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What Leora Never Knew: A Granddaughter's Quest for Answers
Five brothers served. Only two came home.
What Leora Never A Granddaughter’s Quest for Answers is Joy Neal Kidney’s journey of research and remembrance, and the companion book to Leora’s The Story of Love and Loss for an Iowa Family During World War II.
Joy Neal Kidney’s new book, What Leora Never A Granddaughter’s Quest for Answers, masterfully captures the essence of “The Greatest Generation” through her family lens. – John Busbee, The Culture Buzz
We must never forget these young men who served our nation and who paid the ultimate sacrifice with their lives. - Steve Snyder, author of Shot The True Story of Pilot Howard Snyder and the Crew of the B-17 Susan Ruth
What Leora Never A Granddaughter’s Quest for Answers is Joy Neal Kidney’s journey of research and remembrance, and the companion book to Leora’s The Story of Love and Loss for an Iowa Family During World War II.
Joy Neal Kidney’s new book, What Leora Never A Granddaughter’s Quest for Answers, masterfully captures the essence of “The Greatest Generation” through her family lens. – John Busbee, The Culture Buzz
We must never forget these young men who served our nation and who paid the ultimate sacrifice with their lives. - Steve Snyder, author of Shot The True Story of Pilot Howard Snyder and the Crew of the B-17 Susan Ruth
- GenresHistory
233 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 23, 2023
10 people are currently reading
8 people want to read
About the author
Joy Neal Kidney
10 books54 followersJoy Neal Kidney, the oldest granddaughter of the heroine of the "Leora Stories," is the author of "Leora’s Letters: The Story of Love and Loss For an Iowa Family During World War II," "Leora's Dexter Stories: The Scarcity Years of the Great Depression," "Leora's Early Years: Guthrie County Roots," and "What Leora Never Knew: A Granddaughter's Quest for Answers."
A graduate of the University of Northern Iowa and married to a Vietnam Air Force veteran, Joy lives in central Iowa.
A graduate of the University of Northern Iowa and married to a Vietnam Air Force veteran, Joy lives in central Iowa.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
January 17, 2025
This book opens and closes with poppies commemorating the loss of soldiers, specifically Joy Kidney’s three uncles who lost their lives in WWII. Leora Watson’s five sons all served in the war; three were pilots and never returned. Two of them were declared Missing in Action, and another died while in training.
When Leora passed away, the author became the family archivist and began sorting through her grandmother’s papers. She found a lot of information, but little about what actually happened to her uncles. Thus started more than a decade’s search for answers, for information that Leora never knew.
This read chronicles the military journeys of Dale, Daniel, and Junior Watson. It focuses on the author’s relentless research, sharing what the family knew—deployments, training, aircraft, letters from the War Department—and what the author discovered through correspondence, reading, and connecting with the men who served with her uncles. She received tangible items, such as medals that the War Department had never forwarded.
Most of the read is technically detailed, the account precise with places, names, and dates. There are a wide variety of photos of Dale, Daniel, and Junior, of the Watson family, and of the men who helped Kidney with her research. This isn’t an overtly emotional read, though the tragedies create a heartbreaking undercurrent that I couldn’t help but tune into.
It’s an excellent read for WWII history buffs and for those conducting research into WWII. The author’s goal, to commemorate her family’s sacrifice (and honor the sacrifices of other military families) was skillfully achieved.
When Leora passed away, the author became the family archivist and began sorting through her grandmother’s papers. She found a lot of information, but little about what actually happened to her uncles. Thus started more than a decade’s search for answers, for information that Leora never knew.
This read chronicles the military journeys of Dale, Daniel, and Junior Watson. It focuses on the author’s relentless research, sharing what the family knew—deployments, training, aircraft, letters from the War Department—and what the author discovered through correspondence, reading, and connecting with the men who served with her uncles. She received tangible items, such as medals that the War Department had never forwarded.
Most of the read is technically detailed, the account precise with places, names, and dates. There are a wide variety of photos of Dale, Daniel, and Junior, of the Watson family, and of the men who helped Kidney with her research. This isn’t an overtly emotional read, though the tragedies create a heartbreaking undercurrent that I couldn’t help but tune into.
It’s an excellent read for WWII history buffs and for those conducting research into WWII. The author’s goal, to commemorate her family’s sacrifice (and honor the sacrifices of other military families) was skillfully achieved.
