Today, August 13, 2023, marks the seventh anniversary of the unveiling of the Brigadier General George A. Jones Statue located in the Brigadier General George A. Jones Triangle at the corner of Mollineaux Pl and Babylon Turnpike in the town of Roosevelt, New York.
The statue began as an idea of the late Roosevelt resident Sheldon Parrish. He along with Roosevelt’s own American Legion Joe Murphy Post, 1957 and funds from Nassau County’s community revitalization program helped to complete the project in 2016.
Brigadier General Jones attended the unveiling of the statue. Sadly he would pass away a little less than a month later.
The plaque inscribed below the statue reads:
Brigadier General George A. Jones
1923 – 2016
“Brigadier General George A. Jones enlisted in the United States Army National Guard in 1939 as a private in Company F of the 360th Infantry Regiment (Harlem Hell Fighters). He was promoted to Corporal, then Sergeant when the Regiment was inducted into the United State Army as the 369th Coast Artillery Regiment in January 1941. He was Commissioner as a 2nd Lieutenant in August 1942 and started training for overseas combat duty in 1944.
In July 1943 , he was commended for saving the life of an injured soldier at Camp Stewart, Georgia. In March 1944 he was detailed to the Quartermaster Corp until the end of the war in Europe 1945. On February 6th, 1946 he was released from active duty and reverted back to the New York State Militia Control in April 1946. September 1950 he was recalled for the Korean Conflict and served until he was relieved from combat in 1952.
His Commendations and awards are numerous, consisting of the American Defense Service, Asiatic Pacific Campaigns, European African Middle Eastern Theatre with two Oak Leaf Clusters, World War II Victory Medal, Japan Occupation, Korean Service with two Bronze Stars and the UN Service and New York State 30 years of Faithful Service.
Interim: New York Fire Department from 1947 to February 1968. He served twice as the President of the Vulcan Society 1955 thru 1958 (the First Black Municipal Organization for Fire Fire Fighter in the United States and forerunner to the International Association of Black Professional Fire Fighters.
Nassau County Government: 1968 to 1972 – Department of Labor, Job Developer, OJT Physically and Handicapped Director. 1973 thru 1982, Department of Commerce & Industry Coordinator for Minority Business. 1982 to 2001, MBE Officer and Director Equal Opportunity Employment (AA) and in 2003, he became the Senior Project Officer for the American Legion Joe Murphy Post 1957 and was instrumental with the construction of the Post New Community and School-Age-Child Complex.
In June 2011, he was inducted into the New York State Veterans Hall of Fame. His final work was the Author of Leadership. Phase one and two “The Character of Leadership”.
This statue of Brigadier General George A. Jones was unveiled and dedicated on August 13th, 2016 by the American Legion – Joe Murphy Post 1957.”
Sources: Newsday.com; Obituary of George A. Jones
Pictures by Roosevelt Historical Society, Inc.
The Roosevelt History Society
P. O. Box 112 Roosevelt, NY 11575- 0112
Roosevelt Historical Society 