fort Hamilton museum to its closure list. She was told by a spokesman for the center that no specific closure dates have been decided yet and that any changes would not take effect until after the United States’ 250th birthday celebration.

The fact that the CMH is moving back the time frame until at least July 2026 demonstrates it temporarily halted the more imminent possibility of closure of this and other Army museums due to intense public pressure. If you would like to see a copy of Hannah Klinger’s  CBS video, you can view it on the Fort Hamilton Citizens Action Committee Facebook page.

If you recall, in one of my columns, I questioned how the CMH could even consider closing the museum before July 4, when in the waters along Fort Hamilton, a stone’s throw from the museum, Fleet Week ships, tall ships from around the world plus an international naval review will be massed to enter New York Harbor for this gigantic, historic commemoration.

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Brooklyn’s Federation of Italian American Organizations will hold its 43rd annual Columbus Day Parade at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 11. In addition to saluting the famed Italian seafarer, explorer and navigator, the march heralds Italian heritage and culture.

The parade route runs along 18th Avenue (co-named Cristoforo Colombo Boulevard) from 61st Street to 87th Street, with the reviewing stand in front of the Il Centro community center building. A pre-parade mass will be celebrated at St. Athanasius Church on Bay Parkway and 61st Street.

Grand marshals are Harry L. D’Onofrio, director of IT & development, D’Onofrio Contractors; Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso; Joseph Paolillo, Sr., founder and owner of A&S Pork Store; Lorenzo and Antonietta Rizzo, former owner and president of Beaver Construction.

FIAO Vice Chairman Carlo Scissura, Esq., will do double duty as the emcee and commentator. Other FIAO officials are Chairman G. Jack Spatola, President Pasqualino Russo, Vice Chairman Frank Naccarato, Vice President Marvin Reiskin and Treasurer Philip Guarnieri. Nancy Sottie is the parade chairlady.

On Sunday, Oct. 5 at 11:30 a.m., FIAO will hold a fund-raiser for its 43rd annual Brooklyn Columbus Day Parade Signature Brunch at Russo’s on the Bay in Queens. This event will also honor the grand marshals and scholarship recipients.