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07/15/2019 12:00 AMUsing his sewing machine as a “power tool” U.S. Air Force veteran and volunteer quilter Chuck Larkins created two Quilts of Valor (QOV) customized to reflect the service and sacrifice of friends and co-veterans Joe Anderson (U.S. Navy) and Roy Dunn (U.S. Marine Corps).
Both quilts were unveiled and wrapped around their new owners during a special QOV ceremony led by Branford resident Jane Dougherty, QOV Foundation Connecticut State Coordinator, assisted by Larkins, a North Branford resident. The ceremony was held Thursday, July 11 at Branford Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Walter Dymarczyk Memorial Post 12106.
Larkins noted Anderson and Dunn would also be honored with certificates from U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal and U.S. Representative Rosa DeLauro, with those from Blumenthal presented on July 11. Larkins was able to bring the special recognition after taking the opportunity to notify representatives of both legislators’ offices of the Branford event after meeting up with them at another QOV ceremony he and Dougherty conducted earlier in the week. The two were in Hamden to present a QOV crafted by Larkins to a 91-year-old female retired Navy Captain who was a nurse during 28 years of service including conflicts in Korea and Vietnam.
At the Branford ceremony, Dougherty shared the story of the origins of QOV, an internet-based organization started by the mom of a soldier during his deployment to Iraq in 2003. Since that time, QOV has given over 223,400 quilts to veterans across the country, each of them built by volunteers like Larkins, she said. Dougherty also noted Larkins signed on to help QOV after hearing her give a QOV talk at the Branford VFW hall a few years back. Dougherty said more QOV volunteers are needed and welcome. She especially encouraged more men to consider taking up the cause.
“A sewing machine is nothing more than a power tool with thread,” said Dougherty. “You can find them [for sale] on-line at Home Depot.”
Larkins said the service of Anderson and Dunn inspired his design for their quilts.
Anderson is a Northford resident who has assisted Larkins over the past two years with the North Branford Flag Day ceremony and Northford/North Branford Women’s Clubs’ “Honor Them with a Flag” program; including asssiting with bringing in local Boy Scout troops to help; so the idea of incorporating flags into the quilt was a natural, said Larkins.
“So with the flags in mind, and knowing Joe over the past couple of years, is how I came up with this idea,” said Larkins.
He backed the quilt in Navy blue and featured within its design a central panel of historic American and military flags, including the first Navy flag.
“It’s amazing,” said Anderson, shortly after being wrapped in his quilt for the first time by Larkins and Dougherty. “Chuck and I have been friends for only a few years, but it’s like we come from the same cloth.”
Looking over the quilt later with his wife, Debbie, Anderson found another personal connection to the design.
“These are all flags that I learned about as a Boy Scout,” he said.
As a nuclear power-qualified Electrician’s Mate in the U.S. Navy, Anderson served from 1979 until his discharge, with the rank of E-6 Petty Officer First Class, in 1985.
“I reported to my first and only ship, the USS Nimitz, on 20 Aug 1981 — two years to the day I started boot camp [and] the same day F-14’s from Nimitz shot down two Libyan jets that engaged them,” said Anderson. “My ship was deployed during the conflict with Grenada, the assassination of Anwar Sadat, and the hijacking of a commercial jetliner in the Mediterranean Ocean area.”
Dunn, a Branford resident, served as a USMC combat engineer including two years of active duty during the Vietnam War from 1965-’67; and continued with the USMC Ready Reserve from 1967-’71; when he was discharged as a Corporal.
During his time in Vietnam, “...we swept roads and around bridges for mines,” said Dunn, adding that, for a period of that time, he was a “tunnel rat.”
“We checked villages for booby traps,” Dunn said. “I was a member of the tunnel team for a while, serving as tunnel team leader for a time until another group took over. We worked with explosives and blew up whatever had to be blown up, including tunnels we found.”
For Dunn’s quilt, Larkins took an original star pattern in red, white and blue and changed it to US Marine Corps' (USMC) colors of scarlet and gold. He also incorporated USMC’s symbol, the Eagle, Globe and Anchor, centered in every star. It took considerable skill to craft it, said Dougherty.
“This is a drop-dead gorgeous quilt,” said Dougherty. “This [also] has partial seams in the pattern. It’s not an easy quilt.”
Dunn’s wife, Betsy, and several members of his family including grandkids joined him at the ceremony. He said the experience of being wrapped in the quilt by Larkins and Dougherty, with members of the VFW and family applauding, was a heartwarming moment.
“It’s a nice feeling,” said Dunn. “It’s the warmth; and it’s something from your brothers. It’s moving.”
For more information on Quilts of Valor Foundation, visit https://www.qovf.org/