Carmen R. Nelson Reflects on Father in the U.S. Army During World War II

Carmen R. Nelson-Holt is one of Cleveland's "Moot" Nelson's seven children. Before his passing in 1994, Cleveland jokingly told her to go ahead and proceed with getting his diary published. The diary was Cleveland's personal assessment of the war but when it was over, it was carefully buried away, along with the past. Cleveland handed Carmen his diary, a spiral bound notebook filled with handwritten pages that were becoming yellow with age and very hard to read. Although it took several years for Carmen and her sisters to translate their dad's notes, its every page was a precious moment in time capturing the life of a dedicated soldier who dearly missed his loved ones yet knew that he had a tremendous duty to uphold.

REFLECTIONS OF MY FATHER was written by Carmen R. Nelson-Holt to honor her father, the late Sgt. Cleveland "Moot" Nelson and his memories by sharing his personal diary. From December 15, 1941, to January 5, 1945, Sgt. Cleveland "Moot" Nelson recorded his daily life through his diary while serving in the U.S. Army during World War II in the North African and Italian campaigns. He titled the diary, "My Life in the U.S. Army," and it is a personal memoire of the brief, yet important moments of his military days from the moment he enlisted in the army at Fort Francis, East Wallen, Cheyenne, Wyoming, to the end of the war.

To introduce readers to Cleveland Nelson, the beginning of this book contains a brief biography of several generations of the Nelson family, summarizing some of the highlights in their lives. It also includes information on other veterans, related to the Nelsons, and the issues they faced due to their time served in the military. His diary begins with an introduction that conveys to readers the importance of memories to those soldiers during times of loneliness and worry and how these memories becomes like a stimulant giving them the perseverance and determination they need during those tumultuous times. Its synopsis gives an overview of Cleveland's first days of enlistment in the army and ends with the witnessing of Jerry's first air raid and just missing an ammunition dump. The synopsis and diary are derived solely from Cleveland's personal memory and are established purely for the sake of reminiscence, just as the whole diary is. Throughout war history, troops have shown signs of serious stress upon their return home after the war. In this book, readers will also learn about some of the stress reactions to war called Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD, and how they were dealt with. It is not the intent of the author to humiliate or disrespect the persons involved, but only to educate the readers on the real-life struggles that the veterans endured.

REFLECTIONS OF MY FATHER was assembled out of love and admiration to honor those loved ones who fought in the war and to keep their memories alive. The author hopes that this book will be a learning tool on the history of a small part of the Nelson family tree. Cleveland's diary is a link to the past and a piece of heritage that should never be forgotten.

REFLECTIONS OF MY FATHER will be featured at the 2014 Texas Library Association, which will be held in San Antonio, TX on April 8 - 11, 2014.

For more information on this book, interested parties may log on to http://www.Xlibris.com.

About the Author
Carmen Nelson-Holt is the third child out of seven children born to Sgt. Cleveland "Moot" V. Nelson. She became inspired to write a biography of her late father and his family after typing the original manuscript of his World War II diary. Her father was a Lakota Sioux who grew up on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota from 1920 until the early 1950s. During his youth, he performed in Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show then attended school at a Catholic mission where he excelled in sports to overcome the hardship of mission life. Later on, he accepted a heartbreaking job of assisting the Klamath tribe in the termination of their land and the rights that came with it. During the later years of his BIA career, he became an agency superintendent on the Pine Ridge Reservation during the Wounded Knee conflict with the American Indian Movement. Moot also had a sister who enlisted during World War II. Her name was Ida Belle Nelson Amiotte, and she tells the story of her time in the military. Moot's great-grandfather was John Y. Nelson, who lived an adventurous life in the 1800s. He was a trader, a hunter, a pony express rider, a scout and guide with the U.S. Army, a member of the original Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show, and became a Sioux Indian brave.

REFLECTIONS OF MY FATHER * by Sgt. Cleveland V. Nelson / Carmen R. Nelson-Holt
A Biography of the Nelson Family and "My Life in the U.S. Army during World War II"
Trade Paperback; $19.99; 263 pages; 978-1-4797-5603-2
Trade Hardback; $29.99; 263 pages; 978-1-4797-5604-9
eBook; $3.99; 978-1-4797-5605-6

Members of the media who wish to review this book may request a complimentary paperback copy by contacting the publisher at (888) 795-4274 x. 7879. To purchase copies of the book for resale, please fax Xlibris at (812) 355-4079 or call (888) 795-4274 x. 7879.

For more information on self-publishing or marketing with Xlibris, visit http://www.Xlibris.com. To receive a free publishing guide, please call (888) 795-4274.

To post a comment, you must register and login.