Once in awhile in life you are afforded a privilege as I was at the Stronghurst Fall Festival Car Show when I interviewed Al (Alban) Nelson Jr., a 92 year old veteran of World War II, the Korean War and Vietnam. He was a career United States Marine who put his life on the line in all three of these major conflicts.
Born in West Burlington, Iowa in 1925 the son of a baker, Al's family consisted of a brother and sister too. Growing up he delivered the Hawkeye Gazette to households in West Burlington, IA; in fact, he said he knew most everybody in town. He attended West Burlington School but graduated from Burlington High School as West Burlington did not offer secondary education.
On Sunday, Dec. 7, 1941 he was on his way home from Sunday School when he heard the news of the attack on Pearl Harbor. The nation was in turmoil and young men felt obligated to sign up with a service, He and a friend at age 17 decided they liked airplanes so would join the Army Air Corps (later became the Air Force) so they hitchhiked to Ottumwa, IA. However, when they went to the recruiting office, the recruiter wasn't there for the day and the Marine one was. They became Marines.
Boot camp was at San Diego, California for eight weeks and then he was shipped out to Hawaii for one year of training with tanks. Little did he envision what lay ahead. Iwo Jima!
The Battle of Iwo Jima (Feb. 19-March 26, 1945), a major battle in which the United States Marine Corps landed on and eventually captured this eight mile long and 4 mile wide island from the Imperial Japanese Army; it was the scene one of fiercest battles during World War II. Al Nelson and his fellow 4th and 5th Marine Amphibious Corps aboard tanks on LST's were part of the landing wave.
The Navy had intensively bombarded the island and U.S. Navy and Marine planes provided air supremacy throughout the battle. However, command did not realize that 15 ft. of soft volcanic ash awaited the invasion which meant that a secure footing or construction of fox holes was not possible. Believing that the Japanese force had been reduced, the Americans were allowed to pile up men and machinery on the beach only one hour later to face machine guns, mortars and heavy artillery.
Soon Al and his fellow tanks landed under heavy fire. They quickly made a half turn toward Mount Suribachi firing to support the troops. The battle commenced. Kids, just kids, saw sights that they had never seen before and would haunt them the rest of their lives. On the third day Al was sitting at the bottom of Mt. Suribachi when Joe Rosenthal snapped the iconic picture when six Marines from E company, 2nd Battalion, 28th Marines raised the U.S. flag on top of the mountain. The battle was far from over.
The Japanese were heavily fortified with a dense network of 11 miles bunkers and hidden artillery positions. Despite bloody fighting and severe casualties on both sides, the American victory was assured from the start. However, the Marines suffered 7,000 deaths with 25,851 casualties.
Japanese deaths were three times the number of American deaths-21,000 with only 216 taken prisoner. For years as many of 3,000 continued to resist within the cave systems eventually surrendering. When the Marines pulled out, the island was left in charge of the Army.
Al's service was not over. Suffering from injuries, his outfit returned to Hawaii to regroup. After the Japanese surrender, Al was sent to Japan for 2 years where he re-enlisted. When asked if he visited Nagasaki and Hiroshima, he commented, "Yes, it was pretty torn up; it was bad."
1946 found him aboard a ship for 45 days bound for the good old USA going through the Panama Canal on to Camp LaJune, North Carolina. From 1946-1948 he was stationed at Camp LaJune for 3-4 years where he re-enlisted again. In 1949 he married Jaclyn Westfall. (They had four children-Tim, Cindy, Rex and Cheryl).
In 1950 he went to California for training and then on to Korean War where he was shot in the knee and awarded a Purple Heart. Returning stateside after the war, one of his buddies, Hugh O'Brien, said he was heading to Hollywood to become an actor and said Al should come too. However, being a professional Marine and having a family was what Al wanted to do; beside, he didn't like horses, horse sweat and horse xxxx. The two kept in touch and anytime Al found himself on the West coast, he would visit O'Brien on his ranch.
Vietnam found Al patrolling the river on an amphibious vehicle. When asked what was his worst day in combat, he said having to shoot several Vietnamese; it was kill or be killed.
In 1968 Al retired and reinvented himself working for the Burlington Northern as a machine operator for 14 years.
Being exposed to Agent Orange, he developed diabetes. He stressed that the VA gave good care to Vietnam veterans. Retiring again, Al took up new hobbies-vintage cars and playing golf. He is the proud owner of a 1979 El Camino, 1993 a Cadillac convertible, and a 2017 Cadillac XTS, which he showed at the Stronghurst Fall Festival.
Last year U. S. Senator Joni Ernest honored Al with an American flag which had flown over the Capitol and a US Senate medallion in a ceremony at Memorial Auditorium in Burlington, Iowa as he is believed to be the last Iowa veteran alive to serve in all three wars. Nelson presented her with a box of sand from the beach at Iwo Jima which he had obtained when visiting the island in 2008 during the World War II battle's 63rd anniversary.
His second wife of 22 years, Wanda Pope died and he now enjoys the company of his special friend Jean Salisbury.