March 3, 2024
What Leora Never Knew : A Granddaughter’s Quest for Answers is the fourth book in the series Joy Neal Kidney has written about her maternal grandmother Leora Goff Wilson, beginning with Leora’s Letters: The Story of Love and Loss for an Iowa Family in World War II. Each book can be read as a stand-alone, but I would recommend reading the entire series–and reading it in order–Leora’s Letters, Leora’s Dexter Stories, Leora’s Early Years, and What Leora Never Knew.
Kidney’s quest for answers about the fate of her three uncles killed serving their country in World War II began in earnest with her grandmother’s death in 1987. Leora had left a legacy of family letters, which brought back the full extent of pain and grief the surviving family members experienced, in particular Leora’s two daughters, Doris, Kidney’s mother, and Darlene, her aunt.
Kidney was determined to discover and document as much information as she could about the specific circumstances of her uncles’ deaths to keep their memories alive for future generations of her family. As it turned out, the Leora books are now part of the historical record not only for the State of Iowa but for the entire nation.
What Leora Never Knew is the story of Kidney’s research process and findings about the circumstances of each uncle’s death and the aftermath of those deaths. As detailed in the book, Kidney became a highly skilled (and dogged!) researcher. I was very impressed by the previously-classified military records she had been able to obtain and the range of resources she employed to discover the missing pieces of her uncles’ stories.
The first section of the book introduces readers to the Wilson family, with particular emphasis on the three brothers who were lost, Dale, Danny, and Junior. Some of the information appears in prior books in the series, but it is expanded upon in this volume. These chapters cover each brother’s entry into the service, his training, the day-to-day life of the pilots, the larger context of military operations, and notification to the Wilson family of each brother’s loss, Dale and Danny missing in action, Junior killed in a training accident.
The second section of the book presents the military records that tell the story of each plane’s loss, including horrific eye witness accounts, the disposition of Junior’s body, and the searches to find Dale’s and Danny’s remains. Kidney’s matter-of-fact tone when discussing military operations, the details of the brothers’ assignments, and the missions they went on, followed by the specific circumstances of each death and subsequent search for their remains left me incredibly sad.
The official military documents, particularly the lists of personal effects–”Pants, sweat, Shirt, sweat, Drawers, wool, Undershirts, wool” (p. 85)--really brought home the fact that these were three ordinary, decent young men who were cut down before they had a chance to begin their adult lives, all for love of country. What Leora Never Knew, was an emotional read for me but an important and necessary read, both for the history of this country and for its future. I cannot recommend it highly enough.
Kidney’s quest for answers about the fate of her three uncles killed serving their country in World War II began in earnest with her grandmother’s death in 1987. Leora had left a legacy of family letters, which brought back the full extent of pain and grief the surviving family members experienced, in particular Leora’s two daughters, Doris, Kidney’s mother, and Darlene, her aunt.
Kidney was determined to discover and document as much information as she could about the specific circumstances of her uncles’ deaths to keep their memories alive for future generations of her family. As it turned out, the Leora books are now part of the historical record not only for the State of Iowa but for the entire nation.
What Leora Never Knew is the story of Kidney’s research process and findings about the circumstances of each uncle’s death and the aftermath of those deaths. As detailed in the book, Kidney became a highly skilled (and dogged!) researcher. I was very impressed by the previously-classified military records she had been able to obtain and the range of resources she employed to discover the missing pieces of her uncles’ stories.
The first section of the book introduces readers to the Wilson family, with particular emphasis on the three brothers who were lost, Dale, Danny, and Junior. Some of the information appears in prior books in the series, but it is expanded upon in this volume. These chapters cover each brother’s entry into the service, his training, the day-to-day life of the pilots, the larger context of military operations, and notification to the Wilson family of each brother’s loss, Dale and Danny missing in action, Junior killed in a training accident.
The second section of the book presents the military records that tell the story of each plane’s loss, including horrific eye witness accounts, the disposition of Junior’s body, and the searches to find Dale’s and Danny’s remains. Kidney’s matter-of-fact tone when discussing military operations, the details of the brothers’ assignments, and the missions they went on, followed by the specific circumstances of each death and subsequent search for their remains left me incredibly sad.
The official military documents, particularly the lists of personal effects–”Pants, sweat, Shirt, sweat, Drawers, wool, Undershirts, wool” (p. 85)--really brought home the fact that these were three ordinary, decent young men who were cut down before they had a chance to begin their adult lives, all for love of country. What Leora Never Knew, was an emotional read for me but an important and necessary read, both for the history of this country and for its future. I cannot recommend it highly enough.
