From: Crystalokk@aol.com Message-ID: <d4a.34597e79.35b1feef@aol.com> Date: Fri, 18 Jul 2008 10:13:03 EDT Subject: Gold Star Exhibit at McFarland Library
GOLD STAR EXHIBIT AT McFARLAND LIBRARY
Published in the “McFarland Thistle”
by Crystal Lokken
An exhibit, documenting a fascinating piece of McFarland and U.S.
history, has opened in the History Room at McFarland's E. D. Locke Library.
It tells
the story of a McFarland woman’s pilgrimage to France to visit the g
rave of
her son who was killed during WW I, three days before the Armistice on Novem
ber
11, 1918.
Displayed in the exhibit case are photos, mementos, a diary of her trip
,
an American flag which was a gift to her from the City of New York, gifts
she brought from Paris for her family, and much more.
During WW I more than 116,000 U S. troops were killed in Europe.
Approximately 33,000 families chose to have their soldiers buried in U.S. mi
litary
cemeteries there. From 1930-1933 the U.S. government organized and conducted
month-long pilgrimages for mothers and widows of servicemen to visit their
loved one’s grave. The government made the trips a pleasant experien
ce. They
were viewed as missions of peace.
During WW I, when a soldier was killed, families hung a gold star in a
window of their home. It represented the sacrifice of the fallen person to
their country, as well as the pride of the family in this sacrifice.
On June 10, 1930, Mary Lyster Nelson boarded the 5:21 p.m. train at
MacFarland (sic) for Chicago. Changing to a train for New York City, she and
other
Gold Star mothers traveled via Cleveland, Ohio, first to Buffalo, N. Y.,
where they were taken by bus to view Niagara Falls, and then went on to New
York
City.
On June 13th, Mary, with her Gold Star Mother’s group, left on
the S.S.
President Harding for Cherbourg, France. From there they went by train to
Paris, where they were given a tour of the city, participated in a ceremony
of
placing a wreath on an unknown soldier’s grave and attended a recept
ion where
speeches were given by the Ambassador of the U.S. and General Pershing.
On Tuesday, June 24, Mary Nelson’s 69th birthday, the group t
raveled
to the cemeteries in eastern France. For several days Mary spent time at the
Meuse-Argonne cemetery where she visited her son, Helmer Nelson’s gr
ave. Over
14,000 fallen American soldiers are buried there. It was a time for private
mourning, a time to say goodbye and find peace.
After the visits at the cemeteries, the mothers returned to Paris where
they were treated to 5 days of sightseeing, which included Notre Dame
Cathedral, Versailles where the Armistice was signed, Fountainbleau, the Ame
rican
Embassy and the American Church in Paris, and the Eiffel Tower at night.
The pilgrimage group returned to New York City on the S.S. President
Roosevelt. After two days in New York City, they returned to their homes.
Though there have been several wars since, with dead numbering 400,00
0
during WW II, 58,000 during the Vietnam War, 36,000 in the Korean War, and
now more than 4,000 in the present war in Iraq, there has never been such an
effort by the government to honor and aid mothers who have lost their sons i
n
battle. The pilgrimages remain fascinating today and are worth remembering.
The 1930 Gold Star Pilgrimage exhibit in the history room is open daily
during library hours.
**************
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