10. Three parks in Sunnyside are named for veterans
Sunnyside’s main public parks are mostly named for veterans. The small Sabba Park is located in the median of Queens Boulevard between 48th Street and 49th Street, honoring Joe Sabba, a World War II veteran. The park was founded in 1913 and later renamed in his honor. At Skillman Avenue and 43rd Street is Torsney Playground, built in the 1950s to honor George F. Torsney. He was a World War I veteran and a local politician who served in the New York State Assembly and was later buried in Calvary Cemetery.
Perhaps the most notable park in Sunnyside is L/Cpl. Thomas P. Noonan Playground, located between Greenpoint Avenue, 42nd Avenue, 43rd Street, and 47th Streets. Thomas P. Noonan Jr. was a Sunnyside resident who was killed in an ambush during the Vietnam War. He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, as well as the Purple Heart.
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