A volunteer effort is helping preserve Iowa’s military history by identifying the final resting places of veterans who served the country during wartime.
Mike Rowley of Clive, a member of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, is part of a small team dedicated to researching, documenting and recognizing Iowa service members whose contributions have gone largely unrecognized.
Rowley said his interest in the project grew after noticing gaps in the historical records and information available about servicemen and women who served the nation.
The group has identified 41 Revolutionary War veterans who made Iowa their final home, including two recently documented additions. Volunteers have also identified more than 1,000 War of 1812 veterans buried throughout nearly every county in Iowa.
The research extends beyond military service members. Rowley and other volunteers have worked to identify Civil War nurses who were never formally recognized for their contributions, along with veterans from more recent conflicts who were residents of Iowa’s state-operated mental health facilities.
Rowley recently served as the keynote speaker during a Veterans Day ceremony at the Iowa Veterans Cemetery. Although he is not a veteran himself, he said his commitment to preserving military history is inspired by generations of family members who served.
His family history includes a World War II veteran father, a grandfather who enlisted during World War I, two great-great-grandfathers who served in the Civil War, a three-times great-grandfather who served during the War of 1812, and 15 ancestors who served during the American Revolutionary War.
In addition to researching veterans’ histories, Rowley volunteers with a group dedicated to honoring veterans buried in unmarked graves.
He has personally installed 452 headstones across seven states, recognizing soldiers who served in conflicts dating back to 1775.
The volunteer effort is helping ensure that veterans who may have been overlooked by history are remembered and that their service and sacrifices are preserved for future generations.
