Van Dyke receives Quilt of Valor

WILLIAMSBURG — South English resident James Donald Van Dyke was presented a Quilt of Valor at the Williamsburg American Legion Oct. 22.

The quilt was pieced by Mary Thompson, quilted by Jenny Allen, Iowa County Heartland Quilters, and presented to Van Dyke by Karen Joseph.

Van Dyke was born July 19, 1947 in Sigourney. He was inducted into the Navy July 15, 1965 in San Diego, California where he underwent basic training.

In his first deployment in 1965, Van Dyke served off the coast of Vietnam. His second deployment, from 1966-68, also took him to the coast of Vietnam where he served as gunner’s mat on the U.S.S. Perkins.

Van Dyke received the 1960 Vietnam Campaign Medal, a Defense Medal, a Vietnam Service Medal and a Bronze Star.

He received his honorable discharge July 12, 1968 in San Diego and returned to Iowa where he owned and operated Van Dyke Trucking for about 40 years.

Van Dyke and his wife, Kendra, have a daughter, Katie, and a son, Jack. Katie and her husband, Andy McDonald, have four children: Preston, Tucker, Macie and Carson. Jack and his wife, Lexi, have two children: Jared and JD.

Quilts of Valor are given to veterans to thank them for their service and for their sacrifices to protect the freedoms enjoyed by other.