Veterans receive Quilts of Valor

WILLIAMSBURG — Iowa County Heartland Quilters presented Quilts of Valor to four Iowa County veterans last month at the American Legion in Williamsburg.

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Ray Dixon

1st Class Petty Officer Ray Dixon was born March 26, 1950 in Vinton. He was inducted into the U.S. Navy Nov. 11, 1969 in Des Moines. He received his basic training at the Naval Training Center in San Diego, California.

Dixon was trained in gun boot repair and troop carrier repair. He served in Vietnam in 1970-71 in the Mekong Delta area. Dixon served 20 years in the Navy and was discharged in 1998.

After returning to civilian life, Dixon worked for Cedar Rapids Ink and Harnisferger Corp. (P3H) before spending 32 years at Kinze Manufacturing. He now works in transportation for Williamsburg Community Schools.

John Bourque

E-5 John Bourque was born Sept. 26, 1946 in Omaha, Nebraska. He was inducted in the U.S. Army in March 1964 and received basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri.

Bourque was deployed to Cochin Republic in Vietnam in 1966. He received training for operating tanks and was a tank inspector.

Bourque was honorably discharged in March 1970 at Fort Lewis, Washington.

Bourque moved to Iowa in 1970 and married to Sadie Larraine. He drove semi-trailer trucks for 50 years, covering about five million miles. He and his wife live in South English.

Duane E. Janssen

Spec 5th Duane E. Janssen was born July 15, 1937 in Calhoun County. Janssen was inducted into the U.S. Army Aug. 1, 1960 at Fort Des Moines. He received his basic training and advanced training at Fort Hood, Texas with the 37th Armor.

Janssen was stationed at Fort Lewis, Washington where he drove tanks with the 8th Calvary, 2nd Recon of the 4th Division.

Janssen had additional training at Camp Irwin in the Mojave Desert in Barstow, California and at Yakima near Fort Lewis, Washington.

Janssen was discharged Aug. 2, 1962 at Fort Lewis, Washington. He missed going overseas by six weeks.

Janssen worked as an engineer at CASE, International Harvester and New Holland. He and his wife, Elaine, reside in South English. They have a daughter, Roxanne, a son-in-law, Paul, two grandsons, Stuart and Nathan and two great-grandsons, Maverick and Riley.

Gary Sandersfeld

Spec 5 Gary Sandersfeld was born Nov. 27, 1947 in Williamsburg. He grew up on a farm near Homestead.

Sandersfeld was inducted into the U.S. Army April 8, 1967 at the 301st Field Hospital in Cedar Rapids. He received his basic training at Fort Bliss in Texas and additional medical training at Fort Huachuca in Arizona.

Sandersfeld was a 71B20 clerk and typist. He completed five years with the Army Reserves associated with the 301st Field hospital. He was discharged Dec. 9, 1972.

Sandersfeld returned to the family farm south of Homestead and worked at Homestead Feed Mill, Homestead Implement and Stanerson Implement in Conroy.

Sandersfeld also worked as a mechanic at the Amana Golf Club and with the Iowa Department of Transportation until retirement. He lives in Williamsburg.

The Quilts of Valor were presented by Jeanette Pierce and Karen Joseph.