October 16, 2025
A moving tribute to memory, sacrifice, and the fierce endurance of a family’s love.
What Leora Never Knew by Joy Neal Kidney is more than just a memoir; it's a journey into the heart of one American family's greatest bravery and worst sorrow. This volume, which is a companion to Leora's Letters, explores buried histories and goes beyond recalled tales to reveal facts that even Leora, the mother of three sons who were killed in World War II, was never able to learn.
I was impressed by the meticulous research, letters, military records, eyewitness accounts, and the quiet relics of a family archive (poppies, telegrams, diaries). Kidney steps wholeheartedly into the role of historian and detective, not only granddaughter. Her quest is deeply personal, yet profoundly universal. It is a testament to The Greatest Generation: not only those who fought, but those who waited, prayed, and grieved in silence.
The book unfolds through powerful chapters such as Missing in Action, Was Dale Wilson a POW?, My Search for Answers, all revealing three fallen brothers: Dale, Danny, and Junior Wilson. Names too often reduced to headstones come alive as pilots, dreamers, young men writing letters home between missions. It's beautiful and aching. Chapter by chapter we travel from Iowa farm fields to the Pacific skies over New Guinea, from Italian airbases to Austrian crash sites. We learn of cryptic POW broadcasts, misfiled records, and the aching mystery surrounding Dale’s vanished bomber:
"The Wilson family story needed to be remembered… Those losses lasted a lifetime. It’s not something you ‘get over."
At its core stands Leora: mother, poppy-seller, Bible-reader. She is the woman who buried three sons yet walked to town every day, holding fast to faith. She never knew the full fate of her boys. Joy seeks those answers for her. The red crepe paper poppy (first seen through a child’s eyes) is transformed into a family icon, a symbol of remembrance over forgetting.
"More than just surviving, she was able to transcend her circumstances. Leora thrived and was an anchor to her family."
By the final chapters of visits to foreign graves, reunions with veterans, Freedom Rocks or European caretakers still tending American headstones, we come to understand the true cost of war is not measured in battles, but in decades of unanswered questions. Because Joy Neal Kidney has gifted us more than history. She has restored identity to the missing, voice to the silenced, and purpose to remembrance.
For readers of WWII history, generational memoirs, or anyone who has ever stood at a grave wondering what truly happened, this book is an essential read. It reminds us that memory is not passive, but rather an act of devotion.
A haunting, heartfelt tribute. A granddaughter’s promise fulfilled. Highly recommended.
What Leora Never Knew by Joy Neal Kidney is more than just a memoir; it's a journey into the heart of one American family's greatest bravery and worst sorrow. This volume, which is a companion to Leora's Letters, explores buried histories and goes beyond recalled tales to reveal facts that even Leora, the mother of three sons who were killed in World War II, was never able to learn.
I was impressed by the meticulous research, letters, military records, eyewitness accounts, and the quiet relics of a family archive (poppies, telegrams, diaries). Kidney steps wholeheartedly into the role of historian and detective, not only granddaughter. Her quest is deeply personal, yet profoundly universal. It is a testament to The Greatest Generation: not only those who fought, but those who waited, prayed, and grieved in silence.
The book unfolds through powerful chapters such as Missing in Action, Was Dale Wilson a POW?, My Search for Answers, all revealing three fallen brothers: Dale, Danny, and Junior Wilson. Names too often reduced to headstones come alive as pilots, dreamers, young men writing letters home between missions. It's beautiful and aching. Chapter by chapter we travel from Iowa farm fields to the Pacific skies over New Guinea, from Italian airbases to Austrian crash sites. We learn of cryptic POW broadcasts, misfiled records, and the aching mystery surrounding Dale’s vanished bomber:
"The Wilson family story needed to be remembered… Those losses lasted a lifetime. It’s not something you ‘get over."
At its core stands Leora: mother, poppy-seller, Bible-reader. She is the woman who buried three sons yet walked to town every day, holding fast to faith. She never knew the full fate of her boys. Joy seeks those answers for her. The red crepe paper poppy (first seen through a child’s eyes) is transformed into a family icon, a symbol of remembrance over forgetting.
"More than just surviving, she was able to transcend her circumstances. Leora thrived and was an anchor to her family."
