New York City honored the nation’s veterans with the largest Veterans Day celebration in its history, marking 250 years of American military service. The week-long tribute began with a Veterans Day Breakfast at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, continued with the Fifth Avenue parade, and concluded with borough ceremonies, including Brooklyn’s celebration of veterans of Italian descent.
Celebrations began as we spoke with our dear friend, Knight Dominick Critelli, to wish him a happy Veterans Day. At 104 years old, Critelli, an Italian-born World War II veteran, Normandy and Battle of the Bulge hero, and recipient of the French Legion of Honor, was on his way to Washington to take part in the Veterans Day festivities. Enthusiastic as ever, he continues to embody courage, service, and the enduring spirit of the Italian-American community in New York.
On the morning of November 11, 2025, official Veterans Day observances began with the main Veterans Day wreath-laying ceremony at the Eternal Light Flagstaff in Madison Square Park at 10:30 a.m.. The 106th Annual New York City Veterans Day Parade, produced by the United War Veterans Council (UWVC), followed from 12:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
The parade, the nation’s largest celebration of service, began at Fifth Avenue and 25th Street and proceeding north to 40th Street. It featured nearly 300 marching and vehicle units and over 20,000 participants.
In Bensonhurst, once Brooklyn’s Little Italy, local officials honored 45 veterans from the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard during the annual Veterans ceremony at IL Centro Community Center on November 12, 2025. Assemblyman William Colton and Councilwoman Susan Zhuang led the event, celebrating the courage and contributions of South Brooklyn’s veterans.
Among the honorees were Frank Naccarato, a Vietnam-era veteran who later served with Army Intelligence NATO in West Germany and now serves as Vice Chair of the Federation of Italian American Organizations, IL Centro, and Deacon Anthony Mammoliti, a 32-year Army and Army Reserves veteran who ministered to military communities after 9/11 and now serves at St. Dominic’s Roman Catholic Church. The ceremony opened with a prayer by Deacon Mammoliti and closed with prayers by Imam Ahmed Ali of IQRA Masjid. Community partners provided refreshments, and children from P.S. 186 presented handmade thank-you cards.
Assemblyman Colton praised the veterans saying, “Our veterans have sacrificed so much to protect our freedom, and it is our duty to recognize their courage and service every day, not just on Veterans Day. Councilmember Zhuang added, “We owe our veterans more than words; we are committed to expanding benefits and improving services so every veteran in our district receives the care and respect they deserve.”
From its origins in 1919 as Armistice Day, commemorating the end of World War I, the holiday has long honored the service and sacrifice of America’s veterans. In 1954, following World War II and the Korean War, the U.S. officially renamed it Veterans Day to recognize the contributions of veterans from all conflicts. In 2025, as the nation marks 250 years of U.S. military service, the NYC Veterans Day initiatives continue to embody the camaraderie and traditions that pay tribute to generations of service members. The holidays name may have changed from its early beginnings yet it’s purpose to preserve a legacy of courage, dedication, and remembrance is stronger than ever.
