Golden Plains Quilts of Valor awarded 11 quilts to veterans on Friday, October 25, at the American Legion Argonne Post 180 in Great Bend. Quilt tops were made by Golden Plains Quilts of Valor members and quilting was done by group leader Amy Schartz Mellor.
Edward Schwindt
United States Army veteran Edward Schwindt was awarded a Quilt of Valor from Golden Plains Quilts of Valor on October 25, 2019 at the American Legion Argonne Post 180 in Great Bend. Edward served from 1951 to 1953. After completing basic training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, he was stationed in Japan, where he served on the line crew on telephone poles and hauled equipment. The quilt top was made by Linda Bittel quilting by Amy Schartz Mellor. From left: Rick Munsch, Linda Bittel, Edward Schwindt, Amy Schartz Mellor, Ralph Sunley.
Leonard Williamson
United States Army veteran Leonard Williamson was awarded a Quilt of Valor on October 25, 2019 from Golden Plains Quilts of Valor at the American Legion Argonne Post 180 in Great Bend. Leonard served from 1952 to 1954, working in logistics management that included freight and equipment delivery and movement. After he completed basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, MO, he was stationed at Beale Air Force Base, Marysville, CA; Hamilton Air Force Base, Novata, CA; and Indian Mountain Air Force Station in Hughes, AL. The quilt top was made by Linda Shull, quilting by Amy Schartz Mellor. From left: Bob Jarmer, Linda Shull, Leonard Williamson, Amy Schartz Mellor, Roy Titsworth.
Gerald “Ernie” Masden
United States Navy Vietnam veteran, Gerald “Ernie” Masden was awarded a Quilt of Valor from Golden Plains Quilts of Valor on October 25, 2019 at the American Legion Argonne Post 180 in Great Bend. Masden served from 1962 to 1966. He completed boot camp at San Diego Naval Station before being sent to Naval Air Station Lemoor, CA. Masden served aboard the USS Coral Sea, a carrier, which was ordered to the Gulf of Tonkin. The USS Coral Sea was one of the first carriers to arrive in the Gulf of Tonkin. The quilt top was made by Mary Lou Weiser, quilting by Amy Schartz Mellor. From left: David Krallman, Mary Lou Weiser, Ernie Masden, Amy Schartz Mellor, Boe Levingston.
Robert “Bob” Stone
United States Marine Corps Vietnam veteran Robert (Bob) Stone was awarded a Quilt of Valor from Golden Plains Quilts of Valor on October 25, 2019 at the American Legion Argonne Post 180 in Great Bend. Bob served from 1966 to 1970, completing boot camp in San Diego, CA. He was then sent to Memphis, TN where he was trained as an aircraft mechanic. Bob was stationed at Beaufort, SC, where he maintained and repaired engines in DC-3 cargo planes. He was also sent to Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, AZ to practice dropping bombs on designated targets. Bob was then sent to Vietnam, where he was assigned to a helicopter squadron aboard the USS Okinawa. Duties included transporting personnel and supplies throughout the northern area of southern Vietnam. Bob also served on a DC-3 crew in the Da Nang area where personnel and supplies were flown between Da Nang and Saigon. The quilt top was made by the Happy Stitchers Quilt Group, quilting by Amy Schartz Mellor. From left: Rick Munsch, Amy Schartz Mellor, Bob Stone, Sheila DeWald, Chris Krueger.
Melvin Birzer
United States Navy veteran Melvin Birzer was awarded a Quilt of Valor from Golden Plains Quilts of Valor on October 25, 2019 at the American Legion Argonne Post 180 in Great Bend. Melvin served from 1968 to 1974. After he completed basic training at San Diego, CA, where he was taught aviation fundamentals, he was sent to Beeville, TX and was trained on helicopter electrical systems. Melvin was then stationed aboard the USS Dubuque, where he was an aviation electrician’s mate. Following active duty, he served in the Naval Reserve until 1974. The quilt top was made by Margaret Evers, quilting by Amy Schartz Mellor. From left: Juanita Dreiling, Margaret Evers, Melvin Birzer, Amy Schartz Mellor, Ken Dreiling.
