Local Veterans Receive Quilts of Valor

The Vintage Gatherers Quilters of the Muncy Historical Society honored nine veterans with comfort quilts through the Quilts of Valor® Foundation (QOVF) on Saturday, June 14, 2025. The QOVF began in 2003 and has evolved, with its members giving quilts to veterans who have been touched by war – those who served in various times, wars, and conflicts.

The Vintage Gatherers, operating under the auspices of the QOVF, chose Flag Day as the occasion for their first presentations as a new group. The Vintage Gatherers Quilters, along with community volunteers from the quilting community, are creating quilts to honor and gift to veterans and service members who have been touched by war. Each presentation quilt is registered with the foundation and features a special label, designating it as an official Quilt of Valor. The label identifies the recipient, the person who pieced it, and the person who quilted it.

Each of the veterans was nominated to receive a quilt by family members or friends through the QOVF nomination process. Our nine recipients represented all branches of the United States military and were veterans of the U.S. armed forces, either during declared war, conflicts, police actions, peacekeeping missions, or counterterrorism operations, and had either served stateside or abroad.

Donald William Stiner, of Catawissa, PA, served in the U.S. Army from 1958 to 1960, and he was stationed in Washington, DC, as Pentagon Chauffeur. Mr. Stiner served on the funeral detail for Arlington National Cemetery; he drove high-ranking officers and couriers carrying confidential information to multiple military locations; and was the chauffeur for the Eisenhower-Khrushchev critical meeting at Camp David.

Blandy Campbell, of Hughesville, PA, served in the Marine Corps from 1983 to 1989, in both active and reserve duty. Serving near the end of the Cold War, Mr. Campbell received his basic training at Parris Island, followed by advanced infantry training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. Then he completed his active military duty at Camp Pendleton, California.

Samuel Andrews, of Muncy, PA, served in the U.S. Navy from 1985 to 2006. His service deployments covered the Persian Gulf War, Operation Desert Shield, and Operation Desert Storm periods. His various operations in the Adriatic supported NATO during the Yugoslav Wars: Operation Provide Promise, 1992, Sharp Guard, Deny Flight, 1992.

U.S. Army veteran Robert F. Stein of Muncy Valley, PA, served his three-year military commitment both stateside and in Europe, with his tour taking him to Germany and serving as support personnel for NATO in Brussels. NATO, the North American Treaty Organization, was formed in 1949 as a security alliance of countries from North America and Europe, with a fundamental goal of safeguarding freedom and security through political and military means.

Ronald L. Fox, of Cogan Station, PA, served during the Vietnam War era with the U. S. Army Transportation Corps, serving exclusively in Pennsylvania. The Vietnam War saw the most diversified assortment of transportation units ever assembled. For over a decade, the Transportation Corps provided continuous stateside support for American and allied forces in the unimproved tropical environment of Vietnam, utilizing watercraft, amphibious vehicles, motor trucks, and aircraft.

Petty Officer Janet Dougherty enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps for a four-year term. She served tours at Headquarters Marine Corps in Washington, D.C., and Marine Helicopter Squadron One in Virginia. In 1974, she enlisted in the Naval Reserve, with her first assignment in Air Intelligence. She then served at the Naval Air Station in Atlanta, GA. In 1984, Petty Officer Dougherty became Assignment Coordinator for over 12,000 Naval Reservists east of the Mississippi. Ten years later, she received her last set of orders to the Naval Reserve Center, Williamsport, serving as Leading Petty Officer, Administration Department Supervisor, and Reserve Pay Coordinator. Petty Officer Dougherty’s active and reserve accomplishments served to establish the significance of women in military service.

William Poulton, Muncy, PA, enlisted with the U.S. Air Force in 1963 and served during the Vietnam War. He spent most of 1964 on “temporary duty”, accompanying hazardous cargo flights throughout Vietnam. Before returning to the United States, he was an air police supervisor with the 366th Air Police Squadron in Da Nang and Monkey Mountain. Stateside, he finished out his military service at Newburgh, NY.

The military transforms young men and women from their civilian lives into a military culture that demands responsiveness and teamwork. These are traits that often remain with the individuals long after they leave military service, and in many cases, become outward manifestations of who they are and how they act as veterans. Bill Poulton volunteers to clarify, for both our veteran community and our society at large, who veterans are and why they matter. As a civilian, Mr. Poulton has officiated at more than 10 military grave markings, and he spearheaded the naming of the Walter Smith Spanish-American War Bridge and the William F. Merrill Road from Glade Run to the intersection of Penn Street and State Route 442.

The 25th Infantry Division, nicknamed “Tropic Lightning,” was heavily involved in operations around Cu Chi, which was a key area for the division’s main area of operations during the war. The division, based in the Iron Triangle, frequently clashed with North Vietnamese Army and Viet Cong forces. In addition to combat operations, the 25th Infantry was also involved in pacification and MEDCAP programs to help the Vietnamese people.

Allen Cornell, from Bloomsburg, PA, a Bronze Star recipient, was with the 25th Infantry Division when it began deploying its men to Vietnam in December 1965. During the Vietnam War, the 25th Infantry Division’s communications positions were integrated within its overall operations, primarily focused on supporting its combat missions – coordinating activities and tactical communications, intelligence gathering – gathering information about enemy activities, terrain, and other relevant factors, and logistics –essential for coordinating supply lines, medical evacuations, and other logistical support needed for the division’s operations.

During the Vietnam War, the 101st Airborne Division, known as the “Screaming Eagles,” earned a reputation as one of the most feared units by both the enemy and their own forces. They were known for their aggressive tactics and were deployed throughout the country, earning the nickname “the nomads of Vietnam.”

John Snyder, Muncy, PA, a U.S. Army veteran who served with the 101st Airborne Division in Vietnam. A survivor of Hamburger Hill, Mr. Snyder is a recipient of 2 bronze stars with a “V” – signifying that the award was given for heroism, specifically for an act of valor or bravery during combat; the Presidential Unit Citation for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enemy; and among many others, the Distinguished Medal of the Regiment award, a prestigious recognition by the United States Army that honors individuals who made significant contributions to their regiment.

Each quilt was made especially for veterans of all branches of the U.S. military, and love, respect, prayers, and gratitude were stitched into every stitch.

On behalf of the Quilts of Valor Foundation, the Vintage Gatherers Quilters, and the Muncy Historical Society, many thanks for your service, sacrifice, and valor.

Veterans can be nominated to receive a Quilt of Valor at www.qovf.org/nominations-awards