Quilts of Valor

Today is Veteran's Day.  I have loved some veterans in my life.  My husband was in the Navy, and my son Elliott was in the Army. 

My Dad served in the Army Air Corps during WW II. He flew missions in England and Africa as a navigator on a B-26 Marauder.

Dad got out of the service, returned home to Iowa, married my Mom, and raised six children. He went to work every day for the next 40+ years and never once talked about his service. We never had a conversation about it, he never showed us a single picture, there were no mementos hanging around the house, and he didn't keep in touch with any Army buddies.

It was only when my son Elliott became fascinated by all-things-airplanes that Dad started to talk about that time in his life. And the little bit I do know came via those conversations he had with Elliott...

I think my Dad was typical of that era. He was so damned glad to COME HOME ALIVE -- he simply never looked back. Maybe it was like surviving a horrible bout with cancer. When you think you could die at any time, you bargain with your God...if you let me live, and I'll do this, or I'll do that...

Maybe he felt a responsibility when he got back to Iowa to live his life to the fullest...because so many young men of his generation didn't get that chance.  But I think Dad never talked about his service because for the four years he was in the Army, fighting that war -- he dreamed every single day about living a normal life back in Iowa.  And he immediately got busy doing exactly that. 

Last Sunday, John and I attended a Quilts of Valor ceremony at the Botanical Center in Rock Island, Illinois. This is a wonderful organization I just recently heard about (thanks to John) -- and it was an honor for me to write a story about them for the Inspired To Sew magazine.

Here is a link to that issue -- and I would encourage you to GET INVOLVED. They are a wonderful, grassroots organization, with thousands of volunteers all across the country.  It was an honor for me to write about the Quilts of Valor and what they do...

These pictures are from last year's ceremony.  I'll be posting more...

25 veterans were honored with quilts on Sunday -- and there wasn't a dry eye in the place.  Terry Austin, the little woman in the navy blue pants -- does a WONDERFUL job of organizing the local QOV event. 

There was only one WW II veteran -- a 90 year old woman.  She was in the Navy, and I wanted John to meet her...I was waiting patiently to talk to her (she was a VERY popular person)....but, if you go to my Facebook page -- you'll see that I unwittingly photo-bombed her interview with the local television station.

I did everything but pick my nose.  IT WAS VERY EMBARRASSING...for me, I hope not for her...

Because the clip was on the local news channel, I can't hook it up here in the usual way.  But if you go to my Facebook page -- it's posted there.  You might have to watch a brief commercial...

Here's my Facebook page: