Alben Square

The modest memorial and flagpole is named for Bud H. Alben, an enlisted private in the First Army (United States), 360th Division, who died in the St. Mihiel Offensive, which was fought from September 12–18, 1918.

According to a history of the 360th Division compiled by Second Lieutenant Victor F. Barnett, by late August 1918: It had already become apparent that the plans of the First American Army centered on the eradication of the St. Mihiel salient which, since 1914, had penetrated menacingly into French territory, dangerously close to important avenues of communication if the Allies were to advance at other points along the line.

And it was no less apparent that the general front occupied by the 90th Division would be the scene of important engagements during this action, and that the particular sector before the 360th Infantry was pregnant with danger.

[2]As a member of Company K of the Third Battalion, commanded by Major James W. F. Allen, Private Alben participated in a battle against German machine gun positions through the forest of Boise le Pretre on September 13, 1918.

It was reported that on the morning of September 13 Colonel Price's regiment pierced the Boise le Pretre,[3] The attack was launched at 9:30 o'clock, and throughout the day the battle was waged.

Keyed to a pitch of zeal which refused to recognize fatigue or the destructiveness at concentrated machine gun fire and high explosives bursting among them the battalions fought from a strong point to strong point until at 4 o'clock that afternoon a position on a line from Camp de la Scource on the left to Hill 319.2, north of Norroy, on the right, had been occupied.

Captain Walter Conner of Company K wrote a letter to Alben's parents informing them that, "Your son was wounded about 5 o'clock in the afternoon of September 13, 1918, in my presence, by a shell fired by the enemy.

After a delay of over two years to transport the bodies of soldiers back to the United States, Alben was given a military funeral with religious services held at the synagogue on Fourteenth avenue and Forty-fifth street.

The parcel of land, bounded by Fort Hamilton Parkway, New Utrecht, 11th Avenue and 46th Street bears a flagpole with a memorial plaque at its base, which was dedicated on June 19, 1935.

On November 8, 2019, the park was rededicated after it was cleaned up, new vegetation was planted, benches were added, and the plaque, flagpole, bricks, fence, and signage were replaced.