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Three Dayton veterans were honored with Quilts of Valor, presented during the annual Memorial Day Breakfast at the Frank E. Bauers Post 42 of the American Legion. From left, Army veteran Tim Hollingsworth, Army veteran Garrett Bickelhaupt, and Air Force veteran John Hutchens. Quilts were presented by Chuck Amerein, and Linda Clarys of Quilts of Valor crafted each of the quilts.
DAYTON–Local veterans and American Legion Post members Tim Hollingsworth, Garrett Bickelhaupt and John Hutchens were honored with Quilts of Valor presentations in a ceremony at the annual Memorial Day Breakfast at the Frank E. Bauers Post 42 here Monday, May 27.
Post Commander Tim Hollingsworth enlisted in July, 2001, between his junior and senior years in high school. In active duty, his initial position was as an armored crewman on the M1A1 Abrams tank. He progressed through the ranks to platoon sergeant for a tank company. Hollingworth became a platoon sergeant for a reconnaissance scout unit for two years and completed his service as a senior instructor, teaching a Maneuvers Senior Leaders course for the Army.
Hollingsworth's duties started as maintaining the tank and serving as an active crew member. Platoon sergeant duties included being senior advisor, supervising elected platoon members, and maintainence of vehicles and platoon assets. As a senior instructor, Hollingsworth was in charge of teaching and updating course materials.
He served during three deployments during his 20 years of service: Iraq in 2003-05, Iraq in 2008 and a fire service deployment to Ellensburg in 2018.
Hollingsworth was knighted into the Order of St. George during his service and his highest award was a bronze star.
Garrett Bickelhaupt enlisted in December, 2010, as a combat medic at Fort Sill, Ok., for basic training, Fort Sam Houston for EIT medical training and a duty station at Fort Stewart in Georgia. He was deployed to Afghanistan in 2012, and discharged from the Army in 2014.
John Hutchens served in the U.S. Air Force from 1968 to 1972. Hutchens completed basic training at Lackland A.F.B. in Texas. In tech school at Chanute A.F.B. in Illinois, he trained in jet aircraft maintenance for over two years. Hutchens was assisnted to the Strategic Air Command where he performed maintenance on B-52 bombers and KC-135 air tankers.
He was stationed at March A.F.B. in California for two years, then sent to K.I. Sawyer A.F.B. in Michigan for a year. Hutchens achieved the rank of staff sergeant (E-5) prior to his discharge from service.
The ceremony was introduced by local Quilts of Valor member Kaye Eaton, who spoke of the national organization's mission "to cover our service members and veterans touched by war with a comforting and healing Quilt of Valor." Quilts of Valor was started in 2003 by Catherine Roberts, whose son had been deployed to Iraq. In the intervening years, more than 382,000 quilts have been presented.
