Alling awarded Quilt of Valor

 

Last updated 11/16/2022 at 5:10pm

Ben Alling and quiltmaker Alice Gwinn display the "Quilt of Valor" presented to Alling at a Veterans Day ceremony in Pomeroy, Washington on Monday. - submitted photo

Ben Alling was awarded a Quilt of Valor during the Veterans Day program Monday at the Pomeroy School District, where his grandsons, Logan and Colby Ledgerwood, have attended school.

Alling enlisted in the United States Army on May 31, 1968. His rank started as a private and he worked his way up to an SP5. He was stationed at Fort Lewis, Washington for his basic training, after which he was sent to Aberdeen Proving Grounds in Maryland for an 11-week welding course. He came out an honor graduate.

Alling served in Vietnam with the 174th Ordnance Detachment stationed at Cam Rahn Bay from December 1968 to December 1969. In Vietnam, he was a welder, then promoted to a welder-machinist.

From left, Evelyn and Ben Alling along with Ben's grandson Colby Ledgerwood and his mother, Amy Ledgerwood, pose with the Quilt of Valor awarded Ben Alling on November 14. - submitted photo

He is proud that in Vietnam he was able to keep the transportation companies and other companies going by fixing their equipment. One example was he fixed the forklifts so they could lift the ammo into the trucks. In Vietnam he also made the guys more comfortable by fixing the plumbing to improve the shower conditions.


Alling came back to Fort Lewis from January to November 1970, then was shipped out to Germany. He was with the 9th Engineers as a welder-machinist. He received two Certificates of Achievement from the 9th Engineers. One of the projects he earned his certificate for was fixing the broken manifold on a crane. The mess hall also needed trays for food, so Alling made them. He left Germany in May 1971.

He served three years in the United States Army and was discharged on May 21, 1971.

Ben's Quilt of Valor was pieced, quilted, and bound by Alice Gwinn of Pomeroy, a talented quilter who has dedicated her gift of quilting to many service men and women.

Alling is a proud member of American Legion Post 157 in Electric City.

"We are working to get other members the quilt of valor in the very near future," noted Post Commander Jim Brakebill.

 
 

Reader Comments(1)

R.W. PARIS writes:

Well deserved honor!

 
 
 

Powered by ROAR Online Publication Software from Lions Light Corporation
© Copyright 2024

Rendered 03/20/2024 18:52