WATERLOO -- It's named for five Waterloo brothers who died during World War II. It's dedicated to thousands of others who served just like them.

The $11.5 million Sullivan Brothers Iowa Veterans Museum opens Saturday, within a week of not only Veterans Day, but the 66th anniversary of George, Francis, Joseph, Madison and Albert Sullivan's deaths while serving together aboard the USS Juneau during the Battle of Guadalcanal.

The museum's formal Saturday opening will be marked with a 10 a.m. downtown parade, a performance by the U.S. Navy Band and remarks from U.S. Secretary of the Navy Donald C. Winters.

It's the people -- not just the Sullivans, but all Iowans who fought and served in those wars overseas, and the people who supported them at home -- that are what the museum's all about, as the project was conceived more than a decade ago.

"There's really no place in Iowa telling the whole story of Iowa veterans," Grout executive director Billie Bailey said. "There are many museums that tell parts of the story, the military history, but there's no one place telling the veterans. Why not have it in Waterloo, where the five Sullivan brothers who represent the average Joe stepped forward."

The museum has exhibits in every major war in which Iowans served, from the Civil War to the present. Major features in each of those exhibits include:

A re-created Civil War-era troop transport boxcar.

A Spanish-American War-era tent, complete with the sound of tropical rain hitting the roof.

A World War I trench, complete with an authentic machine gun, trench periscope and flashing explosions

A replica World War II M-4 Sherman tank, interactive world map and display of a bunk area from a troop transport ship.

A Korean War-era replica F-86 Sabre Jet fighter plane.

A section of an authentic Vietnam War-era air calvary Huey helicopter, damaged in battle during its service in 1967-68.

A 1991 Persian Gulf War-era tent, anchoring a display area commemorating more current conflicts, including Iraq and Afghanistan.

At the entrance, visitors will see a life-size replica of a P-51 Mustang fighter plane, and the recreated bow of the USS Juneau on which the Sullivans served.

Displays commemorating the home fronts of the various wars are included in the museum, including a recreation of a portion of the Sullivan home, and a display of a present-day veteran, fitted with an artificial leg, mowing his lawn.

Interspersed throughout the museum personal accounts of Iowans who served in those wars -- written accounts from those of the older conflicts, and many recorded audio and video accounts from actual veterans for the more recent wars, as well as those who served in defense plants on the home front.

Ed Gallagher Jr., chairman of the Grout board of trustees. "We got very good cooperation" on a major fundraising effort involving more than 700 contributors, including individuals, organizations and various levels of government, including a $1.5 million state Vision Iowa grant.

Kelly Sullivan Loughren, granddaughter and grandniece of the Sullivan brothers. "It's just been a huge undertaking, major teamwork, so many people involved in it.

"I think what's so amazing about this is all the different personal accounts," Loughren said. "It's amazing to see the veterans who have these incredible stories, what they went through. They haven't talked about it for years. And now we finally have their story, and have it in our archives and we'll have it forever."

Museum visitors will be a issued bar-coded dog tag, and with a swipe of a scanner in the interactive areas in each of the wars, they take on the identity of a real Iowa veteran who served in those wars, and learn about their fates and fortunes.

Split Rock Studios, a Twin Cities firm which prepared a major portion of the museum exhibits, also was able to incorporate Grout artifacts into the displays for each of the conflict -- such an entire World War I-era Dart transport truck; a wagon wheel from a real Spanish-American War -era military caisson; and a World War I machine gun that had been displayed at the Grout for more than 40 years.

But it's the people, and their stories, which will make the veterans museum a major visitor attraction, Gallagher said.

"I see Waterloo becoming really a center for Iowa veterans, with the fact the Sullivan brothers came from our town, and this museum. I think it will be second to none. My idea is that this will serve Waterloo the Cedar Valley, the state of Iowa and the whole Midwest for years to come."

The museum is already receiving bookings into next year for military reunions, and proponents figure it also will attract school groups.

Cardinal Construction of Waterloo, and InVision Architecture, which has an office in Waterloo were the project general contractor and architect, respectively. Two Des Moines firms, Triad Productions and Applied Art Technology, worked on much of the video production and interactive displays. The museum is handicap accessible.

It's the story of Iowa veterans who will attract museum visitors, organizers said. One of the museum's exhibits is a contemplative area for quiet reflection, where the names of Iowans killed in wartime will electronically scroll between two rows of stars.

The museum is still welcoming information on all Iowa veterans from families and the veterans at (319) 234-6357.

SCHEDULE FOR OPENING DAY:

10 a.m. parade in downtown Waterloo

11:15 a.m.dedication speech from secretary of the navy

11:45 a.m. ribbon cutting at the museum

RE-ENACTMENTS:

noon WWI soldier Louis Ballensiefer

12:20 p.m. WWI and WWII Hanford MacNider

12:40 p.m. WWII nurse Ruth Smith Miller

VETERANS STORIES:

1 p.m. Brent and Karin Jurgensen's story

2 p.m. The Stanley Ross Story

3 p.m. Brent and Karin Jurgensen's story

4 p.m. The Stanley Ross Story

Veterans' stories held at Oster Family Museum Theatre in the lower level of the museum

11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Civil War Day: Re-enactors, activities and food at Washington Park

11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. the U.S.S. Sullivans DD-537 former crew members present at ship model telling stories, answering question and talking about the ship throughout the day in the Edward & Cathy Gallagher Jr. Exhibition Hall, Sullivan brothers salute and the U.S.S. the Sullivans DD-537 ship model.

Contact Pat Kinney at (319) 291-1426 or pat.kinney@wcfcourier.com.