New cabinet at Reno City Hall planned for the U.S.S. Reno Flag

RENO, Nev. (KOLO) - For 30 years, Victory Woodworks has been doing business here in Northern Nevada and throughout the region. They start with raw materials, and with measuring, drilling, and clapping, as well as painting custom cabinets, paneling and other items are made on a commercial basis.

They’ve donated their well-honed skills and materials to local charities in the past. But one year ago, they received a unique request that couldn’t be turned down.

“I hate to sound cliché, but at a young age, to be part of that history and the aspect of it. And to hopefully be a part of Reno, I don’t think we could express enough gratitude,” says Tanner King, assistant project manager with Victory Woodworks.

Cabinetry is nothing new to Victory Woodworks, but this project would encase a piece of Reno History, a piece that went missing during the May 31st riots.

The display case housing the U.S.S. Reno Flag was smashed when Reno City Hall was breached that night. Many believed the flag was burned never to be recovered. But a couple of days later it was returned to the City of Reno with no apparent damage.

“I don’t think most of the protestors wanted to destroy city hall,” says Mike Harris with the Carpenters Local Union 971. Harris says the union was approached by city council member Devon Reece about building a new display cabinet.

When Harris approached Victory Woodworks the answer was a resounding yes.

“I didn’t know it was there, and I’d been in city hall several times,” says Tom Payne, a draftsman with Victory Woodworks. “So, I am glad to have that history back, and that more people have found out about it through an unfortunate situation,” he says.

There are shop drawings of the cabinet specially designed to hold the U.S.S. Reno Flag.

The design is nothing fancy.

But the design will have features to display the flag more securely. Materials, and man hours donated by Victory Woodworks and the Carpenter’s Local Union 971.

“We take a lot of pride in our work. We were happy to help our community,” says Harris.

The flag flew over the U.S.S. Reno during World War Two where the battleship won three battle stars for its service. The piece of history is on loan from the U.S. Navy who would no doubt approve of the efforts underway to properly showcase stars and stripes going back nearly 80 years.

The case should be complete and in place sometime late summer.

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