Quilt of Valor recipients, from left: H. Curtis Bennett, Jr. and James Santewan.
Submitted Photo
Click here to subscribe today or Login.
PLAINS TWP. — Many family, friends and fellow military veterans attended the recent NEPA Quilts of Valor (QOV) ceremony held at the Plains American Legion Post 558 honoring military veterans H. Curtis Bennett, Jr., of Mountain Top, and James Santewan, of Luzerne.
• H. Curtis Bennett, Jr., enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1973 following his graduation from the former E.L. Meyers High School. Completing his basic training at Fort Dix, NJ, he went on to Fort Gordon, GA, where he trained as a Military Policeman (MP), subsequently serving in Germany for 16 months.
The honoree served from 1976 through 2000 with various Army Reserve National Guard units. During that time, he served for six months in Desert Shield, later becoming Desert Storm in Iraq with the 424th MP Detachment. He was honorably discharged in 2000 with the rank of Staff Sergeant. His many military honors included the Kuwait Liberation Medal and Army Achievement Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster.
• James Santewan enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps shortly after graduating from the former Luzerne High School Class of 1962. Following basic training at Parris Island, SC, and advanced training at nearby Camp Geiger, he was assigned as a guard at a military installation in Arlington, VA. Shortly thereafter, he joined the Fleet Marine Force (FMF) and trained on the M50 armored anti-tank vehicle.
As a member of the FMF, he sailed the waters of Italy, Spain and France aboard the USS Shadwell, continuously training as a sea-to-land invasion tank unit. Later assignments included Okinawa, Japan and Da Nang, Vietnam, where he and his fellow Marines escorted ammunition trucks during the early preparations of the Vietnam War. He completed his military journey after four years and was honorably discharged in 1966 as a Lance Corporal. He received the Expeditionary and Good Conduct Medals.
According to Becky Orlowski, NEPA Quilts of Valor leader, the patriotic quilts, made by members of the NEPA QOV, are a powerful reminder of the significance and healing power of quilts as an expression of gratitude to our courageous servicemen and women.
For information on the NEPA Quilts of Valor Chapter, email — nepaqov@gmail.com — or visit the chapter’s Facebook page at Northeast PA Quilts of Valor.