Veterans Day observance returns to Veterans Memorial Building

CEDAR RAPIDS - Veterans Day in Cedar Rapids meant a reunion of sorts. Not for a person, but a place.

For decades, the venue for the main Cedar Rapids Veterans Day observance was the Veterans Memorial Building downtown which also served as city hall. But the flood in June of 2008 swamped the building with water. That damage led to years of reconstruction and moved the Veterans Day event in Cedar Rapids to a temporary location. The last Veterans Day event in downtown Cedar Rapids was in November of 2007.

But on Tuesday, everything was back in place as a larger-than-usual crowd came to see the changes.

The observance itself followed the usual routine. The color guard marched the flags to the front of the auditorium and several hundred people listened to patriotic music and speeches. This year's guest speaker was Lt. Col. Jordan Clouse, a Cedar Rapids native now on duty in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

His message to veterans was to be proud of their patriotism because 'patriotism is what makes us unique.”

But the star of this show, at least this year, was probably the refurbished auditorium in the Veterans Memorial Building.

Cheryl King, one of the organizers with the Metro Area Veterans Council, said just being back home in the usual venue brought a real sense of relief.

'It's amazing, I think of all of the work that's gone into fixing this up and reclaiming some of the rooms from what it used to be,” King said.

Some of the rooms that once housed city offices have been converted into space for veterans groups and activities.

One example was obvious to the crowd as the echoes of the final volley salute and 'taps” faded away. Organizers encouraged all to stay and tour a first floor gallery where the city's treasurer's office once stood.

Housed there now is an exhibit entitled 'Vietnam: An Untold Narrative.” Local veterans contributed uniforms, memorabilia, photos and home movies they made during that conflict.

John Powers was emotional as he gazed at the 'short timer's” stick he contributed to the display. That was a carved stick that soldiers got as they entered their final 30 days in Vietnam and were counting the days for a return trip home.

'When I came down here last night to view this, I tell you it touches a lot of places you wouldn't believe it touches,” Powers said.

The Vietnam exhibit is the first of three such planned displays to tell the story of local veterans. It will be open to visitors Monday through Friday until Veterans Day 2016.

Mike Jager, director of the Veterans Memorial Commission, said one goal for the Veterans Memorial Building that reopened last winter is to offer more to veterans than just recognition a couple of times a year.

'Veterans Day and Memorial Day are two days when people pay honor to veterans. We're here 365 days a year to be of service to veterans and allow these veterans to be of service to their fellow veterans and their community,” Jager said.