Streets Named After George Green, Nicholas Brooks and Joseph Tremblay

Orange County Post-Sentinel, by E. Smith and Jay Behrke

As they were growing up, George Green and his best friend, Nicholas Brooks never dreamed that someday they would have adjoining streets named after them. Green and Brooks spent a great deal of their youth together playing tennis, hunting, and doing other things young people do. As they became adults, Green became a police officer for the opens in a new windowTown of New Windsor, got promoted to sargeant, and later became supervisor of the Town of New Windsor. After serving his first few terms as supervisor, he became a county legislator; then, once more, a few years later, town supervisor again. Brooks joined the Navy, became a pilot, then a lieutenant commander during the Vietnam War. He was shot down over Laos and captured by the enemy. He escaped, was later recaptured, escaped again, and was recaptured again. After his third time being captured, he was declared MIA. His parents, George and Gladys Brooks of New Windsor, started an organization and went on a crusade to find their son, and the sons of other parents whose children were MIAs. This continued for George and Gladys for more than 20 years; his remains were finally recovered. George Green has worn a bracelet with Brooks’ name on it on his wrist since Brooks was declared MIA. It remains there today.

This past Monday, a dedication was held at Temple Hill Estates to unveil the street signs honoring these two men, though Green was unaware that Brooks was part of the proceedings. The first sign unveiled was Green’s. At the unveiling, the project’s developer, Jonah Mandelbaum, stated that it took six months to talk Green in to allowing them to use his name for one of the streets. He added that George is a man who has given so much to the Town of New Windsor, and that they were determined to name one of the streets after him. Following the unveiling of George Green Drive, they went to the site of the unveiling of a second street, Cpl. Joseph Tremblay Way. According to Tremblay’s father, at the dedication, Tremblay, who was killed while on duty in Iraq, was an All-American boy who enjoyed exploring the wooded areas of New Windsor, and was an NFA graduate. There is not a day that goes by that he does not think of his son. The group then walked across the street to a third adjoining street sign. Green knew nothing of this. When unveiled, and Green saw that his best friend had the street next to his, Nicholas Green Court, tears began to run down his face. Mandelbaum said this was the first time he could remember Green being at a loss for words. Green composed himself and told a few stories about his relationship with Brooks. The project, when completed, will have more than 200 units, giving priority to veterans housing, along with senior citizens and members of the local work force.