Page 7 - 2015 Veterans

Vietnam veterans honored with Quilts of Valor
Story and photos By Janice McIntyre City Editor
Four Vietnam veterans were honored and ac- knowledged for their ser- vice to our country during a recent ceremony at the Union County Courthouse.
Patriotic quilts were pre- sented to Troy Sinyard, Wayne Sinclair, Mark Sul- livant and Carl Pridgen by members of the Quilts of Valor group, Freedom Quilters of El Dorado, from Nannette Moss, Betsy
Welch, Pat Bain and Trisha Nash.
Moss said it takes mem- bers of the groups from 30 to 40 hours to com- plete a quilt and the Oc- tober presentation was the third time members of the Freedom Quilters of El Dorado have award- ed quilts to honor six vet- erans since they began in 2014. She said through the Quilts of Valor program, more than 125,000 quilts have been given to honor veterans.
The mission of the Quilts of Valor Foundation is to cover service members and veterans touched by war with comfort and healing Quilts of Valor, according to their website. Volunteer members of the founda- tion began making quilts in 2004. That first year, over 181 quilts were awarded to veterans.
During the ceremony to award the quilts in El Do- rado, State Rep. Matthew Shepherd, El Dorado May- or Frank Hash and Trent
Garner, representing Sen- ator Tom Cotton, thanked veterans for their years of service.
Navy Chief Petty Officer E7 Sinyard, served from October 1955 through Oc- tober 1975 and served in Vietnam from January 1968 through January 1969. He was awarded a Bronze Star.
Army E5 Sinclair served from Jan. 23, 1967 through Jan. 23, 1969 and served in Vietnam from July 1967 through July 1968. He was awarded a Bronze Star and
Combat Infantry Badge. Army Sergeant E5 Sulli- vant, served from April 18, 1969 through Jan. 17, 1973 and served in Vietnam from July 1969 through Oc- tober 1970. He was awarded a National Defense Ser- vice Medal, Good Conduct Medal, Combat Infantry Badge, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal and Two Overseas
Bars.
Army Sp5/E5, served
from March 1969 through March 1975 and served in
Vietnam. He was award- ed the National Defense Medal, Aircraft Crewman Badge, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Cam- paign Medal w/60 De- vice, Overseas Bar, Good Conduct Medal, Expert (M-16), Sharpshooter (M-14), Army Commen- dation Medal, Helicop- ter Door Gunner Badge, RVN Gallantry Cross, Army Presidential Unit Citation and Honorable Discharge Commemora- tive Medal.
Local veterans, from left, Troy Sinyard, Mark Sullivant, Wayne Sinclair and Carl Prid- gen, were honored for their service to our country and were presented patriotic quilts by members of the Freedom Quilters of El Dorado. The ceremony was held in October at the Union County Courthouse.
Pat Bain presents a Freedom Quilters of El Dorado quilt to Wayne Sinclair, who served in the Army before, during and after his service in Vietnam.
Nannette Moss, with Quilts of Valor, Freedom Quilters of El Dorado, presents a quilt made by local quilters to Troy Sinyard, for his years of service in the Navy.
Betsy Welch, with the Freedom Quilters of El Dorado, presents a patriotic quilt to Mark Sullivant, who served in the Army in Vietnam.
Trisha Nash presents a patriotic quilt to Carl Pridgen, who served in the Army from March 1969 through March 1975, with a tour of duty in Vietnam.
El Dorado NEWS-TIMES – Wednesday, November 11, 2015 – 7C
we thank you
enough.
We at Smackover State Bank extend our sincere gratitude to all United States military veterans and actively serving men and women. This Veterans Day we honor every soldier, past and present, for their unwavering sacrifice and service to our country.
Smackover Norphlet El Dorado
MEMBER FDIC
Veterans
0807
0764