By John Harlow, Commander,
VFW Post 6091 Dillon
The Quilts of Valor Foundation (QOVF) recently held a Quilt of Valor ceremony at the Dillon home of Marine Veteran Johnny Sawyer.
He had been nominated for the QOV by VFW Post 6091 for his service as a United States Marine in the Vietnam war.
In making the nomination, the recommendation recounted that he had served as an infantry NCO in 1969 with Lima 3/9 during Operation Dewey Canyon when his Marine company became heavily engaged with enemy forces.
During the battle, he was seriously wounded by shrapnel from an enemy hand grenade that had been thrown at him. For these wounds received during this engagement with the enemy, he was awarded the Purple Heart Medal.
Throughout his 1968-1969 tour of duty in Vietnam, he was often exposed to the chemical defoliant Agent Orange that was later determined to be a carcinogen.
After recovering from his wounds and completing his time in Vietnam, he rotated home where he was released from active duty. He went on to become a sworn police officer, first with the City of Dillon and then with the Dillon County Sheriff’s Office where he rose to the command rank of captain. He retired from policing in 1995. Regretfully, the war followed him to Dillon through his exposure to Agent Orange and he has suffered years of its effect on his health. The Veterans Administration finally awarded him a 100% disability and today he is on home hospice facing a new battle for his life.
The QOV ceremony was conducted by VFW members Lloyd Brown, Jim Chavis, and John Harlow and included telling the story of the QOVF that was founded in 2003 by the mother of a deployed soldier. She was a nurse and a quilter who wanted to provide quilts for homecoming service members who needed comfort, love, and gratitude. The quilt for this QOV ceremony was made by the QOVF Myrtle Beach Shore Birds volunteers. Its mission is to provide quilts to help COVER and PROTECT those service members touched by war and providing them with a comforting and healing quilt of valor.
The QOVF tradition is to wrap the quilt around the shoulders of the veteran during the ceremony to show its comforting affect. Johnny’s wife Gloria wrapped the quilt around Johnny’s shoulders while his son Brad Sawyer and his daughter Shannon Sawyer Carter looked on. Those attending the ceremony recited the pledge of allegiance and sang God Bless America. A poem was read about thanking a veteran for the freedoms we as a nation enjoy today. Marine Veteran Johnny Sawyer was given a certificate from the QOVF that reads in part, “The Quilts of Valor Foundation wishes to recognize you for your service to our nation. We consider it our privilege to do so. Though we may never know the extent of your sacrifice to protect and defend the United States of America, we award you this Quilt of Valor as an expression of gratitude from a grateful nation.”
VFW Post 6091 Commander John Harlow told those present that the VFW is honored as fellow war veterans to have nominated this veteran and to assist in awarding his Quilt of Valor and to say thank you and welcome home. Commander Harlow said, “We wish him well and through this Quilt of Valor we at the VFW hope he will find comfort and a sense of healing.”