08/07/2026
The Stitching Hearts Quilts of Valor group from Abercrombie were honored to award a Quilt of Valor to John E. John served with the United States Army from November 1966 to November 1968.
Following high school, John attended the University of South Dakota in Vermillion, where participation in the ROTC program was required during his freshman and sophomore years. At the end of his sophomore year, he made the decision to continue his military service by enlisting in the United States Army. Between his junior and senior years of college, John attended Basic Training at Fort Lewis, Washington. After successfully completing training, he returned to the University of South Dakota and earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Engineering.
Graduation day marked two significant milestones in his life. That morning, during his commissioning ceremony, his mother proudly pinned his first gold bars on his uniform—a moment he has always treasured. Later that day, he participated in the university commencement ceremony wearing his graduation robe over his military uniform. He recalls how warm it was with the robe and the uniform on.
Although he was scheduled to enter active duty in June, the unexpected passing of his father changed those plans. To help his family, his enlistment was deferred until November so he could remain home and assist with the fall harvest. Afterward, he drove himself to Fort Belvoir, Virginia, to attend Advanced Individual Training, where he trained as a Construction Engineer.
His military occupational specialty involved combat engineering and construction. During training, he learned to construct floating bridges and wooden bridges, assembling and disassembling them repeatedly to master the skills required in the field. He also received extensive instruction on operating and maintaining a wide variety of engineering equipment. Following training, he was assigned to Fort Benning, Georgia, where he assisted with processing and maintaining equipment returned by a unit redeploying from Vietnam. He was then deployed to Vietnam, where he proudly served for one year.
During his tour in Vietnam, his engineering skills were put to use in many different settings. His work included facility repairs, utilities, and construction projects. Assignments ranged from repairing churches to working in hospitals, buildings, and repairing structures wherever they were needed. His service reflected the adaptability required of Army engineers during the Vietnam War.
After returning from Vietnam, his final duty assignment was at Fort Hood, Texas, where he served for four months with an armored division working in the motor pool. Because it was an election year, he was also assigned the important responsibility of assisting service members with absentee ballots, navigating the different voting requirements for every state to help ensure Soldiers were able to exercise their right to vote while serving overseas. He was honorably discharged in 1968 as a 1st Lieutenant.
Following his honorable discharge from military service, John had a career with 3M Corporation for 30 years. On behalf of the Stitching Hearts Quilts of Valor group from Abercrombie, the Quilts of Valor Foundation and a very grateful nation, we thank John for his service, sacrifice, and valor in serving our country. Welcome Home!
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