AL NELSON, JR., 92, of Burlington, IA, was awarded the "Veteran's Award" last Saturday during the Stronghurst Fall Festival annual car show.
Edge to Edge – This is a repeating pattern of your own choice that starts at the top of the quilt and goes in rows to the bottom.Ã‚Â We place the rows as closely as possible to get the best effect.
In The Ditch – This puts the stitching as closely as possilbe into the seams of the quilt blocks.Ã‚Â It is the slowest type of stitching – especially when the blocks or pattern have diagonal seam lines.
Circles – Are placed over blocks going from small to large at regular intervals.Ã‚Â Very pleasing on many types of quilts.
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Most machine quilters charge by the size of the quilt top combined with the sytle of quilting requested.Ã‚Â The various styles of quilting are charged at different rates.Ã‚Â Our example shows our usual pricing for an All-Over-Pattern.
First measure your quilt top to find the length and width in inches.Ã‚Â Since every machine and every quilter will sew a slightly different quarter inch seam, you must actually measure your quilt top instead of relying on the finished measurements given in your pattern.Ã‚Â The first step is to multiply your length in inches times your width in inches.Ã‚Â Then follow the formula below substituting your dimensions…
Posted in Machine Quilter, Machine Quilter Brisbane | Tags: australian machine quilters, australian machine quilting, custom machine quilting, gammil quilting, gammill long arm, gammill quilting, long arm quilter, long arm quilters, long arm quilting, long arm quilting services, long arm sewing, machine quilt, Machine Quilter, machine quilters, machine quilters in, machine quilting in, machine quilting service, machine quilting services, professional machine quilting, quilting by machine, quilting machine australia, quilting machines australia | Comments Closed
Neat quilting can be achieved if the quilt top and backing are straight to begin with.Ã‚Â Always cut fabric on the straight grain to ensure a straight edge.
Fullness and puckers pieced into the quilt top cannot necessarily be quilted out.Ã‚Â We will do our best, but quitl tops with these problems may still have the problems after quilting is completed.
Posted in Machine Quilter, Machine Quilter Brisbane | Tags: australian machine quilters, australian machine quilting, custom machine quilting, gammil quilting, gammill long arm, gammill quilting, long arm quilter, long arm quilters, long arm quilting, long arm quilting services, long arm sewing, machine quilt, Machine Quilter, machine quilters, machine quilters in, machine quilting in, machine quilting service, machine quilting services, professional machine quilting, quilting by machine, quilting machine australia, quilting machines australia, Quilting Magic - Long Arm Machine Quilter Brisbane | Comments Closed
This is definitely not original, as display options for small quilts are prevalent all over blog land - but that is what blogger is about - inspiring and encouraging one another!!! But alas, I didn't have any available baskets, so wandered about my house and spied my grandmother's 3 Gallon Crock - Perfect!!! Gathered my small quilts that were stored in a quilt box, fussed and tried different arrangements and settled for this -
Up until a few days ago, much of my fat quarters and smaller yardages were stored in boxes stacked in a closet. Since, I had more space in my sewing room, and pondered about how to had easy access storage right in the sewing room. Voila - two cabinets made with old barn wood and old windows. I hadn't constructed any work projects for a couple of years, so it was fun to get our the tools and go to work. I'm so pleased with my cupboards!
The small quilt on top of this cupboard was a doll quilt that was given to me when I was wee little girl!! I am so thankful that I saved it after all these years!
But I am blown away by your cabinets!! I could no more build something like them than I could fly to the moon, but I wish I could. I am so impressed. They are WONDERFUL!!
Your little quilts look darling in the crock. Wouldn't you grandmother be surprised. I love the cabinets you built. You are very handy with power tools I'd say, It's wonderful that you still have your doll quilt. I collect them and always wonder about the little girls they belonged to.
Great idea--the barn wood and old windows--made for a great storage cabinet and you can see what's inside!
Wow, Doniene! I LOVE your cabinets! They are especially awesome because YOU made them. I showed them to my DH and he thinks we (he) can make them from wood and windows we found in our barn and shed when we moved here. May not happen soon but you have certainly inspired us. The crock of quilts is beautiful. Love that you are using things you already have. So glad you saved the doll quilt - it is perfect there atop the cabinet. "encourage one another" - totally agree with that! You are special!
We used to have a crock and I am so sorry that we sold it in a garage sale when down sizing. Would have been a good place for displaying small quilts.
Aaaaah, I do love you use of the crock to store your *pretties*! Way to think outside the proverbial box!!! :)
Your cabinets are fantastic!! Well done. I love the crock filled with little quilts. Precious to have a quilt from childhood! I spy a green and cream with pink border quilt...that looks like fabulous eye candy too. It all looks fabulous!
Oh my dear friend, what a couple of fabulous posts!! I adore ALL your finishes in the previous posts - I love that olde worlde look you have acheived in your quilts - beautiful - and woo-hoo with the quilting too :-)
Your cabinets you've just made are perfect - how lucky to have those beautiful windows to use - great building skills but I guess after building a house, anything is possible! Lovely storing your quilts in the old crock, too, neat that you can see a peek of them all.
