Johnson County memorial dedication to honor local veterans, historic armory

Before the Iowa City Dubuque Street Armory was destroyed by the 2008 flood, the building housed snippets of history.

Major Gen. Robert Sentman,well-versed in Johnson County's military history, said a military unit has lived in the area since the Civil War, but the unit didn't have a fixed home until an armory was built in 1937.

“This [was] the first permanent home they'd ever had,” the 75-year-old from Tiffin said of the 913 S. Dubuque St. location.

The Iowa National Guard was again displaced in 2008, when the water-logged building couldn't be salvaged.

Although the armory is now gone, Johnson County officials are making sure it isn't forgotten. Today at 11 a.m., county officials and local veterans will gather for a dedication of the Johnson County Armory and Veterans Memorial.

Andy Johnson, executive assistant to the Board of Supervisors, said the armory was a staging area for various regiments and where national guard officers were trained and worked.

“We felt that it was important to honor and recognize the work and the service of those men and women,” Johnson said.

Sentman, who spent time at the old armory during his 35 years in the army, said it was the last armory in Iowa to have horse stalls for the 113th Cavalry unit housed there.  It also housed the 136th Medical Battalion, and both units were deployed to North Africa during World War II.

A new armory for the Iowa National Guard was built in 2009 along Melrose Avenue.

Johnson County Veterans Affairs' Director Gary Boseneiler said the memorial recognizes not only the armory's history but also honors local veterans.

The memorial contains fragments from the old armory, including a piece with inscriptions of the armory's founders. Boseneiler said the memorial also has replicas of old medallions for the cavalry and medical units.

“We made new medallions because the old ones are so porous and wouldn't sustain being out in the weather,” he said.

Johnson said the county received $975,000 from the state's I-JOBS program to demolish the armory and install sustainable features like a rain garden, electrical charging station, and a bioswale for rainwater.  Johnson said the remaining $25,000 went to the memorial and $8,000 has been contributed through private donations, including the ongoing effort for community members to purchase a brick that can be dedicated to someone and installed at the memorial.

Sentman said he's seen a greater effort to recognize veterans since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in 2001. He said it's important for residents to learn about the veteran's history in their own community.

“Freedom, that's what these people did,” Sentman said. “Preserve our freedom.”

EVENT INFORMATION

• What: Dedication for the Armory and Veteran Memorial
• When: Monday, Nov. 11 at 11 a.m.
• Where: 913 S. Dubuque Street