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Five brothers honored with Quilts of Valor for serving multiple branches of the U.S. military over decades

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Five brothers presented with Quilts of Valor on April 12, from left, were Bronze Star recipient John Michael McNabb, 76, of Blackstone, Va., a staff sergeant in the United States Marine Corp from 1967 to1973, and the U.S. Army from 1973 to 1991; Robert Phillip McNabb, 70, of Myrtle Beach, S.C., a chief master sergeant in the United States Marine Corp from 1974 to 1976, and the United States Air Force from 1978 to 2007; William Joseph Narango, 70, of Rosedale, Md., a sergeant in the United States Marine Corps from 1975 to 1979; Brian Francis McNabb, 68, of Bel Aire, Md., a staff sergeant in the United States Marine Corps from 1976 to 1983, and the United States Army from 1983 to 1984, and a sergeant major in the United States Air Force from 1984 to 2016; Patrick James Narango, 67, of Berkeley Springs, a master sergeant in the United States Air Force from 1990 to 2014. Not pictured is Tim Narango, 66, of North Carolina, who served in the United States Marine Corps from 1978 to 1980

by Lisa Schauer

Five brothers who served in the U.S. military were honored with Quilts of Valor (QOV) handmade by the Morgan County chapter of Quilts of Valor – known as the Mountain Mama quilters – presented at the American Legion in Berkeley Springs on Saturday, April 12.

“This is our way of saying thank you to the veterans,” said QOV volunteer Bonnie Weber of Berkeley Springs.

Weber said the group has presented quilts to grandfathers, fathers and sons, and to husbands and wives, but never to five brothers.

The brothers, including a set of twins, were raised in Rosedale, Md. by Marie Narango, a 62-year-old

The Quilt of Valor Foundation and the Mountain Mama Quilters of Berkeley Springs honored E5 Sherry Shupe with a Quilt of Valor with grateful hearts for her service to our country in the U.S. Army. Her quilt was presented on December 12, 2024 at American Legion Post 60 of Berkeley Springs.

barmaid in Baltimore after she adopted seven siblings who had been removed from one of her customers. Half the boys changed their name to Narango, while the other half kept their surname, McNabb. All six went on to honorably serve their country, while the one sister got married.

The brothers honored on Saturday included:

—Senior Master Sgt. Brian F. McNabb, who served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1976 to 1983, in the U.S. Army from 1984 to 1985 and the U.S. Air Force from 1985 to 2016;

—Staff Sgt. John M. McNabb, who served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1967 to 1973 and the U.S. Army from 1973 to 1991;

—CMSgt. Robert P. McNabb, who served in the U.S Marine Corps and U.S. Air Force from 1974 to 2007

—Master Sgt. Patrick Narango who served in the U.S. Air Force from 1990 to 2013 and

—Sgt. William J. Narango, who served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1975 to 1979.

The Mountain Mama quilters presented 71 quilts of valor in 2024 and have continued their work in 2025.

Anyone can nominate a veteran to receive a quilt of valor by requesting a form from their local American Legion or the VFW, or by going to www.qovf.org.

The Mountain Mama quilters of the Quilts of Valor Foundation, pictured, from left, include Bonnie Weber, Dolores Fitzgerald, Denise Cline, Darlene Narango, Karen McCusker, Portia Lyall, and Dottie O’Toole, group leader. They honored their newest member, Patrick Narango, front, and four of his brothers with a quilt of valor on Saturday, April 12 at the American Legion in Berkeley Springs.

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