Iowa County veterans receive Quilt of Honor

WILLIAMSBURG — The Iowa County Heartland Quilters guild of Williamsburg honored two local veterans with quilts last month.

Gilbert Asbe, of Williamsburg, and Rodney D. Joseph, of Marengo, received Quilts of Honor Saturday, Dec. 28 at the Williamsburg Library to thank them for their military service.

Asbe was born in 1945 in Mason City. He enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserves for six years after graduating from high school, according to the guild.

Asbe received his basic training at Fort Polk in Louisiana and received additional artillery training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. He attended summer training at Camp McCoy, Wisconsin.

While living in the Williamsburg area, Asbe took his weekend training in Garner while working for a hog buyer station east of town during the week. While driving home from work one day, Asbe hit a bridge over a creek to avoid a car that was about to hit him head-on.

Asbe spent more than three months in the University of Iowa Hospital and came home in a body cast having to relearn how to walk and do other normal tasks, according to the guild.

On the day he received his draft papers, Asbe also received his medical discharge orders. He was discharged with a rank of E-4 corporal.

Asbe and his wife Karen celebrated 59 years of marriage Nov. 25. They raised two children, Doug and Angela, in Williamsburg and have four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Joseph was born in 1961 in Marengo. He enlisted in the U.S. Army on March 15, 1983 in Des Moines.

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Joseph received his basic training and advanced training at Ft. Benning, Georgia and served with ARMORER as 1st Sgt. Driver.

Joseph participated with the US Central Command, Gallant Eagle '84 exercises training and evaluation with multi-service forces in the desert. He participated in air maneuvers conducted at Ft. Irwin, Ft. Hunter-Leggett and the Marine Corp and Air ground combat Center at Twenty-nine Palms, all in California.

Joseph took part in operations held on three reservations and in surrounding airspace at Nellis Air Force base and El Toro Marine Corp Air Station, Nevada.

Joseph served as an infantryman with the "Screaming Eagles“ 101st Airborne Division, Ft. Campbell, Kentucky. He received the Army Service ribbon, the Army Lapel button, the good conduct medal, marksman badge, expert badge and hand grenade badge.

Joseph was discharged March 14, 1988 at Ft. Campbell with the rank of SP4.

Returning to civilian life, Joseph served in the 389th Engineer Battalion, Middleton, from Jan1988-90. He is currently employed by the city Williamsburg.

Joseph and his wife, Sandy, have five children -- Mariah and Garrett Joseph, Amy Fabor, Jamie Russell and Janell Fabor -- and nine grandchildren.

The Honor Quilt is the guild’s way of saying thank you for the sacrifice of military service to protect the freedoms enjoyed by U.S. citizens.