Article about Margerite M. Dawson

Item

derivative filename/jpeg

363-07575 to 363-07578.pdf

Digital Object Identifier

363-07575 to 363-07578

Title

Article about Margerite M. Dawson

Description

Original title: "mother", Article draft about Margerite M. Dawson, the mother of Donald C. Dawson who was searching for his MIA brother, for the New York Herald Tribune

AI Usage Disclosure

Draft transcripts were automatically generated via Google Document AI and are currently under review. Please report significant errors to Archives & Special Collections at archives@unl.edu.

Transcript

deepe mother--1 (with dawson article) january 26, 1965 SAIGON--On November 6, 1957, Mrs. Margerite M. Dawson of Costa Mesa, California, received word that her [insertion: ex-] husband’s tuna fishing boat was missing off the southern coast of California. He was never found. Seven years to the exact day later, Mrs. Dawson, [deletion: the] a secretary for a marine products firm, received [deletion: later] a cable that one of her two sons, Lt. Daniel G. Dawson, was missing in action in Viet Nam. A pilot of a two-seat L-19 light reconnaissance spotter plane, [deletion: his body] he has yet to be found dead or alive. Less than a month after receiving news from Vietnam about her [deletion: son Dan’s elderest] elder son Dan’s mishap, her second son Donald C., the [insertion: twenty-five year old] father of four children, flew to Saigon to learn more details about the fate of his brother. [insertion: (More)] deepe mother--2 (with dawson article january 26, 1965 As Donald, at the risk of his own life, traveled through Viet Cong-c Communist-infested areas [deletion: in] near their infamous D-Zone stronghold [deletion: area] only 40 miles north of Saigon, he received [deletion: a pogig poignant] letter from his mother. “My mother is the only one who understands why I came here,” Donald explained in Saigon. “My wife thought I thought more of him [insertion: (Dan)] than I did of her. But we have our whole lifetime together--if I come out of this alive.” This is the [insertion: poignant] letter, Donald’s mother wrote to him from Long Beach, California, on January 18: My Dearest Son Don-- There is so little I can say. Words never could say what is in my heart. How deeply I yearn to be able to tell you of the sorrow we all are sharing--of the burden you alone are carrying out for all of us--and so all [deletion: along.] alone. I wish I could tell you of the love and pride I have for you Don--and the gratefulness for the wonderful project you have taken on for our Danny. I know what a heartbreaking job it has been for you. I can only say I love you. I love you for yourself alone. And if its (sic) possible--my pride for you and your endeavors on Danny behalf--just make my heartache for you and your sorrow and all our love that all of us had for each one of us. [insertion: (More)] [deletion: And its (sic) still all there Don--Dad loved each one of] deepe mother--3 (with dawson article) january 26, 1965 And its (sic) still all there Don--Dad loved each one of us--Dan loved us all. And love never really dies. It will always be there--in our hearts--each time a thought or memory comes--the love will be there to soften the blow of our loss--and the yearning for those who have gone on ahead. Dad and Danny will be waiting for us--and I’m sure--they are watching over us--guiding our paths till we come to the end of our trails. They will be [deletion: the] there to guide us across into that other world they have gone [XXXX indicating deletion] too (sic). And I feel sure that Dan and Dad both are just as proud of you as the rest of us--for your loving efforts. You truly have grown to be a man--a man all fathers, mothers and brothers would be so proud to call their own. Let these few poorly written words tell you of all of our love and pride in you Don. Let me speak for your Dad and Danny--all our love always-- Mother P.S. I have kept a candle lit in the Catholic Church--near where we live--ever since you left. Two candles really. One for you--and your safe return. One for Danny--with the prayer--that if he was still in voil of tears--to give him strength and guidance--b if God had already called him home--I asked God to make a good soldier--a guardian angel--and let him watch over his family. I somehow always felt that this was the real meaning and answer our prayers. The strength and guidance Danny ( [illegible] deepe mother--4 january 26, 1965 didn’t need any more--so God gave it to you. I think now it somehow was really for you any way Don. Voya Can Dios Love, Mom #

Date

1965, Jan. 26

Subject

Vietnam War, 1961-1975--Missing in action--United States; Missing in action--Family relationships; Mothers of soldiers

Location

Saigon, South Vietnam

Coordinates

10.8231; 106.6311

Size

20 x 26 cm

Container

B4, F10

Format

dispatches

Collection Number

MS 363

Collection Title

Beverly Deepe Keever, Journalism Papers

Creator

Keever, Beverly Deepe

Collector

Keever, Beverly Deepe

Copyright Information

These images are for educational use only. To inquire about usage or publication, please contact Archives & Special Collections.

Publisher

Archives & Special Collections, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries

Language

English