Six Quilts of Valor Presented at Brownville Freedom Celebration

Morning activities at the Brownville Freedom Celebration Saturday, July 4, included honoring six veterans for their service to the United States.
It was the fifth consecutive year representatives of Nebraska 1 Blue Star Mothers of Nebraska City awarded Quilts of Valor (QOV). Since starting the project in 2017, the chapter has presented 353 quilts.
Honorees were: Terry Haith of Brownville; Dale Hardin of Cheyenne, Wyo.; Buril Hardin of Nevada, Mo.; Walter Harrington of Peru; David Mahr of Columbus, Ohio and Roger Silvrants of Grant. Haith served in the U.S. Marine Corps. Silvrants is a veteran of the U.S. Army. The others are U.S. Navy veterans.
Haith, an Auburn High School graduate, enlisted in 1980 serving 10 years. He was sent for training to the Marine Corps League MCAS El Toro in California.  Haith was deployed to provide support as part of the Beirut Peace Keeping Force in 1983.  He was awarded Good Conduct and Overseas Service medals.
Dale Hardin, a cousin of Buril Hardin, served four years aboard the U.S.S. Cape Cod.
Buril Hardin enlisted in the fall of 1987 through the delayed entry program and buddy system and retired May 24, 1994. He was sent to the Great Lakes, Ill. Training Center before additional training to the Naval Damage Control Training Center in Philadelphia to the Hull Maintenance Technician “A” School and nuclear power plant component welder training in San Diego.  Hardin was assigned to the U.S.S. Cape Cod.  He completed 3 Westpac cruises serving internationally including offshore positions during Operation Desert Storm. Hardin was awarded a number of honors.
Harrington served nine-and one-half years, entering in July 1985 in San Antonio, Texas.  He was sent to boot camp at the Great Lakes, Ill. Naval Training Center. Harrington was assigned after training to the Aircraft Carrier, U.S.S. Carl Vinson, CVN-70 stationed at Alameda Naval Air Station, Calif. as reactor operator in the fall of 1987.  Aboard the ship he participated in West Pac cruises in the Pacific and Indian oceans. Harrington was transferred to Radiological Maintenance School in Charleston, S.C. He later served on U.S.S. Cape Cod AD-43, a nuclear capable Destroyer Tender based out of San Diego and had an additional West Pac tour. Harrington earned several awards.
Mahr enlisted in April 1988 serving six years.  He was sent for boot camp to the Great Lakes Training Center in Great Lakes, followed by additional training at the Naval Damage Control Training “A” School in Philadelphia and C-1 Weld School in San Diego becoming a nuclear power plant components welder.  Mahr earned the Naval Enlisted Code 4956 nuclear welder and spent two years at the U.S.S. Proteus stationed in Guam. He was assigned to the U.S.S. Cape Cod AD-43 in San Diego. Mahr received a U.S. Navy Achievement and a Good Conduct Medal.  
Silvrants enlisted in 1968, his two years included 14 months in Vietnam. He was sent to Fort Lewis, Wash, for basic training and was assigned to the 42nd Artillery, A-Battery, 5th Battalion. In Vietnam, Silvrants’ job was to drive a truck transporting ammunition to various field positions.  He served as acting sergeant to the Munitions Division and was awarded the rank of Sergeant E-5.  
“We honor you for leaving your home and loved ones and all you held dear to stand in harm’s way in a time of crisis, protecting us from the effects of war,” noted Mary Ann Holland of Nebraska City.
“We know that freedom is not free!  We have freedom because of you and the dedication of men and women like you.  This quilt is meant to say thank you for your sacrifice.  This quilt is meant to comfort you.  It is a quilt from your family, friends and a grateful nation.  It is to remind you that we care about you.  We want to say to you welcome home!,” she continued.
To you who served our country, we hope you keep this quilt with you as a reminder that there are thousands of women and men across this land who are forever in your debt, and that it is our pleasure to honor you with a Quilt of Valor,” Holland concluded.
About QOV Foundation
It began in 2003 with a dream of Catherine Roberts, whose son Nat was deployed in Iraq. 
The simple model was have a volunteer team who would donate their time and materials to make a quilt. One person would piece the top and the other would quilt it. From the beginning, Roberts had definite thoughts about standards of excellence for the coverlets. It had to be a quality-made quilt, quilted and not tied, which meant hand or machine quilting. 
The first QOV was awarded in November 2003 to a young soldier from Minnesota. As of Tuesday, June 30, there were 14,973 quilts conferred to date in 2026, including 2,971 in June and 450,952 overall. The goal is to reach 500,000 this year.
Blue Star Mothers of America, Inc.
Members support mothers with sons or daughters serving actively in the U.S. armed forces.
Nebraska 1 is among two chapters in the Cornhusker State. Nebraska 2 serves residents of Omaha, Lincoln, and central and western Nebraska. Both are among more than 200 chapters with membership of about 6,000 across the United States.
Blue Star Mothers was established during World War II. Its name derived from the custom of families hanging a service banner in a window with a star for each family member in the military.