4 Greenwood veterans receive Quilts of Valor
In 2003, Catherine Roberts, who had a son deployed in Iraq, had a dream. That dream inspired her to form the Quilts of Valor Foundation, with the goal to provide every U.S military service member who has served during a time of war with a quilt to provide them comfort.
The organization has continued to spread since its founding, and now, 20 years later, has found its way to Greenwood. The Quilts of Valor Foundation presented Greenwood-area veterans Ray Barkus, Bernard Kitzhaber, Harry Johnson and Donald Lindner with their own quilt during a special ceremony April 2 at the Greenwood American Legion.
According to Jennie Green, the local group leader of the Quilts of Valor, the quilts are awarded to any nominated veteran who has served during a time of war. The quilts are a “thank you” to the veterans for their service and are given to provide healing and comfort to the veteran, who may still be carrying the scars of war.
“It’s an expression of gratitude,” she said during the presentation. “You were leaving all that you held dear to serve. This quilt says ‘thank you for your service.’ Use the quilt; it is meant to comfort you.”
Harry Johnson joined the U.S. Army Nov. 3, 1963, and received basic training at Ft. Leonard Wood, Mo. He received training at communications school for wiring, climbing and as a forward observer and fire direction center for firing a howitzer gun. He was then sent to California and shipped by commercial airlines to Yokohama, Japan, before arriving at Kimpo Air Force Base in South Korea, when he was then transported by truck to Camp Pelhan, located about two miles from the demilitarized zone. Johnson was attached to Battery B, 2nd Battalion, 19th Artillery at Camp Pelham where he stayed until he left South Korea in August 1965. Johnson was nominated for the Quilt of Valor by David Boe.
Bernard Kitzhaber entered the U.S. Army Dec. 2, 1953, and was trained at Ft. Riley, Kan. He was stationed in Japan as a foot soldier until his discharge Nov. 26, 1955. He was nominated for the Quilt of Valor by Marge Peterson.
Donald Lindner entered the U.S. Army Nov. 2, 1953. After two weeks at Ft. Riley, Kan., he was deployed to Japan in the 1st Caliber Division where he served as a combat engineer until his discharge on Aug. 15, 1955. He was nominated for a Quilt of Valor by Roger Schwartz.
Ray Barkus entered the Air Force in 1958 and served there until 1964. He then entered the Army National Guard and served from 1977 to 1998. He served during the Vietnam and Cold War stateside in Texas, Michigan and Alabama. He was nominated for a Quilt of Valor by the Greenwood American Legion.
All of the quilts presented to the veterans, Green said, were made by local volunteers who have to follow certain guidelines to create these quilts. Currently, she said about a dozen individuals help with the process to make the quilts, and with every nomination, a new quilt has to be made.
“There are a group of us who make these quilts,” she said. “We have to follow the rules on how to make them to give them to the veterans.”
The goal of the newly founded Quilts of Valor group in Greenwood, Green said, is to provide a quilt for every Greenwood-area veteran first, potentially expanding out to other areas as the organization grows. Any veteran can be nominated, she said, with nominations being made online at qovf.org/nominations-awards/.
For anyone interested in volunteering to help make quilts for the Greenwood Quilts of Valor group, or to ask for more information about the group, leave a message for Green at 715-415-7897.
Shown above (l-r) are the four veterans who received a quilt: Ray Barkus, Bernard Kitzhaber, Harry Johnson and Donald Lindner. Lindner is also shown at top left, Kitzhaber is shown at left, Johnson is shown at right and Barkus is shown at bottom left.
CHEYENNE THOMAS/STAFF PHOTOS
