Military Chaplains Day Honors the Dubuque Men Who Gave Their All

Over my many years in local radio, I have had the privilege to work for and with some amazing veterans and veteran organizations in Dubuque and our surrounding Tri-State area. One organization I continue to see each month in the studio is the Tri-State Women Warriors. They stay extremely active in our local community including in preparation for the upcoming Dubuque Military Chaplains Day, which will take place on February 1st at Gracepoint Church. The event will begin at 4 PM and is open to the public.

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This annual ceremony is a combined effort by the Dubuque American Legion Auxiliary Unit 6 and Post 6, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 508, Disabled American Veterans Unit #6, Dubuque Marine Corps League, Tri-State Women Warriors, and the Tri-State Vietnam Veterans Association. Each of these groups brings a shared commitment to honoring those who served not only with uniform and rank, but with faith, compassion, and a calling to care for one another in the hardest moments imaginable: where life and liberty were under attack.

Military Chaplains Day exists to remember chaplains who made the ultimate sacrifice while serving both God and country. The observance traces back to World War II and the sinking of the USAT Dorchester in 1943, when four Army chaplains of different faiths gave up their life jackets so other soldiers could live. Their selfless actions became a lasting symbol of unity, courage, and service beyond denomination or division. That spirit still guides this ceremony today.

The Dubuque observance also remembers chaplains with deep local ties. Navy Chaplain Aloysius Schmitt, a Dubuque native and Loras College graduate, gave his life helping sailors escape the USS Oklahoma during the attack on Pearl Harbor. Major William Joseph Barragy, another Loras graduate, became the first chaplain killed in combat during the Vietnam War when his helicopter went down in 1966. These are names that matter here, because their roots, their stories, run through our community.

At its heart, Dubuque's Military Chaplains Day is about gratitude and reflection. It’s a chance to slow down, sit together, and remember why our veterans service and our faith still matters. Whether you wear a uniform, know someone who has, or simply believe in honoring their sacrifice, this is an event that reminds us what community really looks like in Iowa. And in Dubuque, I'd say we have a pretty stellar community of veterans.