You are one talented girl...I love the look of the quilts in the crock and your cabinet....which is pretty awesome dear lady !
Your cupboards look fantastic!! I love the way you used windows :0) Your collection of little quilts look wonderful in that crock as well.
although flowers of the deciduous tree Tilia tomentosa (pictured) are pollinated by honeybees, the nectar is somewhat toxic to bumblebees?
Question 1: This then allows deciduous plants to have xylem vessels with larger diameters and therefore a greater rate of transpiration (and hence CO2 uptake as this occurs when ________ are open) during the summer growth period.
Question 2: The absence of leaves improves wind transmission of pollen for win-pollinated plants, and increases the visibility of the flowers to ________ in insect-pollinated plants.
Question 4: Many deciduous plants ________ during the period when they are leafless as this increases the effectiveness of pollination.
Question 5: The cells are sensitive to a plant hormone called ________ that is produced by the leaf and other parts of the plant.
Question 6: These forests are found in many areas worldwide and have distinctive ecosystems, understory growth, and ________ dynamics.
Question 7: Deciduous has a similar meaning when referring to animal parts such as deciduous antlers in ________,[2] or deciduous teeth, also known as baby teeth, in some mammals (including human children).
Question 9: ________ pigments produce reds and purple colors, though they are not always present in the leaves but are produced in the foliage in late summer when sugars are trapped in the leaves after the process of abscission begins.
Question 10: Trees include Maple, many Oaks, Elm, ________, and Birch, among others, as well as a number of coniferous genera, such as Larch and Metasequoia.
While we believe this is a very worthy program, we think it is a bad precedent to have private industry support a federally funded program. - James Mulva
We receive no federal dollars. We're federally mandated to respond to disasters, but our money comes strictly from donations, so this is a great shot in the arm. - Gayle Wilhelm
We do have federally listed species that use the forest, and we need to have a plan that protects those species as well as produces revenue, and that's what we've tried to do with the plan. - Jim Young
We caught them on tape lying to a federally insured bank to obtain financial information. And the trafficking is the unfair part. - David Medine
We can't hand out the food free, much of it is very heavily federally subsidized and provided through federal food sources, and we have to account for that. - Greg Knudsen
We are federally mandated to respond to all emergencies, but we do not receive any federal, state or local government funding. We've sent all of our money out of state to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina, so we are in a big financial crunch right now. - Whitney Beem
Under current federal policy on human embryonic stem cell research, only those stem cell lines derived before August 9, 2001 are eligible for federally funded research. - Tom Allen
EPL: Three reasons Sanchez wants to quit Manchester United Romelu Lukaku will also face a late fitness test having missed United's last two outings with a hamstring injury, with Mourinho hopeful he could be fit to play.
Iceland Christmas ad banned over 'political message' Richard Walker, managing director for Iceland Food group said: "We wanted [the Greenpeace film] to be our signature campaign". Iceland will still be placing TV ads, but only 10-second clips that will highlight palm oil-free products.
CNN Reporter Jim Acosta Berated By Donald Trump & Suspended From White House "I don't think he's a smart person, but he's got a loud voice, and as far as I'm concerned, I haven't made that decision". You've got to treat the White House and the office of the presidency with respect".
Scientists find oldest figurative cave painting Maxime Aubert said: "It looks like there was a transition from depicting the animal world to [depicting] the human world". After large animal drawings and stencils, "It seems the focus shifted to showing the human world", Aubert said.
Don't Arrest 'Sarkar' Director Till November 27: High Court To Police Now the top director moved to Madras High Court requesting for anticipatory bail following the Sarkar controversy row. Unprecedented events transpired outside theatres across Tamil Nadu where the film's posters and banners were damaged.
Disney has announced that it's developing a second Star Wars live-action series for its upcoming streaming service, now officially dubbed Disney+.
Diego Luna is set to star in a new "Star Wars" TV series for Disney's upcoming streaming service, Disney+.
He says users should also be able to access the cartoon Clone Wars, based on the Star Wars universe and a new television show spin off of Pixar's Monster's Inc. I have so many memories of the great work we did together and the relationships I made throughout the journey.
Iger said that even though Disney will need to respect Hulu minority shareholders Comcast and AT&T with respect to any decisions it makes for the service, he sees opportunity to ramp up investment in Hulu and potentially raise prices for the service. He also said that Disney+ will feature navigational features "that typically don't exist" and that it will "super serve the most ardent fans of those five different brands by creating experiences and environments customized and personalized to those brands".
That show seems to have a very "Game of Thrones" like $100 million, eight episodes per season, budget, so I would imagine that "Cassian" (let's just go ahead and name it, why don't we), will be in the same range. What is somewhat surprising is that a character like Cassian Andor, above all others in the vast galaxy of characters in the Lucasfilm canon, is getting his own show. These shows may have actors such as Tom Hiddleston and Elizabeth Olsen reprising their big screen roles as Loki and the Scarlet Witch in programming that debuts on the streaming service. He also returned to play Cassian Andor in the Star Wars: Secret of the Empire VR experience, which /Film's Jacob Hall talked about here.