Byron Orr
United States Air Force veteran Byron Orr was awarded a Quilt of Valor from Golden Plains Quilts of Valor on October 25, 2019 at the American Legion Argonne Post 180 in Great Bend. Byron served from 1972 to 1978, completing basic training at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, TX. He was then sent to Tinker Air Force Base, OK. Byron was then assigned to the 6950th Security Squadron in England. Upon his return to the United States, he was stationed with the 777th Radar Squadron at Klamath Air Force Station, CA. This was one of 28 stations built as part of the Air Defense Command permanent radar network. The quilt top was made by Karen Maier, quilting by Amy Schartz Mellor. From left: Chris Krueger, Karen Maier, Byron Orr, Amy Schartz Mellor, Ralph Sunley.
Denise Redetzke
United States Navy veteran Denise Redetzke was awarded a Quilt of Valor from Golden Plains Quilts of Valor on October 25, 2019 at the American Legion Post 180 in Great Bend. Denise served from 1981 to 1984. She completed boot camp at Orlando, FL, before serving aboard the USS Samuel Gompers. Their slogan was, “We Deliver.” Denise worked in the post office, chaplain’s office, electrical, clerical and weapons area, and everyone did a set on the mess decks. They cruised in many areas including Hawaii, Guam, Philippines, Australia, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Fiji, and Singapore. The quilt top was made by LaWanna Krestine, quilting by Amy Schartz Mellor. From left: Norma Titsworth, LaWanna Krestine, Denise Redetzke, Amy Schartz Mellor, Jeannie Munsch.
Derrick Brown
United States Army National Guard veteran Derrick Brown was awarded a Quilt of Valor from Golden Plains Quilts of Valor on October 25, 2019 at the American Legion Argonne Post 180 in Great Bend. Derrick has been serving since 2004 and is still serving. He was trained in field artillery surveying at Fort Sill, OK and was cross trained as military police in preparation for deployment to Iraq. In 2007 and 2008 he was stationed in eastern Iraq. In 2019 he was reclassified to field artillery radar operator at Fort Hood, TX. The quilt top was made by Edie Edie Hillman McQuade, quilting by Amy Schartz Mellor. From left: David Krallman, Edie McQuade, Derrick Brown, Amy Schartz Mellor, Rick Munsch.
James Jamieson
United States Navy veteran James Jamieson was awarded a Quilt of Valor from Golden Plains Quilts of Valor on October 25, 2019 at the American Legion Argonne Post 180 in Great Bend. James served in 1959 and 1960. He completed boot camp in San Diego, CA, before being stationed at Pearl Harbor, HI, where he served in maintenance and the kitchen. The quilt top was made by Wendy Brackeen, quilting by Amy Schartz Mellor. From left: Chris Krueger, Wendy Brackeen, James Jamieson, Amy Schartz Mellor, Ralph Sunley.
1Michael Mosiman
United States Navy Vietnam veteran Michael Mosiman was awarded a Quilt of Valor from Golden Plains Quilts of Valor on October 25, 2019 at the American Legion Argonne Post 180 in Great Bend. Michael served from 1973 to 1994. After completing boot camp in San Diego, CA he was assigned to the USS Bayfield in Vietnam. Following the end of his active duty in 1973, he served with the Army Reserve. He served in many capacities including military police and cook. In 1990 he was called to active duty assigned to the 345th Military Police Unit in Desert Shield and Desert Storm, transporting POWs until his return stateside in 1991. The quilt top was made by Sharon King, quilting by Amy Schartz Mellor. From left: Roy Titsworth, Sharon King, Michael Mosiman, Amy Schartz Mellor, Norma Titsworth.
Kevin Boese
United States Army and Army National Guard veteran Kevin Boese was awarded a Quilt of Valor from Golden Plains Quilts of Valor on October 25, 2019 at the American Legion Argonne Post 180 in Great Bend. Kevin served from 1984 to 2018. After completing basic training at Fort Dix, NJ, he completed advanced training at Fort Eustis, VA. Kevin was then stationed at Fort Hood, TX with the 2nd Armored Division as a prop and rotor mechanic. From 1998 to 2000 he was stationed at Forbes Field, Topeka, KS as a helicopter mechanic. In 2004 and 2005 he served in Balad, Iraq and in 2007 and 2008 in Ashraf, Iraq. He was with the ETAB Radar Unit with the National Guard in Great Bend, KS and with the 130th National Guard Radar Unit in Manhattan, KS. The quilt top was made by Wendy Brackeen, quilting by Amy Schartz Mellor. From left: Bob Jarmer, Wendy Brackeen, Kevin Boese, Amy Schartz Mellor, Roy Titsworth.
