The Fantastic Quilt Guild Quilts of Valor chapter of Fairfield Glade presented a Quilt of Valor to Gary Stark on June 5 at his home.
Janice Cahill and Lynn Varcak of the Quilts of Valor chapter presented the quilt, with Stark’s wife Linda in attendance.
Stark started his U.S. Navy career in 1976 after graduating from the U.S. Naval Academy. He earned his pilot’s wings in May 1978. His first tour was piloting a VC-5 in Cubi Point, Philippines.
Other duty stations included: Jacksonville, FL; Washington DC; Pacific Fleet Headquarters, Pearl Harbor; Pacific Command Headquarters, Hawaii; and OPNAV Staff DC.
He was also deployed on USS Independence, USS Saratoga, and USS America.
Stark served in the Persian Gulf War including Desert Shield and Desert Storm (1990-91); and Mogadishu, Somalia (1992-1993).
He transitioned to the Helicopter (antisubmarine) Squadron with six deployments and almost 5,000 flight hours.
Capt. Stark was honorably discharged in 2006, ending his 30-year career in the Navy with 33 medals and 20 ribbons.