For sale is a rare Mother's Gold Star grouping in memory of Private Carl C. Nelson from Penn Yan, Yates County, New York. This unique collection features several notable items, including a black mourning band with a bullion star worn by Nelson's mother and a Victory Medal with Nelson's name engraved on the reverse and an attached Gold Star. The group also includes two memorial citations, one printed in America and the other in French, both presented in honor of Nelson. Among the accompanying items are three photographs, although one of the photos may appear to depict a different soldier due to the angle, but there is a note inside the metal-framed photo identifying him as Nelson. Additionally, the group contains a Bible given to Nelson upon his enlistment, a 1919 calendar, and two baptismal certificates from his family.
Carl C. Nelson was drafted on September 4, 1918, and underwent training at Camp Jackson, SC. Unfortunately, he contracted lobar pneumonia during his training and tragically passed away on October 2, 1918, without having served a full month. The Spanish Flu pandemic, which occurred concurrently with World War I, had a devastating impact on military personnel worldwide. The cramped conditions and close proximity in military training camps and barracks provided ideal circumstances for the rapid spread of the virus.
The close contact between trainees and the movement of soldiers from different regions facilitated the swift transmission of the disease within military installations. Limited medical knowledge about the virus, insufficient medical resources, and the overwhelming number of cases placed a strain on medical personnel and facilities. As a result, many trainees fell ill and lost their lives to the flu.
*The mourning band and Gold Star medal will be used in a future American Militaria Reference article
*Digital research not included in the sale.