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Colorado's Official Memorial To Veterans of War

The University Memorial Center is Colorado's "...living memorial honoring the courage and sacrifice of Colorado veterans." - the UMC mission statement

Join CU for the Veterans Day ceremony at the UMC on November 11

The University Memorial Center will host a Veterans Day ceremony on Wednesday, November 11, at 11:00am in the Glenn Miller Ballroom, 2nd floor of the UMC. Please click here to read the news release with details.

The public is cordially invited to join CU at this ceremony to honor our veterans.

Click here to read the program.

University Memorial Center

1669 Euclid Ave. corner of Euclid and Broadway

Boulder, CO 80309

303-492-6161

In 1947, Colorado Governor Lee Knous proclaimed the planned University of Colorado student union a memorial to “those who served in these great wars.” And so the CU student center was named "University Memorial Center" (UMC) in tribute to all Colorado veterans, men and women, who have served or are currently serving our country.

A Veterans Lounge, established on the 2nd floor of the UMC next to the Reception Desk, displays dedication plaques which memorialize University of Colorado students who died in war, and Colorado citizens who died in Vietnam, the conflict in Korea, and the Persian/Gulf Wars. There is also a plaque recognizing CU’s involvement in the U.S. Japanese/Oriental Language School. The UMC is currently working with CU's Department of Veterans Affairs to create dedication plaques in memory of those Coloradoans involved in current conflicts.

We invite you to take take some time to remember and honor those who have served and are currently serving our country by visiting the UMC Veterans Lounge, 2nd floor by the Reception Desk.

Combined services color guard presentation in the UMC Glenn Miller Ballroom

The UMC Veterans Lounge

In the UMC Veterans Lounge you'll see many original artifacts from the U.S.S. Colorado, the third ship of the United States Navy named in honor of the 38th state.

A waterline one meter scale model of the U.S.S. Colorado was constructed by Dave Runkle in 1988 and donated to the Veteran's Lounge by the U.S.S. Colorado Alumni Association in 2002.

Among the artifacts are the Ship’s Bell and Stern Pilot Wheel, and on November 11, 2004 the U.S.S. Colorado Association presented the U.S.S. Colorado 48 star "Sunday Flag" to the University Memorial Center.

A Veterans Reunion

In 2007, the U.S.S. Colorado Alumni Association held their reunion in the Glenn Miller Ballroom of the UMC. This was preceeded by a gathering in the Veterans Lounge.

We invite you

Please visit the UMC Veterans Lounge. Check UMC Building hours by clicking here.

If you would like to plan a Veterans event or reunion at the UMC, please call 303-492-8833 and visit our Events Planning and Catering pages.

Model of the U.S.S. Colorado

About the U.S.S. Colorado

The U.S.S. Colorado was undergoing overhaul at the Puget Sound Navy Yard when Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor opened the Pacific War. She was stationed on the U.S. West Coast during March-August 1942, then steamed west to Pearl Harbor.

From November 1942 into September 1943, she was one of the older battleships deployed to the South Pacific to guard against possible Japanese offensive actions in that area. In November 1943, Colorado took part in the Tarawa invasion. She supported the landings at Kwajalein and Eniwetok in January and February 1944 and the Marianas operation in June and July.

On July 24, 1944, while bombarding Tinian, she was hit by enemy shore batteries, suffering serious casualties among exposed personnel topside.

Colorado's next combat duty was off Leyte in November 1944, where she was hit by two "Kamikaze" suicide planes late in the month. Remaining in the combat zone, she supported the Mindoro invasion in December and the Lingayen Gulf landings in January. During March, April and May 1945, Colorado's sixteen-inch guns bombarded Okinawa in support of U.S. troops ashore. In August and September 1945, she covered the occupation of Japan, then departed for the United States. In total, 93 men lost their lives aboard the U.S.S. Colorado during WWII.

Following transport service in late 1945, she was inactivated. U.S.S. Colorado was decommissioned in January 1947.

Ken Jones, U.S.S. Colorado veteran, describes the ship to CU ROTC students..

Reunion kickoff in the UMC Veterans Lounge.

Reception in the UMC Veterans Lounge.