Courageous Gold Star Mothers

Mothers seek peace of mind in pilgrimage to Vietnam
Edited by Jennifer Fletcher

In August 2002, four brave women made a pilgrimage to Vietnam that would open old wounds but also bring them peace of mind. Emogene Cupp (83 years old from Alexandria, VA), Anne Herd (76 years old from Forth Worth, TX), Florence Johnson (79 years old from Braintree, MA), and Georgiana Carter Krell (72 years old from Miami, FL) trekked through rice paddies and miles of rugged terrain to reach the sites where each of their sons was killed more than 35 years ago in the Vietnam War.

The women are part of the Gold Star Mothers, an organization of American mothers who have lost a son or daughter during war or service to our country. While no woman wants to qualify for membership in the group, it helps provide some comfort, solace and healing for those who are thrust into its ranks. These Gold Star Mothers felt that the opportunity to visit the sites where their sons died would bring them some peace.

Led by Vietnam veterans Robert Lauver (Selinsgrove, PA), Mike Sweeney (Madison, Connecticut), and Gregg Dearborn (Radcliff, Kentucky) of the Duster, Quads and Searchlight veterans organization, these four elderly women shared a profound experience that connected them in their grief. Said Robert Lauver, "We left as a group but came back as a family."

Despite their age, the four women trekked for two weeks (August 14-28, 2002) through the harsh Vietnamese countryside where these young men were killed, guided by grid coordinates compiled by Robert Lauver. After reaching each site, they had a private moment at the last place on earth their sons had been, followed by a memorial service. Said Anne Herd, "I felt like Ronnie was there when I reached the spot, like I was holding his hand." When the mothers planted flags in the ground at the roadside spot where Emogene Cupp's son had been killed and sang "God Bless America," the Vietnamese traffic on the road stopped out of respect.

The trip to Vietnam was a real eye opener for these women, providing more than an opportunity to say goodbye to their beloved sons who were little more than boys when they lost their lives in a foreign land far from home. Each woman developed a newfound appreciation for the more than three million Vietnamese lives lost during the war.

In keeping with the mission of the Gold Star Mothers, these mothers honor the dead by serving the living. Each woman spends many hours volunteering at her local VA hospital or shelter. They help feed patients who can't feed themselves, cut their hair, wash their clothes, write their letters and provide some comfort or a hug to veterans whose families have so often let them slip away. The Gold Star Mothers say that this experience alleviates their frustrations and gives them a sense of purpose. It also enables them to carry the torch high in memory of their sons.

The Sons Who Died Too Young

Robert Cupp was an only child. He was drafted into the Marines and went to war against his wishes. Robert was killed in June 1968 when he stepped on a mine and was buried on his 21st birthday (Mother: Emogene Cupp).

Ronnie Herd was 21 years old when he was killed by friendly fire. He was a platoon sergeant who accompanied another soldier to set up camp near an area surrounded by the VietCong. When they returned to their troops, they were mistaken for the enemy and Ronnie was fatally shot in the chest (Mother: Anne Herd).

Edward "Ted" Johnson was 18 years old when he was killed in August 1967, a mere three months after having arrived in Vietnam. Knowing he'd be drafted, Ted tried to sign up for the Coast Guard because the Marines are the first on the ground but, ultimately, he was drafted into the marines. Ted was sent by Sergeant Mike Sweeney to protect a hospital in Hoi Ann from the VietCong. While in a machine gun bunker, Ted was killed by a mortar round. He got the bronze star that night for bravery (Mother: Florence Johnson).

Bruce Carter was 19 years old when he died and was buried on his mother's birthday on Aug. 25, 1969. Bruce selflessly threw himself over a grenade, absorbing the full effects of the detonation with his body. He helped save many lives for his sacrifice and received a medal of honor for his bravery (Mother: Georgiana Carter Krell).