Six area veterans received Quilts of Valor and were honored during a dinner and presentation in Shell Rock Oct. 18.
Everson Auditorium in the Boyd Building was full of friends and family gathered to pay tribute to the veterans, who had served in the Army from as early as 1965 to as recently as 2013.
The Shell Rock-A-Teers, a chapter of the Quilts of Valor Foundation, hosted the meal and presentation. Founding member Robyn Holden welcomed the crowd and noted that the Shell Rock organization had awarded 77 quilts since its first presentation in 2015.
The six honorees are as follows, in alphabetical order:
Jacob James Blair served in the Army from November 2006 to November 2013. He was an E-4 and was stationed in Afghanistan as part of the 322nd Engineering Unit.
Blair received the Combat Action Badge, Good Conduct Medal, Army Service Badge and Army Meritorious Unit Award.
Richard Allen Carey served in the Army from December 1965 to December 1967. He was a corporal and was stationed in Fort Leonardwood, Missouri; Fort Ord, California; Fort Gordon, Georgia; and Baumholder-Idar-Oberstein in Germany.
Carey was a teletype operator in communications and a top-secret decoder, “locked in a small room with a teletype machine,” his Quilts of Valor service summary states.
His awards and designations include Vietnam Conflict, Good Conduct Medal, Sharpshooters Award for Marksmanship and a National Defense Ribbon.
Glen Roscoe Hulbert served in the Army from July 20, 1972, to July 19, 1974. He was a specialist fourth class and served in Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, working as a metal body repairman.
Hulbert’s awards and designations include a National Defense Service Medal, Marksman Badge with Automatic Rifle Bar and an Expert Badge with M16 Rifle Bar.
Dwayne Andrew Sessler served in the Army from May 1, 1970, to March 10, 1972. He was an E-5 and was stationed in Fort Leonardwood, Missouri, for basic training; Monmouth, New Jersey for Signal Corps; and then Vietnam (March 9, 1971-Jan. 25, 1972).
Sessler’s awards and designations include a Vietnam Service Medal, National Defense Medal, Army Recommendation Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal and a Sharpshooter Badge.
Russell Henry Smith served in the Army from Jan. 4, 1966, to Dec. 14, 1967. He was a sergeant and was stationed in Fort Leonardwood, Missouri, for basic training; Fort Sill, Oklahoma (last duty station A Company 3rd Battalion 64th Armor); and Schweinfurt, Germany with the 3rd Infantry Division.
Smith noted in written comments that he “Took leave to Holland with a roommate. Amsterdam was beautiful, canal system ran throughout city so most everyone rode a bike.”
His awards and designations include an Army Letter of Commendation for Tank, Good Conduct Medal, and Gunnery High Score in Europe Command.
Luverne James Whiteside served in the Army from April 1970 to April 1976. He was a Specialist 4 and was stationed in Fort Lewis, Washington, and Heidelberg, Germany.
In Germany, he worked in the motor pool. He dispatched trucks and repaired military vehicles. Whiteside noted in his comments, that it was “a great experience to serve our country.”
After a video and an introduction of the recipients, they were each wrapped in a handmade patriotic quilt.
Holden, who served as master of ceremonies, said, “I want to thank all six of you for your service to this country.”
When asked how it felt to receive a Quilt of Valor, Whiteside said that he felt “very honored. I really appreciate all the people that put this on.”
“It’s awesome,” said Hulbert.
Sessler said of the presentation, “It’s pretty touching, I really enjoyed it. I’m glad that we get recognized. Vietnam veterans didn’t get recognized too well when we came home. Now, this makes a difference.”
