Dear Sergeant Honey

By Ceil Stetson

Review by Claudia Pemberton for the Military Writers Society of America

It's not often that a reader is privy to the intimate writings of an individual's diary and/or personal letters, but on the rare occasion that they are, it can make for a reading experience like none other. Such is the case of Dear Sergeant Honey.
Unlike an autobiography, this compilation of diary entries and letters offers a glimpse into a past that is neither embellished nor retold by way of an imperfect memory. It is told in perfect recollection on a day by day basis.
Dear Sergeant Honey is an impressive and rare collection of a personal account of World War II as told by a woman who actually lived it. Staff Sergeant Hildegarde Molnar, a member of the Women's Army Corps during World War II brings us along on her distinguished and unique military (and personal) journey from basic training in February, 1943, to her return home in September of 1945, with stops everywhere in between.
While stationed in England, Hildegarde meets her husband to be, Staff Sergeant Grandon Scott. Grandon was also serving in the Air Force at the time. Since both of them were ranked as sergeants, they would begin their letters to one another with the greeting, "Dear Sergeant Honey." Their catchy salutation now serves as the perfect title for Hildegarde's memoir.

Hildegarde was one of an elite group of women soldiers who was permitted to wear combat ribbons for her involvement in the war. Also for her "Meritorious service in direct support of military operations," Staff Sergeant Hildegarde Molnar was awared the prestigious Bronze Star Medal. After her passing in 2001 at the age of 86, her daughter, Ceil Stetson, discovered the treasury of letters and diary entries and compiled them for publication.

The book, although serious in context, has some humorous moments intermingled with the touching and somber recounting of a world war with intricate details as told from a rare perspective at the time. . a female soldier's perspective. WW II buffs will find Dear Sergeant Honey fascinating; historians will find it enlightening; women will find it empowering; and soldiers will find it authentic.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ceil Stetson
• Release date: Jan 2, 2013
• ISBN: 9781301695171

Ceil Stetson

The photo is of my mother, the actual author of this book. I am merely the editor. We are full time RVers. We participate in the Author's Fair at Reader's Oasis Bookstore in Quartzsite, Arizona in January and February. Stop by and visit.

Book preview

Excerpts of Review by Claudia Pemberton of the Military Writers Society of America

It's not often that a reader is privy to the intimate writings of an individual's diary and/or personal letters, but on the rare occasion that they are, it can make for a reading experience like none other. Such is the case of Dear Sergeant Honey.

While stationed in England, Hildegarde meets her husband to be, Staff Sergeant Grandon Scott. Since both of them were ranked as sergeants, they would begin their letters to one another with the greeting, Dear Sergeant Honey. Their catchy salutation now serves as the perfect title for Hildegarde's memoir.

WW II buffs will find Dear Sergeant Honey fascinating; historians will find it enlightening; women will find it empowering; and soldiers will find it authentic. (Editor's Note: Complete review on web page)

Dear Sergeant Honey

by

Ceil Stetson

Published by Ceil Stetson at Smashwords

Copyright 2013 by Ceil Stetson

http://www.dearsergeanthoney.com

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This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment. This ebook may not be reproduced, copied or distributed for commercial or non-commercial purposes. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people.

Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

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INTRODUCTION

My mother is the author of this book, I am merely the editor of her words. Everything is true, just as she wrote it during her military service in World War II. I have edited some diary entries and letters for brevity but never added to her words. I did put the locations on her diary entries.

This is not an interview after the fact. This is true history written as things happened. She wrote in her diary every day. She wrote voluminous letters home full of detail. I had no idea she kept all her papers from World War II until after she passed away in 2001. I discovered her World War II souvenirs, letters, diaries, programs, newspaper clippings, medals, and photographs. I spent several years assembling and putting her letters and diary entries into the computer. There is a print edition available also.

The book is in four parts and will be published as four separate ebooks:

Part I is The Basics and covers basic training at Daytona Beach, FL, Camp Polk, LA, Ft. Devens, MA, and Camp Shanks, NY, from February 1943 to July 1943.

Part II is Don't Worry Until I Tell You To and covers at sea to England, Earls Colne Airfield and Marks Hall where she was attached to the 3rd Bombardment Division (M). The dates for this part are July 1943 to December 1943.

Part III is Dear Sergeant Honey and covers Marks Hall; Chartres, France; Reims, France, from December 1943 to December 1944.

Part IV is The Greatest Generation Goes Home and covers Reims, France; Namur, Belgium, Camp Beale, CA, from December 1944 to September 1945.

Please visit my website at http://www.dearsergeanthoney.com. There are pictures and a lot of information about her and and the WACS. There is an ebook page especially for pictures mentioned in this ebook. There is also A Cast of Characters to help you get to know the people mentioned in her letters and diary entries. You can contact me through the website. I would love to hear from you.

Editor's Note: On Thursday, February 18, 1943 at 2:30 p.m., my mother, Hildie Molnar, had a phone call from her mother, Cecelia Molnar. Her family was living in Pasadena, CA, and she worked in Los Angeles. The Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC) ordered her to report for duty on Saturday, February 20, 1943. She had to inform her employer (the California State Board of Equalization-Liquor Control Division) clean her desk, pick up papers from WAAC headquarters and prepare to leave not quite two days later. This letter from her to her parents and her brother, Bill, details her trip to Daytona Beach, FL, her first basic training camp. There were to be three more after Daytona. When she went to Union Station in Los Angeles on Saturday to get the train for Daytona, she met a girl that she knew very well from the Santa Barbara office, Dorothy Wilkins. She said Hildie was responsible for her joining up to be a WAAC

Letter home, February 26, 1943, Daytona Beach

Dear Folks,

To begin at the beginning of this here little journal. Saturday night, February 20, and Sunday morning, February 21, 1943. There were four cars of WAACs.Two cars were tourist sleepers with berths on both sides and an aisle in the middle and they were very crowded and stuffy.

We were really lucky to be where we were even though we were the last car so last for breakfast. Three girls to a compartment. Dorothy and I slept together in the lower. In the tourist sleeper cars there were enough fussy gals so that they couldn't open the windows. We kept ours open all the way during the day and it was swell.Windows were terribly dirty so I managed to lean out and wash the outside. Meals were really excellent on the train. Had stops in Phoenix and Tucson, but when I say stops I mean they let us get off the train to run around the tracks and depots for a bit.

Monday, February 22, a holiday, they let us sleep until 7:45. Southern Pacific left us in El Paso in the middle of the night but we stayed in the same cars, just different engine and crew. Then found out there was no diner on the train. Ours was a 100% troop train so every time it stopped all the WAACS and soldiers swarmed out and overwhelmed any nearby soft drink or magazine stand. Also of course some rapid acquaintances developed. Didn't do much good though, our respective cars were out of bounds to each other.

Moonlight was beautiful last night. We were very tired and really slept. I tried to look out a couple times during the night but couldn't keep awake. Dorothy and I sharing a lower berth still. I'm establishing my reputation as a screwball. Oinest is well liked. He is sitting on top of the headrest of my seat. Everyone wonders if I'm the one who asked whether I could bring a mascot.

We are being overfed considering we don't do anything. So far it seems I packed the right things. Not too much and not too little. Have been wearing bobby sox and oxfords since yesterday.

Tuesday, February 23. This letter sounds like a timetable. I kept a little log book, hence all the tiresome detail. Surprised to find two cars