Vietnam Veteran Arthur Mitts received a Quilt of Valor from St. Joseph’s Hospital in Nashua as a gesture of gratitude for his service on Veterans Day. This is the second year the hospital handed out a Quilt of Valor, a civilian award designed to thank service members and veterans touched by war.
“We hope that today's Quilt of Valor presentation serves as a small token of gratitude and a symbol of warmth and comfort we wish had been extended to you by our nation when you first returned home,” said Patrick McCarty, who is also a veteran and works at the hospital.
While receiving the quilt, Mitts wore a t-shirt honoring the lives of those lost during the Vietnam War.
Mitts was drafted in 1969 at the age of 19 and served in the Army. He says he's proud to be a Vietnam veteran, even though he was treated poorly and struggled with his health after returning to the U.S.
Donna Swenson from the New Hampshire chapter of Quilts of Valor presented the quilt, reflecting on the difficulties many veterans like Mitts face after they return from tours of duty.
“We believe that as we sew, love, caring and gratitude flow from our hearts through our hands and into those quilts,” she said.
