Photo by Deb Gau Nancy McClain and Eileen Fuhrmann wrap a Quilt of Valor around Dan Markell’s shoulders during a Saturday ceremony in Marshall.

MARSHALL — The crowd gathered at the Marshall Adult Community Center on Saturday was one of the biggest that local Quilts of Valor volunteers had seen. But they said it was fitting, as community members came together to honor a group of 10 veterans from the Marshall area.

“You are showing them today that they are remembered. And we want them to be remembered,” area Quilts of Valor representative Nancy McClain told the audience.

One by one, each veteran was wrapped in a unique quilt sewn by local volunteers. The honorees included Bob Aufenthie, Allen Dale, Bill Engler, Lennis Hovland, Rich Kesteloot, Chuck Madden, Dan Markell, Bob Meyer, Doug Schuttler, and Dallas Williams.

“We know you sacrificed a lot,” McClain told veterans. “Each one of you has sacrificed individually, but all of you have sacrificed for your country.”

Saturday was the second time this year that Quilts of Valor had held a large group quilt presentation in Marshall. Quilts of Valor is a national organization dedicated to making quilts to honor and comfort U.S. military service members and veterans.

Saturday’s group of honorees included veterans who served in different branches of the military all across the globe. Bruce Fuhrmann, of the Marshall American Legion post, said the veterans had a wide range of experiences in their military service.

Bob Aufenthie served in the Army from 1956 to 1958, and during that time he was assigned to the United Nations Command headquarters in Seoul, South Korea. The assignment included several trips into North Korea, Fuhrmann said.

Several of the veterans honored Saturday served in the Army and Navy during the Vietnam War. Chuck Madden served in the Navy from 1962 to 1966, and served as a boiler operator on the aircraft carrier USS Coral Sea. The Coral Sea served off the coast of Vietnam in Tonkin Bay from 1964-66.

Bob Meyer served in the Navy from 1963 to 1967, and served on first the USS John S. McCain and then the USS Maddox. While on ships, Meyer served off the shores of Vietnam.

Lennis Hovland also served in the Navy from 1963 to 1967, and served as an engine man on the destroyer USS Higbee.

“The ship rescued downed pilots and protected carriers,” Fuhrmann said. “At one time, the ship had 51 days straight firing into Vietnam.”

Doug Schuttler served in the infantry during the Vietnam War from 1965 to 1967, and carried an M79 grenade launcher. Schuttler was one of a group of 28 soldiers who shipped out together, but only six of the group returned, Fuhrmann said.

Dan Markell served in the Army from 1966 to 1969, and was a crew chief on a Chinook helicopter in Vietnam.

Bill Engler served in Vietnam from 1968 to 1969 as an Army engineer.

“They did everything from demolition to building bridges all over the northern part of South Vietnam,” Fuhrmann said.

Rich Kesteloot served in the Navy Seabees from 1968 to 1970, and during that time was sent to Vietnam twice.

“The unit Rich was assigned to built barracks and anything else that needed building,” Fuhrmann said.

Allen Dale served in the Air Force from 1970 to 1974. His service included doing reconnaissance photography in Vietnam for a year, Fuhrmann said.

Saturday’s group of honorees included one Iraq war veteran. Dallas Williams served in the Army from 1988 to 2011. Fuhrmann said Williams was deployed to Iraq, where he worked with Iraqi troops as an MP training liaison. Williams also served two tours in Korea, and was an active duty recruiter as well as a recruiter for the Arizona National Guard.

Since 2003, the Quilts of Valor Foundation has awarded more than 326,000 quilts nationwide to military service members touched by war, McClain said. She encouraged people to nominate veterans to receive a quilt. Service members of all ages and from all branches of the military are welcome, she said.

In addition to encouraging people to nominate veterans to receive Quilts of Valor, McClain said the Marshall area group, Pieces For Heroes, also welcomes volunteers and monetary or cotton fabric donations. The group meets from 8:30 a.m to noon on the second and fourth Mondays of the month at the Marshall American Legion post, located at the corner of Fifth Street and Lyon Street.

“It’s great to see the smiles on their faces when they’re making the quilts,” Fuhrmann said. “It’s also great to see the smiles on (the veterans’) faces as well.”

More information on Quilts of Valor, including how to join a QOV group and how to nominate a service member to receive a quilt, is available online at www.qovf.org.