Midtown South in Manhattan in New York County, New York — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
1941 · Honor Roll · 1945
Baggage Dept., Pennsylvania Station, N.Y.
Carey, Richard F. • Crowley, John F. • Fitzgerald, William J. • Leo, James E. • Lercher, Robert • Manzolillo, Michael • Metz, Charles B. • Muller, Thomas • Murtha, John J. Jr. • Pierluca, Mario J.
[The names of approximately 200 World War II veterans follow.]
Erected 1948 by Fellow workers of the Penn Station Baggage Handlers.
Topics. This memorial is listed in these topic lists: Railroads & Streetcars • War, World II.
Location. 40° 45.031′ N, 73° 59.665′ W. Marker is in Manhattan, New York, in New York County. It is in Midtown South. Memorial can be reached from W. 31st Street near 8th Avenue. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 400 W 31st Street, New York NY 10001, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Farley Post Office (within shouting distance of this marker); Samuel Rea (about 700 feet away, measured in a direct line); Madison Square Garden (about 700 feet away); Manhattan Center (about 800 feet away); Nikola Tesla (approx. 0.2 miles away); Lamartine Place Historic District (approx. 0.2 miles away); New York Institute for the Blind (approx. 0.2 miles away); William Sloane Memorial Building (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Manhattan.
More about this marker. Plaque has been relocated from the outside platforms of the original Penn Station to a wall next to the Amtrak baggage window on the main concourse level of the new (late 1960s) Penn Station (behind the Amtrak Police booth). A photo showing a wider view of the plaque is not available due to security restrictions.
Regarding 1941 · Honor Roll · 1945. The sheer number of veterans, just from this station's baggage handling department, is a small indication of the effort the United States needed to run its national rail system in the mid-twentieth century.
Also see . . . 40 Years After Wreckage, Bits of Old Penn Station; Ghosts of a New York Marvel Survive. The marker is noted in this article by Glenn Collins, originally published by the New York Times on October 28, 2003. (Submitted on March 12, 2008, by Kevin W. of Stafford, Virginia.)
Additional commentary.
1. The Original Penn Station
The original Pennsylvania Station, completed in 1910, was a masterpiece of Beaux-Arts style and one of New York City's architectural jewels. The above-ground portion of the original structure was demolished in 1964 and replaced by the present Pennsylvania Plaza complex, including the fourth and current Madison Square Garden. Many historians believe that failure to prevent Penn Station's demolition launched a nationwide effort to preserve other historic buildings through stronger local and state laws.
This 1948 bronze marker was mounted on the original Penn Station's exterior walls. It was remounted and remains on prominent display inside the new Penn Station as renewed testimonial to the dedication of its baggage handlers.
— Submitted March 12, 2008, by Kevin W. of Stafford, Virginia.
Credits. This page was last revised on January 31, 2023. It was originally submitted on March 12, 2008, by Ronald Claiborne of College Station, Texas. This page has been viewed 1,667 times since then and 42 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on March 12, 2008, by Ronald Claiborne of College Station, Texas. 2. submitted on February 8, 2011, by Ronald Claiborne of College Station, Texas. 3. submitted on August 17, 2017, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York. • Kevin W. was the editor who published this page.
Editor’s want-list for this marker. Transcription of the names on the memorial. • Can you help?