Nimble Thimble Quilt Guild carries on proud tradition
The Nimble Thimble Quilt Guild of Aurora presented five veterans with quilts of valor during the Hamilton County Fair. The five that received the honor are Ron Akerson, Charles Dudding, Denton Goertzen, Terry Ott and Paul Van Housen.
Ron Akerson
After graduation from UNL in 1969, Ron Akerson was drafted into the Army. His basic and Infantry training were at Ft. Louis, Washington. He then was transferred to Ft. Ord, California. After duty there, he received orders to go to Germany.
In preparation, he was moved to Ft. Dix. While there, the Army asked for volunteers with a college degree to work in finance. Ron volunteered and then was transferred to Ft. Benjamin at Indianapolis, Indiana, for training for this work.
After training, he again received his order to go to Germany. Ron was stationed in Wurzburg, Germany where he worked as a key punch operator. His job was being in charge of pay vouchers until the end of his service. In 1971, Ron received an honorable discharge at Ft. Dix as a Specialist Fourth Class.
Charles Dudding
In 1965, Charles Dudding answered the call to serve his country and was drafted into the Army.
His journey began at Fort Polk, Louisiana, where he underwent rigorous boot camp training. The following year, in 1966, he advanced to Fort Lee, Virginia, for specialized training in Grave
Registration, honing his skills in this crucial and solemn duty.
With this training complete, Charles was deployed to Vietnam, where he dedicated himself to working in the mortuary, providing the highest honor and respect to those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
His responsibilities included escorting fallen heroes back to Saigon, ensuring their journey was marked with dignity and reverence.
In 1967, Charles returned to the United States and was stationed at Fort Lewis, Washington. Here, he continued his service as a pallbearer, upholding the honor of those who served before him, until his honorable discharge later that year.
Charles’ time in the Army was a profound chapter in his life, marked by service, respect, and unwavering dedication to his fellow soldiers.