Eight Quilts of Valor were presented to area veterans on Friday, September 25, at the Argonne American Legion Post 180 in Great Bend. Quilts are made by Golden Belt Quilts of Valor and presented monthly.
Adolph Schmidt
United States Army veteran Adolph Schmidt was awarded a Quilt of Valor from Golden Plains Quilts of Valor on September 25, 2020 at the American Legion Post 180 in Great Bend. Adolph served from 1952 to 1954. He completed basic training at Fort Riley and also served at Fort Hood, Texas. He was Field First Sergeant Company C (Charlie) of the 96th Infantry Division at Fort Riley. Adolph spent the majority of his time in the service training new soldiers. The quilt top was make by Phyllis Manhart; quilting by
Amy Schartz Mellor. From left: David Krallman, Phyllis Manhart, Adolph Schmidt, Amy Schartz Mellor, Boe Levingston.
Donald Hejny
United States Navy veteran Donald Hejny was awarded a Quilt of Valor from Golden Plains Quilts of Valor on September 25, 2020 at the American Legion Post 180 in Great Bend. Donald served from 1954 to 1958, completing basic training at Great Lakes, Illinois, where he was trained as a boiler man. Donald served aboard the USS Brown DD546, home port in San Diego, California. He served three West Pacific deployments, including China, Formosa, Hong Kong, Japan, Guan and Okinawa. He was proud to have the opportunity to be a part of defending our country. The quilt top was made by the Happy Stitchers Quilt retreat; quilting by Amy Schartz Mellor. From left: Blake Ridgel, Judy Burnette, Donald Hejny, Amy Schartz Mellor, Robert Zahn.
Martin Higgins
United States Navy veteran Martin Higgins was awarded a Quilt of Valor from Golden Plains Quilts of Valor on September 25, 2020 at the American Legion Post 180 in Great Bend. Martin served from 1963 to 1967, completing basic training in San Diego, California where he was trained at electronics school. He served aboard the USS Richard E. Byrd DG23 as a gunfire control radarman. Martin’s ship completed two and one-half Mediterranean cruises. He was recognized as Sailor of the Month during his service. The quilt top was made by
Linda Bittel; quilting by Amy Schartz Mellor. From left: Dennis Hill, Linda Bittel, Martin Higgins, Amy Schartz Mellor, Roy Titsworth.
Jim Welch
United States Army veteran Jim Welch was awarded a Quilt of Valor from Golden Plains Quilts of Valor on September 25, 2020 at the American Legion Post 180 in Great Bend. Jim served from 1968 to 1998, completing basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. Jim served in the armored cavalry at Fort Riley. He also served at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, Fort Knox, Kentucky and Fort Bliss, Texas. The quilt top was made by Mary Lou Weiser, quilting by Amy Schartz Mellor. From left: Poncho Hitschmann, Mary Lou Weiser, Jim Welch, Amy Schartz Mellor, Bob Jarmer.
Shirley Welch
United States Army veteran Shirley Welch was awarded a Quilt of Valor from Golden Plains Quilts of Valor on September 25, 2020 at the American Legion Post 180 in Great Bend. Shirley completed basic training at Fort McClellan, Alabama. She was also stationed at Fort Riley, Kansas, Fort Knox, Kentucky, Fort Irwin, California and in Arizona. Shirley’s unit was sent to Panama City, Panama where they built a hospital, a school and drilled water wells. She was also a truck driver, fuel handler and worked in water purification. Beginning in 1994 she was a military technician and worked at the Army Reserve Center in Great Bend. The quilt top was made by Margaret Evers; quilting by Amy Schartz Mellor. From left: Chris Krueger, Margaret Evers, Shirley Welch, Amy Schartz Mellor, Blake Ridgel.
Daniel Ledesma
United States Army veteran Daniel Ledesma was awarded a Quilt of Valor from Golden Plains Quilts of Valor on September 25, 2020 at the American Legion Post 180 in Great Bend. Daniel served from 1983 to 2005. Daniel completed basic training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. He also served at Fort Benning, Georgia and Fort Stewart, Georgia. Daniel was an artilleryman, radar technician and an 88 Mike truck driver. He served as a radar technician in 1996 in the Bosnian War. The quilt top was made by Wendy Brackeen; quilting by Amy Schartz Mellor. From left: Robert Zahn, Wendy Brackeen, Daniel Ledesma, Amy Schartz Mellor, David Krallman.
Robert Trapp Sr.
United States Army veteran Robert Trapp Sr. was awarded a Quilt of Valor from Golden Plains Quilts of Valor on September 25, 2020 at the American Legion Post 180 in Great Bend. Robert served from 1988 to 1990 and again in 1991. He completed basic training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma where he was trained in field artillery. Robert was also stationed at Fort Ord, California and Fort Riley, Kansas. During the Panama crisis, he served in the General Operations Training Center. In 1991 he was called back during Desert Storm and served in Germany. The quilt top was made by LaWanna Krestine; quilting by Amy Schartz Mellor. From left: Poncho Hitschmann, Robert Trapp Sr., Amy Schartz Mellor, Bob Jarmer.
Sandy Suiter
United States Army veteran Sandy Suiter was awarded a Quilt of Valor from Golden Plains Quilts of Valor on September 25, 2020 at the American Legion Post 180 in Great Bend. Sandy completed basic training at Fort Riley, where he helped manage the supply inventory warehouse in Fort Lee, Virginia. He also served at Camp Taji, also known as Camp Cooke, in Iraq. Sandy is proud to have the honor to serve the greatest country ever, just like his father and grandfather before him. The quilt top was made by Alice Stoskopf and Judy Burnette; quilting by Amy Schartz Mellor. From left: Dennis Hill, Judy Burnette, Sandy Suiter, Amy Schartz Mellor, Roy Titsworth.
