By Cole Fox
Veterans and families gathered at the Guy W. Iversen AMVETS Post 49 in Cedar Falls on Monday, May 25, 2026, to mark Memorial Day and reflect on the sacrifice of the veterans whose names were pinned on the flagpoles at the Avenue of Flags.
Monday morning’s ceremony took place under 277 flags posted over the weekend in front of the post’s legion hall. The flags were donated by friends and families of veterans who had served their country with selfless dedication.
Many in attendance wore red, white and blue to show their respect for the occasion.
Morning winds stoked the flags over the program, beginning with the national anthem and the recognition of selected representatives from each military branch.
Len Swatley of AMVETS Post 49 gave the opening address, paying tribute to service members killed and missing in action:
“They answered their call to duty, thereby giving us the day, tomorrow, and all of the tomorrows of our future throughout America’s history,” he said.
Several elected officials delivered speeches dedicated to the Memorial Day ceremony. State Rep. Bob Kressig, State Sen. Dave Sires and Cedar Falls Mayor Danny Laudick each reflected on the history and the meaning of Memorial Day in the Cedar Valley, emphasizing the sacrifices service members and their families have made over the years.
After announcing that he is not running for reelection, Rep. Kressig asked those gathered to advocate for veterans’ mental health this holiday.
Sen. Sires summed up the historic role of the University of Northern Iowa campus, designated as an orphanage during and following the Civil War.
Mayor Laudick quoted from President Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, then listed the names of service members who have passed in the last year, including three Iowans: Sgt. Declan Coady of West Des Moines, Sgt. William Howard of Marshalltown, and Sgt. Edgar Torres-Tovar of Grimes.
After the conclusion of the program, members of the AMVETS Post 49 roared their motorcycle engines, as shots rang from the veterans’ procession at the memorial.
The Avenue of Flags memorial will remain standing through Tuesday afternoon.
“It’s always a good ceremony to be able to be out here and give respect to those who have sacrificed for us,” the mayor said afterwards. “[It] is one of the most meaningful things to do on Memorial Day.”
