Iowa Gold Star Military Museum

07/02/2025

Hope you will join us!

07/02/2025

Have a great JULY 4th Everyone!

06/21/2025

We're excited to see one of our favorite summer traditions return here at Camp Dodge! Kick off your summer with some free music at the Pool Pavilion!

🎶 The Camp Dodge Summer Concert Series is BACK! 🇺🇸☀️

We know many of you have been wondering — and we’re sorry for the delay in the announcement (and yes, we had to shift the month and day this year)... but we’re thrilled to finally share that the Camp Dodge Summer Concert Series is returning this July!

Mark your calendars, bring your lawn chairs, and get ready for three unforgettable nights of music, community, and summer fun — all free and open to the public!

🎺 We’re kicking things off in patriotic style on July 1st with an incredible performance by your very own 34th Army Band — the perfect way to launch your 4th of July celebrations! 🇺🇸🎆

We can’t wait to welcome you back to Camp Dodge for a summer tradition we’ve all been missing. 🎤🎸🍧

06/17/2025

During WWII Ankeny had an ammunition plant at the site of the current John Deere and DMACC buildings. This factory produced up to eight million 30 and 50 caliber armor piercing rounds a day. Boxes from this plant can be seen on display in our WWII Exhibit.

06/12/2025

Did you know that George Washington Carver was the first black student to enroll at Iowa State University in 1891? While there, he became a company captain in the college cadet corps. He received his promotion from the highest ranking military official in Iowa, the Adjutant General.

06/11/2025

06/06/2025

Did you know that Iowans were paratroopers in both the 82nd airborne and 101st airborne divisions dropping behind German lines at Normandy to protect allied troops landing on the beaches? D-Day was the largest amphibious landing in military history. Today marks the 81st anniversary of the Normandy landings. Entering the World War II exhibit of the Gold Star Museum, hear the drone of overhead aircraft and look up to see Iowa paratroopers making their jump. In the photo of Gen. Eisenhower talking to airborne troops, the arrow points to T4 Earl Frakes of Eagle Grove, Iowa.

06/05/2025

U.S. Army Private James Lee Harrington of Cincinnati, Iowa, was killed in action when the landing craft he and 200 others were on hit an underwater mine as they approached Omaha Beach at Normandy. Harrington had been buried as “Unknown” at the Normandy American Cemetery for almost 80 years until his remains were identified in 2023. He will be laid to rest in Iowa with full military honors next to his mother and grandparents this week, 81 years after his death on D-Day.

05/30/2025

Our annual Vietnam War Living History Event is just a week away! Stop by the museum and find out what life was like for American military personnel during the war from our incredible living historians.

Saturday, June 7th from 9-5
Sunday, June 8th from 9-1

05/28/2025

As part of the Iowa National Guard Command Retreat and to celebrate the US Army’s 250th birthday and the museum’s 40th birthday we owe a tremendous thank you to the volunteers who contributed their time and talents to appear in period uniforms and represent Army service in each of our major wars from 1775 to the present day.

05/27/2025

We’re grateful to everyone who joined us for another wonderful Memorial Day celebration! Thank you all for helping us honor our veterans. Also, a heartfelt thank you to our incredible volunteers and community partners who made this event possible. Take a look at We Are Iowa Local 5 News' coverage of the festivities!

Veterans in attendance emphasized giving special thanks to those who have served.

02/18/2025

The 320th Very Low Altitude Barrage Balloon Battalion was an all-black battalion that served during World War II. They were the only black combat unit that took part in the D-Day landings. The goal of this unit was to deploy large balloons to deter any aerial attacks on ground troops. They stayed on Omaha and Utah beaches to protect vital resupply lines until other ports were captured.