Twelve area veterans were awarded Quilts of Valor on Friday, Oct. 26. Presentations were made at the American Legion Post 180 in Great Bend by the Golden Plains Quilts of Valor.
United States Navy veteran Dustin Green was awarded a Quilt of Valor from Golden Plains Quilts of Valor on October 26, 2018, at the American Legion Post 180 in Great Bend. The quilt top was made by Judy Burnette; quilting by Amy Schartz Mellor. Dustin served from 1994 to 1999. He was sent to Aviation Airman Training and then assigned to the USS Kearsarge LHD-3 where he was involved in movement and staging of aircraft for flight ops. Dustin was on three Mediterranean cruises on this ship, one of which involved the rescue of downed pilot, Scott O’Grady, who was shot down in Kosovo by rebels. He was also involved in the rescue of 5,000 non-combatants from Sierra Leone, West Africa because of genocide and unrest. From left: David Krallman, Judy Burnette, Dustin Green, Amy Schartz Mellor, Don Green.
United States Army Korea veteran Richard Connell was awarded a Quilt of Valor from Golden Plains Quilts of Valor on October 26, 2018, at the American Legion Post 180 in Great Bend. The quilt top was made by Valeda Hitschmann; quilting by Amy Schartz Mellor. Richard served from 1952 to 1954; 16 months of his service was in Korea, where he was a radio operator and taught soldiers how to read and write. From left: Bob Jarmer, Valeda Hitschmann, Richard Connell, Amy Schartz Mellor, Juanita Dreiling.
United States Army Vietnam Era veteran Joe Twitchell was awarded a Quilt of Valor from Golden Plains Quilts of Valor on October 26, 2018, at the American Legion Post 180 in Great Bend. The quilt top was made by Pat Lohrey; quilting by Amy Schartz Mellor. Joe served from 1968 to 1969 and was stationed in Nuremburg, Germany, where he performed basic maintenance with the artillery unit. From left: Roy Titsworth, Pat Lohrey, Joe Twitchell, Amy Schartz Mellor, Bob Jarmer.
United States Army World War II veteran Tony Malson was awarded a Quilt of Valor from Golden Plains Quilts of Valor on October 26, 2018, at the American Legion Post 180 in Great Bend. The quilt top was made by Pat Lohrey; quilting by Amy Schartz Mellor. Tony served from 1942 to 1945 in Mississippi and North Carolina before being sent to Burma, working as an equipment repairman. From left: Ralph Sunley, Pat Lohrey, Tony Malsom, Amy Schartz Mellor, Boe Levingston.
United States Navy veteran Kenneth Romeiser was awarded a Quilt of Valor from Golden Plains Quilts of Valor on October 26, 2018, at the American Legion Post 180 in Great Bend. The quilt top was made by Pat Lohrey; quilting by Amy Schartz Mellor. Kenneth served from 1965 to 1969 aboard the USS Pocono, cruising from California to Norfolk through the Panama Canal. From left: David Krallman, Pat Lohrey, Kenneth Romeiser, Amy Schartz Mellor, Ralph Sunley.
United States Air Force veteran Michael D. Harbaugh was awarded a Quilt of Valor from Golden Plains Quilts of Valor on October 26, 2018, at the American Legion Post 180 in Great Bend. The quilt top was made by Tina Duryee; quilting by Amy Schartz Mellor. Michael served from 1993 to 2000. Three of those years were at Rein Mein Airforce Base in Germany an air transportation specialist, along with serving at Pope Air Force Base in North Carolina. Michael was deployed to Saudi Arabia after the cobalt tower bombings. He also served in Bosnia and with the Joint Special Operations Command in many locations to assist with training missions. From left: Boe Levingston, Tina Duryee, Michael D. Harbaugh, Amy Schartz Mellor, Ralph Sunley.
United States Navy Vietnam-era veteran Greg Jewell was awarded a Quilt of Valor from Golden Plains Quilts of Valor on October 26, 2018, at the American Legion Post 180 in Great Bend. The quilt top was made by LaWanna Krestine; quilting by Amy Schartz Mellor. Greg served from 1971 to 1975 under several ship commanders as a Yeoman, but most of his time was aboard the USS Okinawa. When the USS Okinawa recovered the Apollo 15 Space Capsule, he was responsible for writing press releases and coordinating the journalism outlets that were covering the mission, both television and newspaper. Greg set up a ship’s television station on the Okinawa, essentially working as a Navy journalist before there was such a program. From left: Poncho Hitschmann, LaWanna Krestine, Greg Jewell, Amy Schartz Mellor, David Krallman.
United States Army veteran William Baalmann was awarded with a Quilt of Valor from Golden Plains Quilts of Valor on October 26, 2018, at the American Legion Post 180 in Great Bend. The quilt top was made by Phyllis Manhart; quilting by Amy Schartz Mellor. William served from 1968 to 1974 in Bangkok, Thailand with the 302nd Signal Battalion, U.S. Army Pacific. He monitored the stock content and performed accounting duties. He also played football in the Army where they called him “Sweet Baalmann.” From left: David Krallman, Phyllis Manhart, William Baalmann, Amy Schartz Mellor, Ralph Sunley.
United States Navy Vietnam veteran Donald Basgall was awarded a Quilt of Valor from Golden Plains Quilts of Valor on October 26, 2018, at the American Legion Post 180 in Great Bend. The quilt top was made by Linda Bittel and quilted by Amy Schartz Mellor. Donald served from 1962 to 1972 in Hawaii for two years. He also served aboard the USS Coral Sea aircraft carrier in the Gulf of Tonkin, off the coast of Vietnam. From left: Boe Levingston, Linda Bittel, Donald Basgall, Amy Schartz Mellor, Poncho Hitschmann.
United States Navy Vietnam veteran Michael L. Harbaugh was awarded a Quilt of Valor from Golden Plains Quilts of Valor on October 26, 2018, at the American Legion Post 180 in Great Bend. The quilt top was made by Tina Duryee; quilting by Amy Schartz Mellor. Michael served from 1966 to 1969 in Japan, California, and Vietnam. From left: Roy Titsworth, Tina Duryee, Michael L. Harbaugh, Amy Schartz Mellor, Bob Jarmer.
United States Army veteran Kenneth Herrman was awarded a Quilt of Valor from Golden Plains Quilts of Valor on October 26, 2018, at the American Legion Post 180 in Great Bend. The quilt top was made and quilted by Linda Bittel. Kenneth served from 1967 to 1971 aboard the USS Ponchatoula as a stock clerk in a cargo handling battalion. He also served as a reservist from 1971 to 1973. From left: Poncho Hitschmann, Linda Bittel, Kenneth Herrman, Amy Schartz Mellor, Juanita Dreiling.
