AUBURN — Two World War II veterans at Clover Manor were presented with handmade quilts from the nonprofit organization Quilts of Valor on Monday.

Merle Knox was shipped to Europe at the age of 19. He mostly served in France.

“(The Germans) had a submarine base right there in that town — right there along the English Channel,” Knox said. “It was there the whole time we were there.”

Knox said food was scarce and he and the other men began sneaking eggs from the French. It wasn’t long, Knox said, before their own stash of pilfered eggs went missing as well.

Knox said they suspected one of their own until they moved a piano, only to find a tunnel dug by Germans to scavenge the Americans’ ill-gotten eggs.

Recalling another event, Knox said they found themselves in the dark with his buddy pulling the pins out of grenades and handing them to Knox to hastily lob onto a rooftop. “It’s a wonder I hadn’t dropped one,” he said.

It seems Knox is a hard man to knock down. When he returned home, Knox said he went to work in the woods and did construction. After being told he had had a second heart attack, Knox said he threw his medicine away and simply went back to work.

Edward “Mike” Woolley served in the Navy during World War II, landing first on Utah Beach, then with Canadian forces two days later on Juno Beach. Woolley said he still has some sand from that day on Juno, 71 years ago.

Woolley also spent some time in Naples, Italy, where he recalled, “They have nice wine and beautiful women.”

Knox ribbed from the side, “How’d you notice that?”

Woolley said he also wound up in the Sahara Desert. When asked why, he responded, “Well, you don’t expect to see a sailor in a tent in the Sahara, do you?” He said he was there awaiting the invasion of southern France

“Aug. 15, 1944, we took 100 U.S. soldiers — we landed them on the beach, and then we backed off,” Woolley said. When he was signaled to return, he was greeted by 100 German prisoners ready for transport back to his ship.

“They were good guys,” Woolley said. “They didn’t want to die and we didn’t.”

Unable to contain the prisoners on the ship, they were allowed to roam and enjoy chow with ship’s company, Woolley said. One prisoner offered Woolley his belt, emblazoned with a swastika and “God be with us,” in exchange for some bread.

A true Navy man, Woolley was full of sea stories, including the inclination of a bored crew to gamble their time away and of one man who, after winning upward of $1 million, got rid of his winnings in fear for his life when they made port.

Quilts of Valor member Louise Landry Messe said for every service member lost in combat, there are about 10 wounded. The organization has awarded 118,000 quilts since 2003, she said.

Messe said the organization averages 450 quilts a week and 786 a month. With those numbers, it’s no wonder the need for more quilters is high and volunteers are always welcome.

Messe said the quilts are a thank you for service, sacrifice and valor.

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