National Medal of Honor Heritage Center breaks ground

CHATTANOOGA (WDEF) – After months of frustration and planning, the National Medal of Honor Heritage Center held its ground-breaking ceremony today.

The building is already there, but crews will soon start re-designing the inside.

News 12’s Ashley Henderson has the details.

Retired Army Major General Bill Raines, the chairman of the Charles H. Coolidge Medal of Honor Heritage Center made the long-awaited announcement.

Work is beginning.

“We have sufficient funding to begin. We still need a little more support and I encourage anyone that wants to help us get across that finish line to please step up and give us a call, make a donation, large or small.”

It’s appropriate to have it here, because Chattanooga is the site of the first Medal of Honor presentation during the civil war.

General Raines says today’s observance would not have happened without a lot of community help.

That includes 25 volunteers, elected officials, the board of directors, and Kim White with River City Company, who helped.

She says “We are so proud of what the Medal of Honor Center and their committee has done and this is a fantastic location that was under-utilized and it’s going to bring new life to downtown.”

“I am proud that they’ve been able to hit all their benchmarks and they’ll be here in February 2020.”

Retired Rear Admiral Noah Long says “this will just enhance the reputation of Chattanooga, as a patriotic city, and a recognition that we all give.  And the city gives to the historic aspects of our city.”

The center is being named for Charles H. Coolidge, whose son John is hoping his father gets to see the completed center.

“We’re hoping and praying that he’s able to come and see this site here.  We’ve talked about it a lot to him and showed him some clips and things and he’s excited about it, so hopefully he’ll be able to be here in February of 2020.”

In Chattanooga, Ashley Henderson, News 12 Now.

See a sneak peak of what it will look like inside.