Richard Silcox moved to Troy a little over a year and a half ago to get away from the hustle and bustle of Western Washington.

Silcox is one of the four veterans being honored at the Quilt of Valor presentation at 11:30 a.m. today at the Troy War Memorial next to the Post Office, 605 S. Main St., in Troy. The event is part of the Troy Old Timers’ Day celebration.

“I’m kind of new here but it felt like they accepted us out here,” Silcox said.

Before he worked on commercial planes for Southwest airlines he had a 22-year career in the Air Force.

Silcox enlisted in 1972 at the age of 17, turning 18 in basic training. It was the tail end of Vietnam when he joined and said he wasn’t sent over to Vietnam. After his initial service was up for renewal, he chose to continue and was sent to New Mexico, Germany and Washington air bases.

His last 11 years in the Air Force were spent at the McChord Air Base near Tacoma. He retired in 1995 as a master sergeant.

The ceremony is organized by the Troy Historical Society and is one of two held each year, one today and one at the schools. The four veterans being honored are Melvin Denny, Victor Lindquist, Steven Shepherd and Silcox. Denny and Silcox served in the Air Force, Lindquist served in the Navy and Shepherd in the Army.

Charlene Purtee served on the historical society board and, along with Janet O’Conner and Lee Ann Mingo, organizes the Quilts of Valor ceremony each year. The event is part of a national nonprofit and ceremonies have been held in all 50 states. It is open to any living veteran who was honorably discharged, Purtee said.

“It’s not a reward, the quilts are awarded with the intent of healing,” Purtee said.

All veterans were nominated to the national organization at qovf.org, and in-person nominations can be made at the Historical Society located at 421 S. Main St., in Troy. Denny, Lindquist and Shepherd all are returning to Troy to attend, Purtee said, and all have ties to Troy through family, friends or once living in town.

“I feel it’s quite an honor,” Silcox said.

The quilts are made by Palouse-area quilting groups and distributed throughout the region, Purtee said. Each quilt given to a veteran comes with a tag sewn on with the name of the quilter and where it was made.

The Quilt of Valor presentation will take place during Troy’s Old Timers’ Day, which starts with the Lions Club pancake and sausage breakfast at 6 this morning at the City park. A parade is scheduled to start at 10 a.m. and the grand marshals are Mike Fredrickson and Jack Nelson.

There will be buffalo burgers for lunch, and games, a cornhole tournament and more are planned at the city park. Street dancing and live music from Rewind is scheduled in the evening. For more information visit cityoftroy.net/old-timer-s-day-2023.

Nelson can be reached at knelson@dnews.com.