October 15, 2024

Quilts of Valor awarded to three Vietnam veterans

Three Woodburn men - brothers Richard and Rex Marker and their uncle Larry Marker - were honored with Quilts of Valor on Sept. 7 at an award ceremony at the Woodburn American Legion Hall. All three served in Vietnam at different times over a six-year period.

Richard

Originally from Norwood in Lucas County, Richard was drafted into the Army in September of 1965. He attended basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, and then AIT at Fort Eustis, Virginia, for a Military Occupational Speciality (MOS) of 61A10 and 61B30 as a Landing Craft (known as Ducks) mechanic and operator.

Stateside, Richard was stationed at Fort Story, Virginia, where he was attached to the 458th Transportation Company. His assignment included training on the LARC-V (Lighter, Amphibious Resupply, Cargo, 5 ton), which replaced the Ducks.

A year after he was drafted, Richard’s company was deployed to Vietnam out of Norfolk, Virginia. They traveled by ship, and it took them 31 days to reach Cam Ranh Bay, Vietnam. There, he moved supplies and personnel from ship to shore. He also worked helping a radar unit on an island near Nha Trang.

Richard returned to the states in Sept. 1967, and he was discharged at Fort Lewis, Washington, with a rank of Specialist 4th Class, E-4. After his military career, he worked as a mechanic and truck driver.

Rex

Like his brother, Rex was drafted into the Army in 1968 out of Lucas County. He completed his basic training at Fort Bliss, Texas, followed by AIT at Fort Hood, Texas, for an MOS of 63B20, Wheeled Vehicle Mechanic.

Rex was stationed in Fort Hood until July 4, 1969, when he volunteered to go to Vietnam as part of the 1st Armored Division, nicknamed “Old Ironsides.” He landed in Bien Hoa, Vietnam where he was assigned to the 1st Logistical Command, 59th Field Service Company at Cam Ranh Bay. His assignments were servicing various types of wheeled vehicles.

In March of 1970, Rex returned to the United States and was discharged at Fort Lewis, with an ending rank of Sergeant, E5. He then worked as a mechanic, and served as Transportation Director for Clarke Community Schools for 23 years.

Larry

Larry, also from Norwood, was drafted in September of 1966 in Lucas County into the Army, and took his basic and advanced training at Fort Leonard Wood. His MOS was 12B, Combat Engineer.

In February of the following year, Larry was deployed to Vietnam from Fort Lewis, landing at Cam Ranh Bay where he was assigned to the 511th Engineer Panel Bridge Company. His company was attached to the 1st Air Cavalry Division for nine months, and then the 101st Airborne Division for 3 months. While in Vietnam, Larry’s company worked to build the first concrete runway at An Khe. He worked in the field almost every day building panel bridges, running convoys, sweeping for mines, working gravel pits and guarding a mountain.

Larry returned to the United States in Feb. of 1968 and was sent to Fort Hood, where he was discharged with an ending rank of Specialist 4th Class, E-4.

After his service, Larry worked as a farmhand, at Furnace Company, Farmers Coop and Lynch Livestock.

At one point, there was about a week overlap of both Richard and Larry both in Vietnam, though they never saw each other. Rex was later in the same location as Richard, just in different years.

When discussing their different assignment, Rex said,

“If you ate it in Cam Ranh Bay, we probably hauled it,” as his company ran the motor pool and trucks that carried food.

“I brought it off the ship,” said Richard.

“And I ate it,” said Larry.

Award of quilts

The award ceremony was presided by Rob and Jeri Beem of Winterset, who are volunteers with the Piece Works Quilt of Valor group. After reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, Jeri gave a brief history of the Quilts of Valor Foundation, which was created in 2003 by Catherine Roberts of Delaware. Initially, the quilts were awarded to service members who were injured or had PTSD from fighting in the Middle East, but in 2009 expanded to include any service member or veteran, no matter when or where they had served, having awarded over 394,000 quilts across the United States, Germany, Iraq and Afghanistan. The quilt stands as a “tangible comfort,” to thank veterans for their service, sacrifice and valor, recognizing their fulfillment of their duties.

Dressed in his dress greens, Rob read a brief background of each man’s service. They were then each presented with the quilt, wrapped in it, given a hug and thanked for their service.

The quilts were pieced and bound by Anne Welker of Murray, and quilted by her daughter Becky Rodgers. Welker was the one who had nominated the three men for the quilts, and said it’s really an honor to be able to give three to people from one family.

When asked what it meant to each receive a Quilt of Valor, Rex said, “remembrance.” The three noted how the Vietnam War had not been popular, and they hadn’t necessarily come home to warm receptions. Larry added that it was an honor to receive the quilts.

“I knew we were all in Vietnam, but never thought too much about it til they did [this]...we all went, we made ‘er back,” he said.

Nominate a veteran

Do you know a Veteran or Service Member touched by war? Nominate them, and let us wrap them in their own comforting and healing Quilt of Valor: www.QOVF.org/Nominations-Awards

In order to receive a quilt, veterans have to not have already received one, and have to be willing to receive one - they cannot be surprised with one.

Candra Brooks

A native of rural Union County, Candra holds a Bachelor's Degree in English from Simpson College and an Associate's Degree in Accounting from SWCC. She has been at the Osceola newspaper since October 2013, working as office manager before transitioning to the newsroom in spring 2022.