By the final chapters of visits to foreign graves, reunions with veterans, Freedom Rocks or European caretakers still tending American headstones, we come to understand the true cost of war is not measured in battles, but in decades of unanswered questions. Because Joy Neal Kidney has gifted us more than history. She has restored identity to the missing, voice to the silenced, and purpose to remembrance.
For readers of WWII history, generational memoirs, or anyone who has ever stood at a grave wondering what truly happened, this book is an essential read. It reminds us that memory is not passive, but rather an act of devotion.
A haunting, heartfelt tribute. A granddaughter’s promise fulfilled. Highly recommended.
November 8, 2024
I have read several of these books now about the Wilson family thanks to Joy Neal Kidney’s painstaking research and archiving of the family’s documents and letters. The last one I read told of the impact of WWII and this book takes that a stage further.
Five of Leora’s sons went off to fight in the war. Two of them joined the navy and the other three became pilots.
Tragedy struck all three airmen. Dale’s plane went down near Wewak, New Guinea, and his parents received a Missing In Action telegram. Daniel was shot down in Germany and buried there originally, and Claiborne Junior crash landed near Nordheim and was buried in the local cemetery.
The author points out that they’d visit the three graves and leave flowers on them, but she didn’t like to ask any questions in case she upset the older relatives. It therefore came as a shock when she discovered that only one boy was actually buried there.
The book is an account of the digging for information that Joy Neal Kidney did to find out all she could about the three boys. Some of it was heart-rending. Dale’s plane ditched in the sea but there were radio broadcasts that said he’d been captured by the Japanese. This was really unsettling for the family.
The research involved contacting the people who had worked with the men who gave their accounts and who often kept in touch through the years. The author also contacted the military authorities and was allowed access to a considerable body of information.
As with all the books, what comes across are the strong bonds within the family. They wrote to each other often and the letters are affectionate, newsy and humorous. There are some lovely photographs too, and the boys were certainly a handsome bunch of young men.
This is a moving and informative account and it’s reassuring to know that people keep the monuments and stories going to remember all the brave men who fought for their country.
Five of Leora’s sons went off to fight in the war. Two of them joined the navy and the other three became pilots.
Tragedy struck all three airmen. Dale’s plane went down near Wewak, New Guinea, and his parents received a Missing In Action telegram. Daniel was shot down in Germany and buried there originally, and Claiborne Junior crash landed near Nordheim and was buried in the local cemetery.
The author points out that they’d visit the three graves and leave flowers on them, but she didn’t like to ask any questions in case she upset the older relatives. It therefore came as a shock when she discovered that only one boy was actually buried there.
The book is an account of the digging for information that Joy Neal Kidney did to find out all she could about the three boys. Some of it was heart-rending. Dale’s plane ditched in the sea but there were radio broadcasts that said he’d been captured by the Japanese. This was really unsettling for the family.
The research involved contacting the people who had worked with the men who gave their accounts and who often kept in touch through the years. The author also contacted the military authorities and was allowed access to a considerable body of information.
As with all the books, what comes across are the strong bonds within the family. They wrote to each other often and the letters are affectionate, newsy and humorous. There are some lovely photographs too, and the boys were certainly a handsome bunch of young men.
This is a moving and informative account and it’s reassuring to know that people keep the monuments and stories going to remember all the brave men who fought for their country.
December 28, 2023
Joy Neale Kidney has documented an American saga of hard work, dedication, patriotism, and above all, sacrifice with her four Leora Books. I have reviewed Leora’s Dexter Stories, Leora’s Letters, and Leora’s Early Years previously. These first three volumes tell the Wilson family history and the tragedy of losing three sons to WWII through the mother, Leora’s, perspective. The fourth book in the series, What Leora Never Knew: A Granddaughter’s Quest for Answers, describes Kidney’s own search for more answers about her uncles’ military careers.
The book contains heartbreaking information, such as Leora receiving news of Dale being MIA on her birthday. Dale’s sister Doris was pregnant and had only told Dale in a letter. But the letter was returned to her, “marked ‘Missing in Action.’” Kidney puts together information and shares it in an easy-to-read style. For instance, the Wilsons received three notes from radio operators that Dale had been taken POW of the Japanese, but this was never confirmed. The information included personal identity info that was not on their ID tags. Where would the Japanese have gotten this information if they didn’t have Dale?
