Utah Cold War Victory Medals presented to veterans in pinning ceremony

(Left) Douglas S. Kimball holds a certificate of recognition for receiving the Utah Cold War Victory Medal. (Right) Sherwood Preece presents Douglas S. Kimball with a Quilt of Valor. (Photos courtesy of Nelson Thibault)

Nearly a decade ago, the Utah Legislature passed HB220 in 2017 establishing the state’s Cold War Victory Medal. Since then, thousands of deserving veterans have received the medal at pinning ceremonies conducted throughout the Beehive State.

The latest pinning ceremony took place at Murray City Hall in Murray, Utah on Jan. 17. It was conducted by the Utah Cold War Veterans Foundation, a nonprofit organization that pays tribute to Cold War veterans in a very meaningful way. 

The foundation’s mission is to award the Utah Cold War Victory Medal at no cost to eligible veterans who served from the end of WWII in 1945 to the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. In the case of deceased veterans, the medal is presented to a family member.

The task of conducting pinning ceremonies is done through the work of board members referred to as “Blue Shirts” by Larry Kerr, Utah Cold War Veterans Foundation chairman. Sherwood Preece, a Blue Shirt and Vietnam veteran, planned and scheduled the Murray ceremony.

To help facilitate the event, members of the Battlin’ Betties Utah Platoon were on hand to assist in seating family members and friends of veterans being honored, and taking pictures to help them remember the day.

The venue for the pinning ceremony was rather special and the Utah Cold War Veterans Foundation is extremely grateful to Murray Mayor Brett Hales for hosting the event at City Hall. It was the first Utah Cold War Veterans Foundation pinning ceremony to be held there. Hales was notably keen about the event, including addressing the group as a guest speaker. 

Approximately 100 people were in attendance at the award ceremony, where 25 veterans were presented with the Utah Cold War Victory Medal. In addition to the medal, they also received a certificate of recognition for their Cold War service.

One of the most noteworthy moments of the emotional event involved 91-year-old Army veteran Douglas S. Kimball.  Douglas received the Utah Cold War Victory Medal, a certificate, and a Quilt of Valor.

In the nine years that the Utah Cold War Victory Medal has been awarded by the foundation, Sherwood Preece estimates that more than 5,000 medals have been presented to deserving recipients at pinning ceremonies statewide. 

Utah is currently one of a handful of states that have formally recognized a medal for Cold War service. As a 2022 recipient of the award, I am very grateful to Utah lawmakers who passed the legislation necessary to make that a reality. 

The Utah Cold War Victory Medal is a tremendously meaningful and fitting tribute to veterans of the Cold War era. That sentiment was certainly prevalent at the Murray pinning ceremony and highlighted by Sherwood Preece.

Sherwood told me in an email that the event “was a great afternoon to honor veterans, thanking them for their service.” He went on to state that “We can’t say thank you enough for these men and women that served.”

Nicely put, indeed.