This is a short chronicle of how the quilt came to be put together by SGT Smith.

April 2004 was the birth of this quilt. I started by placing the blocks into a pattern. This took about 5 days and a lot of trial and error to get the final design. This is what it looked like when I started.




I used a queen size bed sheet for the border, and the back is a sheet that was issued to me when I was stationed at Ft Hood, Tx with the 16th Sig Bn in 1995. This sheet was laid out at the Tikrit Fob Danger MWR Sports Bar, for about 4 months. Many soldiers passing thru signed it.





This when I was sewing some of the patches onto the front of the quilt. A few of them are sewn on by hand. The units were really great in giving up their patches. A few are actually combat patches. Meaning the soldiers took them off The uniform they were wearing.






Here are a few of the patches that were given in support of the making of the quilt.





This is a close up of some of the signatures on the back of the quilt.





This is the center. I chose the backwards flag because we are in a combat zone. And we wear the flag backwards to represent that we are running into battle not away. The 1st Infantry Division patch because it is dedicated to the 1st Infantry Division. The Iraq Flag because we are in Iraq. And the Red Cross patch because they are vital to the armed forces not just in Iraq but all over the world.



This is the sewing the last part of the batting, and a partial closing.






Turning the quilt right side out.




The closing of the final corner of the quilt.




This is the corner in which I signed. It reads, Made by SGT Nicole S. Smith, HHC 121 Sig Bn, Fob:Danger, Tikrit Iraq, Started April 2004



The completed front and back of the quilt. Left to Right: SGT Smith Maker of the quilt, SGT Walters the Public Affairs photographer.




The Governor of Tikrit signing the quilt, COL Dragon and SGT Smith.




The governor of Dyala signing the quilt.



LTC looking over my shoulder while write in what organization he is with.



Billie Blanks signing the quilt. His Daughter signed it as well. In the block diagonally to where he signed.




This is the MWR building on FOB Danger, Tikrit Iraq. This is the building where the quilt was made.



This is the bombed out palace on FOB: Danger, Tikrit Iraq.



This picture was taken in Kuwait, The day we left on convoy to Iraq.