Nine Veterans Honored With Quilts at the Veterans Memorial Museum in Chehalis

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Quilts were presented to nine veterans during an event at the Veterans Memorial Museum in Chehalis on Thursday.

Made by the Veterans Memorial Museum Quilts of Valor, a group of about 20 individuals, each quilt is normally sewn by five different people before it’s finished. Quilts can be sewn as quickly as 60 hours, depending on how experienced the sewer is and the complexity of the pattern.

“What we do here, I do in honor of my dad,” said Hildi Mitchell, a member of the Quilts of Valor whose dad served in Korea and Vietnam.

According to Mitchell, Quilts of Valor is a formal expression of gratitude to veterans. The group has given out about 175 quilts since its founding.

“I’d like to thank all the veterans for their service to start with,” said Jim Smiley, a member of the Quilts of Valor, who introduced the honored veterans.

Ken Halphide was the first veteran honored at the ceremony. Halphide served in the Army from 1951 to 1953 as a medic in Korea. Halphide was a sergeant first class.

Daryl Rank was the second veteran honored with a quilt on Thursday. Rank was a lieutenant commander in the Navy from 1956 to 1959. During his time in the Navy, Rank served on a research vessel where he watched tests of atomic bombs in the Pacific Ocean. According to Smiley, Rank “got a little too close” during the testing and got exposed.

Terry Leno served in the Army from 1968 to 1970. Leno was stationed in Vietnam, where he was a senior medical corpsman



Josh Luck was the youngest veteran honored with a quilt during the event. Luck served in the Marine Corps from 2003 to 2007 and earned the rank of sergeant. He deployed to Iraq twice during his time in the military.

Buddy Rose served in the Air Force from 1969 to 1973. He was stationed in Vietnam where he processed aerial photographs taken over the enemy. Rose was also stationed in England and Greece.

Glenna Ralff was the oldest veteran honored with a quilt as well as the only woman. Ralff is 100 years old and served in the Navy during World War II. She served as a pharmacist mate and was stationed in New York and California. After she left the Navy, Ralff would serve as one of the first airplane stewardesses.

Gerald Gifford served in the Navy from 1960 to 1964. Gifford was based out of California and served on an aircraft carrier. During his time on the carrier, Gifford repeatedly sailed around the Pacific Ocean while serving as a machinist who worked on the engines.

Edward Nieman served in the Army from 1968 to 1971. While in the Army, Nieman was stationed in multiple states and Vietnam and drove a personnel carrier. During his service, he was awarded the Purple Heart.

The ninth veteran to be presented a quilt was Robert Swift. Swift served in the Navy from 1954 to 1958 where he was a machinist mate. During his Navy service, Swift served in the Korean War.

After the ceremony, Ralff reflected on her service during World War II.

“It was very much like working as a civilian. I did office work. I did some medical work. It was a pleasure … Not all the women were able to volunteer,” Ralff told The Chronicle. “I’m sorry I couldn’t stay longer because I wanted to progress as a pharmacist (but had to leave when the war ended).”