“Today is Gold Star Mother’s Day,” wrote author Dennis Peterson, “a day to commemorate and honor all the mothers who paid the nation the highest honor of giving their sons or daughters in the service of the country. Their sacrifices have given us our freedom.
“Too often we fail to give our servicemen and servicewomen the recognition they deserve. We tend to take for granted those who gave all for our country. Those who died in our country’s service. But even more often, we totally forget that those brave men and women who gave their all had mothers who also gave dearly for us. They are the ones we honor on this special day that few know about.
“Today, I’d like to take this opportunity to put in a word of recommendation that you read two special books by one special lady. The books are Leora’s Letters and What Leora Never Knew by Joy Neal Kidney.
“Leora was Joy’s grandmother, and she was a Gold Star Mother–three times in the same war. Joy, Leora’s oldest granddaughter, became the family’s historian, the keeper of the family’s legacy. She hadn’t had the privilege of knowing her uncles who died, but she wanted to know them, so she began a long process of researching their stories, using numerous letters and documents that Leora had kept hidden away.
“Leora’s Letters tells the story of love and loss for an Iowa family during World War II. What Leora Never Knew tells of Joy’s quest for answers. And she found them, things that her grandmother never knew. I’ve read both of them, and I highly recommend that you read them, too. You’ll never look at Gold Star Mothers the same afterward because you’ll experience vicariously through the books the anxiety, the worry, the heartache of not knowing, and the devastation of finally getting the dreaded news that a son, and eventually three sons, would not be returning home.
“If you know another Gold Star Mother, thank her today for the sacrifice she made in giving her son or daughter in the service of our country. And read Joy Kidney’s books.”
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Dennis L. Peterson is a historian, educator, and the author of several books, including Dillon’s War about his uncle Dillon Summers, a driver for artillery forward observers of the 391st Armored Field Artillery Battalion, 3rd Armored Division. Check out Dennis’s Amazon Author Page for his other worthy books. Here is his website.
I was introduced to Dennis’s writing through his compelling memoir Unto the Hills: Stories of Growing up in Rural East Tennessee. The stories he has recorded for Our American Stories are just delightful to listen to. Check them out here.
I’m grateful to Dennis for sharing this Gold Star Mothers Day post.
I tried to login and comment on his site, but I don’t think it worked.
This comment posted!
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Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful! Love this praise and recognition, Joy! 🥰❤️🥰
Bless you, Vicki!
Right back to you! 🥰❤️🥰
Congrats on the review Joy. And yes, yes, may never forget the brave men and women and their families who gave all for the rest of us.
Thank you, Brian. I knew Grandma Leora for four decades after the war. Except for Gold Star Mothers Day and Memorial Day, you’d never have known what heartache she’d lived through.
Thank you for this important tribute to the sacrifices of Gold Star Mothers, such as Leora.
Thank you, Liz. I’m thankful that Dennis thought to remember Gold Star Mothers this way.
You’re welcome, Joy.
I can see why you’re so thankful for Dennis’s thoughts on Gold Star Mother’s Day, Joy. His words are wonderful.
Thanks so much, Tim!
My pleasure, Joy. 😊
Dennis’s moving review of these two impactful books and his thoughtful recognition of Goldstar mother’s are touching. Congratulations on yet another noteworthy review, Joy. 🙂
Thank you, Nancy.