Vietnam Veteran Honored with Quilt of Valor

Staff Photo by Michael Williams

When Wesley Herrick returned home from the Vietnam War more than 40 years ago, like many of his comrades he was greeted with indifference and scorn from an ungrateful public. Unlike the veterans of World War II that came home to a ticker tape parade one generation earlier, Herrick’s comrades were frequently spat upon by citizens.

Friday night, Herrick was honored and given the long overdue recognition he deserved. Herrick works as a performer at the Hatfield and McCoy Dinner Show in Pigeon Forge. Shortly before the show he was preparing to go back stage and get ready for the show when the show’s owners David Fee and Jim Hedrick stepped onto the stage and addressed the audience. Fee and Hedrick announced they were there to make a special presentation to cast member that had served valiantly in the Vietnam War I the air and on the ground. Herrick was stunned when the two men asked him to come down to the stage to be recognized. As the audience applauded Herrick stepped onto the stage where Fee and Hedrick presented him with a plaque.

Fee then introduced Dennis Taylor the Tennessee State Director for Quilts of Valor. QOV is a not-for-profit organization that was established 10 years ago by Catherine Roberts who made a quilt for her son who was returning from the Iraq War. The quilt was adorned with numerous patriotic symbols and serves as a token of appreciation for the services of the veteran. Since then the organization has gone nationwide and more than 87,000 quilts have been created by volunteers and presented to veterans.

Taylor was joined onstage by his wife, Doyleen, who had knitted the quilt. Taylor briefly explained to the audience what the quilt stood for and recounted an event in Herrick’s life that underscored the disrespect shown to returning Vietnam vets.

After his return from the war, Herrick returned to college on the G.I. Bill. His college professor told all the students they could call him by his first name. But, Herrick was not allowed to do so because of his service in Vietnam and he pointedly told Herrick he had no respect for him.

“I understand you told the professor what you thought of him,” Taylor asked Herrick. “What did you say to your professor?”

Herrick simply smiled and responded “Let’s just say I let him know the feeling was mutual.”

The Taylors then presented the quilt to a humbled Herrick who was given a standing ovation by a grateful audience.

“I was blindsided by this,” Herrick said. “I never expected this but I am grateful. This was a complete surprise.”

Quilts of Valor is seeking volunteers to make quilts and donations of materials to honor our nation’s veterans. For more information visit http://www.qovf.org/content/new-to-qov.html.