5 veterans recognized with Quilts of Valor
Published 2:18 pm Friday, September 29, 2023
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
American Legion Post 56 and the American Legion Auxiliary honored five area veterans with Quilts of Valor recently at a ceremony at the Albert Lea American Legion.
The honorees were David Christianson, Robert Jacobson, Earl Nielsen, LaVerne Strand and Duane Trow.
Christianson served in the United States Air Force from 1955 to 1959 and completed his basic training at Parks Air Force Base in California, according to information stated at the ceremony.
He was stationed in Korea and Grandview, Missouri, as a meteorologist with the air weather service.
After being discharged from the service, he worked as a pre-press manager at Church Offset Printing in Albert Lea.
He retired from the Air Force as staff sergeant.
Jacobson served in the U.S. Army from 1951 to 1953. He completed his basic training at Camp Chaffee in Ft. Smith, Arkansas and served in Germany as the driver for the inspector general of the 7th Army.
When he was discharged, he worked at Wilson & Co., Floorcrafters and Sears.
He retired from the Army as a corporal.
Nielsen served in the Army from 1949 to 1952. He completed his basic training at Ft. Lee in Virginia and served overseas, mostly in Guam.
He worked as a machinist keeping machines and engines running.
After serving, Nielsen came back and ultimately bought a farm near Oakland.
He retired as a corporal.
Strand served in the U.S. Navy from 1951 to 1953. He completed his basic training at the U.S. Naval Training Center in Great Lakes, Illinois.
He entered the Naval Aviation program in Jacksonville, Florida, and then went on to San Francisco for sea duty on an aviation repair vessel, the USS Chourre, which supplied the aircraft carriers and the Korean-based U.S. Marine Aviation Air Corps with aircraft maintenance parts. The ship operated off the cost of Korea.
Upon returning to Albert Lea, he married his wife in 1953 and started an accounting practice, where he worked for 30 years.
He retired from the service as an aviation airman.
Troe served in the U.S. Navy from 1951 to 1954. He completed his basic training at the U.S. Naval Training Center in Great Lakes, Illinois.
He served aboard the USS Wisconsin in Korea and did several mid-shipmen training cruises to Europe and South America.
After he was discharged, he went to the Minnesota School of Business and then worked five years in the payroll accounting department at Hormel and then 32 years as manager at Farmers Mutual Insurance Co.
He retired as storekeeper.