In ceremonies held on Veteran’s Day, the University Memorial Center at CU Boulder unveiled the ship’s bell from the first USS Colorado which was commissioned in 1858 and saw service in the Civil War. The 832 Pound bell arrived on the day before from the Navy History and Heritage Command in Virginia.

The bell has a unique history. It was also used on the second USS Colorado (ACR 7) commissioned in 1905. That vessel was renamed USS Pueblo in 1916 to allow the name to be used for the battleship USS Colorado. In addition the bell was used aboard the USS Puritan (BM-1) (1896-1910) prior to being used aboard the USS Colorado (ARC-7), The Puritan was a Monitor class ship that served during the Spanish-American War and the 2nd of 5 ships called the USS Puritan. The bell was removed from the USS Pueblo in August or September 1931 during scrapping and transferred to the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, IL for display. The bell was transferred to the Navy History Center (now called Naval History and Heritage Command) in November of 2004 until it was transferred to CU Boulder.

The annual Veterans Day Ceremony featured remarks by Major George “Chip” Jones, USMC (Ret). Also speaking were University Chancellor DiStefano and Congressman Jared Polis. After the ceremony in the Glen Miller Ballroom a reception was held in a nearby room the new bell proudly on display. USS Colorado Commissioning Committee had a table with merchandise for sale and a model of SSN 788 by model maker and retired Navy E-9, Jon Sorenson.

With the acquisition of the new bell, the University will be expanding the University Memorial Center to accommodate it. Currently the center has the bell and helm from the battleship Colorado, a 40 inch model of the ship and plaques honoring CU alumni who lost their lives in the service of our country.

For more information about CU University Memorial Center Please Visit www.colorado.edu/umc/about/veterans

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