A Veterans Day ceremony was held outside the Lompoc Veterans Memorial Building on Tuesday, while inside, local military history was on display.
The building was transformed into a one-day uniform museum where local veterans and families filled the room, surrounded by military uniforms and artifacts, each item donated by a veteran or their family.
“We would not be here today without our veterans,” said Marion Rocha Carlos, President of the American Legion Auxiliary Unit 211.
Uniforms lined the display, some from the Vietnam War, others from the Invasion of Panama, many with photos attached so visitors could see who once wore them.
One of the exhibits belongs to Soledad Kennedy, a Marine Corps retiree who helped build the collection. Standing beside a row of preserved uniforms, she pointed out one of her original Marine Corps outfits.
“This is what I wore when I went in. These were our sateens. I can’t find my buttons to this one,” Kennedy said. She then pointed out another and laughed, “This is when I was pregnant.”
For some visitors, the display wasn’t just historical; it was personal.
Julie Wallace, a veteran and community volunteer, paused in front of a uniform belonging to a longtime friend.
“Ted Jackson was one of my very favorite friends and he wore the suit over there and he did the bagpipes. He did it for funerals, for weddings, for ceremonies,” Wallace said.
Others came to honor their family legacy. Gloria Purter Mantooth looked up at her father’s uniform, recalling how military service brought her family to Lompoc decades ago and rooted them here.
“The veterans building here was one of the places you would always find him, what they called 'down in the hole,' the VFW, with his buddies and so we were really entrenched in this community,” she said.
Kennedy, who helped curate the room, says the goal is to make sure these stories are not forgotten.
“Every year, we set aside a day just to say thank you to the veterans that are here. Our local community who offers free meals and an opportunity to say 'Oh, let’s treat our veterans,'” she said.
Organizers say the uniform museum opens up just once a year on Veterans Day, and every item inside was donated to keep a story alive. They plan to expand the collection next year.
