11 Veterans Honored At Threads Of Valor
May 10, 2023 at 1:33 a.m.
11 Veterans Honored At Threads Of Valor
By Jackie [email protected]
The veterans honored Tuesday were Lloyd John Bowerman, Jeffery Craddock, Richard Dey, Joe Good, Marlys Rae Huffman, Jerome Kloser, Ellis “Dean” Wildman, Jack McKinley, Samuel Ralph Reiff, Grover C. Sparks and Daniel Andrew Wallen.
Liberty Sewing Circle member Marsha Huffman said this was the 15th time for the event.
In fall 2015, two local ladies started meeting at Warsaw’s VFW to make quilts for veterans in Kosciusko County in nursing homes and homeless shelters in Warsaw, Huffman said. A special request was made to the Liberty Sewing Circle to make a large quilt for a veteran in a nursing home to celebrate his 90th birthday. The Circle’s vision grew with that by making standard-sized quilts for nominated veterans in Kosciusko County, Huffman said.
She said the group needed a time and place to meet. It was worked out the Circle could meet on Saturdays at the Senior Center.
The quilts are given as a token gift of appreciation to local veterans and to thank them for their service and sacrifices.
Huffman said there have been some nominated veterans “decline for various reasons.” Some of the reasons were to give the quilts to someone older or more deserving or the veteran never saw combat.
She asked veterans to remember they may not have seen battle, but they are no less important. One thing she reminded people is the homefront needed to be defended, as well.
Kosciusko County Veteran Service Officer Darryl McDowell said all veterans are important as they all raised their right hand. He stated veterans are an important factor to the nation’s prosperity.
Bowerman was a first lieutenant in the Army, serving from 1970-79 during the Vietnam War. Huffman talked to Bowerman previously about his service and Bowerman had stated he was in Vietnam during the quiet part of the war.
Bowerman was assigned to the graves registration and stated he learned it was easier to tell a wife her husband died than a parent their child died.
He was also an aide to a colonel.
Craddock was an E-4 in the Army, serving 1988-92 in the Gulf War. He was stationed in West Germany, helping to defend the borders of Germany.
Dey was an E-4 in the Army, serving for 4-1/2 years. He was stationed in German 1957-60. He was stationed at "the Rock,” which an Air Force base at the top of a mountain. It was originally built by the Nazis and it was like nothing like it.
Good was in the Navy.
Marlys Rae Huffman was in the Women’s Army Corp. from 1961-63 and 1964-67 during the Vietnam War. She was a specialist E-5. She was at Ft. Hood, Texas, among other places. She was a surgical nurse at Ft. Hood.
Kloser served in the military in 1954-56 during the Korean War. He said he did naval maneuvers on the Danube and was stationed in Munich, Germany.
McKinley was in the National Guard from 1972-78 during the Vietnam War. He didn’t enjoy his time in the service, but he was glad he could contribute in some way.
Reiff was a corporal in the Army during the Korean War from 1950-1952.
Sparks was in the military for years and stationed in Germany for two years.
Wallen was an E-4 in the Marines during the Vietnam War. He worked as a Marine detachment and did two tours on the coast of Vietnam as ship security.
Wildman served in the Army from 1950-53 during the Korean War and worked as a tech sergeant.
The veterans honored Tuesday were Lloyd John Bowerman, Jeffery Craddock, Richard Dey, Joe Good, Marlys Rae Huffman, Jerome Kloser, Ellis “Dean” Wildman, Jack McKinley, Samuel Ralph Reiff, Grover C. Sparks and Daniel Andrew Wallen.
Liberty Sewing Circle member Marsha Huffman said this was the 15th time for the event.
In fall 2015, two local ladies started meeting at Warsaw’s VFW to make quilts for veterans in Kosciusko County in nursing homes and homeless shelters in Warsaw, Huffman said. A special request was made to the Liberty Sewing Circle to make a large quilt for a veteran in a nursing home to celebrate his 90th birthday. The Circle’s vision grew with that by making standard-sized quilts for nominated veterans in Kosciusko County, Huffman said.
She said the group needed a time and place to meet. It was worked out the Circle could meet on Saturdays at the Senior Center.
The quilts are given as a token gift of appreciation to local veterans and to thank them for their service and sacrifices.
Huffman said there have been some nominated veterans “decline for various reasons.” Some of the reasons were to give the quilts to someone older or more deserving or the veteran never saw combat.
She asked veterans to remember they may not have seen battle, but they are no less important. One thing she reminded people is the homefront needed to be defended, as well.
Kosciusko County Veteran Service Officer Darryl McDowell said all veterans are important as they all raised their right hand. He stated veterans are an important factor to the nation’s prosperity.
Bowerman was a first lieutenant in the Army, serving from 1970-79 during the Vietnam War. Huffman talked to Bowerman previously about his service and Bowerman had stated he was in Vietnam during the quiet part of the war.
Bowerman was assigned to the graves registration and stated he learned it was easier to tell a wife her husband died than a parent their child died.
He was also an aide to a colonel.
Craddock was an E-4 in the Army, serving 1988-92 in the Gulf War. He was stationed in West Germany, helping to defend the borders of Germany.
Dey was an E-4 in the Army, serving for 4-1/2 years. He was stationed in German 1957-60. He was stationed at "the Rock,” which an Air Force base at the top of a mountain. It was originally built by the Nazis and it was like nothing like it.
Good was in the Navy.
Marlys Rae Huffman was in the Women’s Army Corp. from 1961-63 and 1964-67 during the Vietnam War. She was a specialist E-5. She was at Ft. Hood, Texas, among other places. She was a surgical nurse at Ft. Hood.
Kloser served in the military in 1954-56 during the Korean War. He said he did naval maneuvers on the Danube and was stationed in Munich, Germany.
McKinley was in the National Guard from 1972-78 during the Vietnam War. He didn’t enjoy his time in the service, but he was glad he could contribute in some way.
Reiff was a corporal in the Army during the Korean War from 1950-1952.
Sparks was in the military for years and stationed in Germany for two years.
Wallen was an E-4 in the Marines during the Vietnam War. He worked as a Marine detachment and did two tours on the coast of Vietnam as ship security.
Wildman served in the Army from 1950-53 during the Korean War and worked as a tech sergeant.
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