I love that Kidney included images of documentation and letters. The visuals help to connect the reader to these difficult days that her family went through. A poignant section is when Kidney realizes that Dale had a diary and how it was separated from his other belongings. I could tell you more, but why don’t you just read the book? You might want to read the other three before you get to this one or if you want to get right to this one, consider at least reading Leora’s Letters, the first book, the one where I learned that all three men had died during the war, a book that reduced me to tears in a doctor’s waiting room.
The book contains heartbreaking information, such as Leora receiving news of Dale being MIA on her birthday. Dale’s sister Doris was pregnant and had only told Dale in a letter. But the letter was returned to her, “marked ‘Missing in Action.’” Kidney puts together information and shares it in an easy-to-read style. For instance, the Wilsons received three notes from radio operators that Dale had been taken POW of the Japanese, but this was never confirmed. The information included personal identity info that was not on their ID tags. Where would the Japanese have gotten this information if they didn’t have Dale?
I love that Kidney included images of documentation and letters. The visuals help to connect the reader to these difficult days that her family went through. A poignant section is when Kidney realizes that Dale had a diary and how it was separated from his other belongings. I could tell you more, but why don’t you just read the book? You might want to read the other three before you get to this one or if you want to get right to this one, consider at least reading Leora’s Letters, the first book, the one where I learned that all three men had died during the war, a book that reduced me to tears in a doctor’s waiting room.
May 26, 2024
World War II shattered the idyllic life of Iowa farmers Clabe and Leora Wilson. All five sons, integral to their Minburn farm, enlisted. Their eldest, a Navy veteran, rejoined the fight. The younger three soared for the Army Air Corps. Leora, the family's anchor, wrote hundreds of letters, a lifeline in a time of fear. "Leora's Letters" chronicles her story: a woman's dreams of home and family deferred by immense sacrifice. Yet, her resilience shone for four decades after. Granddaughter Joy Neal Kidney, an Air Force veteran's wife, resurrects Leora's voice through these powerful letters. A gifted storyteller, Joy weaves them into the family's wartime narrative, bringing her relatives to life. Kidney's meticulous research and the heartfelt letters offer a poignant window into a close-knit family forever marked by war.
June 13, 2024
I can’t think of a way to summarize all the great aspects of What Leora Never Knew. This story is a sweeping family quest. Joy Neal Kidney did an extensive family search for the real story behind the death of three of her uncles in World War Two. Five served. Only two made it home. What Leora Never Knew depicts the incomprehensible impact such a loss had on her family and the great resolve it gave author the author to bring the story into the light. She did an exemplary job using actual letters as exhibits in the story. She has honored both those who were lost and those forced to endure such a loss. I am glad I read this account. It had to be told and the family legacy it spawned had to be honored. Joy is such a gifted storyteller. Every bit as good as the other books in the series.
January 10, 2024
Great follow up to her other books!
Joy has obviously put a tremendous amount of time and effort into researching her family history. What a pleasure it is to read her results. Her grandmother was a friend of my grandmother and as I recall she was a wonderful woman. I didn't know of her loss in WWII. I have learned so much from reading Joy's books that also gives me some insight into my grandparents feelings as their sons went off to fight in WWII.
Joy has obviously put a tremendous amount of time and effort into researching her family history. What a pleasure it is to read her results. Her grandmother was a friend of my grandmother and as I recall she was a wonderful woman. I didn't know of her loss in WWII. I have learned so much from reading Joy's books that also gives me some insight into my grandparents feelings as their sons went off to fight in WWII.
July 20, 2024
"What Leora Never Knew: A Granddaughter's Quest for Answers" by Joy Neal Kidney is an engaging, interesting book that highlights the other books Neal Kidney has written about her three uncles who never returned from WW II. Her attention to detail and her dogged research are remarkable. If only every family had a family historian like her. I highly recommend it.
January 13, 2024
What Leora Never Knew
by Joy Neal Kidney
In a word: Poignant. Soulful. Inspiring. Somber. Brilliant.
One simple word can not encapsulate this story. Moved by a deep love for her grandmother Leora, Joy Neal Kidney spends decades searching for the real story behind the death of three of her uncles in World War Two. Five uncles served, and only two made it home was memorialized in her first book, Leora's Letters. This work is the story of what it took to bring you that book. What Leora Never Knew depicts the incomprehensible impact such a loss had on her family and the great resolve it birthed in the author to make it known. She has honored both those who were lost and those forced to endure such a loss. Frequent tears dot the pages of my book and warm my soul. I am so grateful this story has been told and the family legacy has been honored.
by Joy Neal Kidney
In a word: Poignant. Soulful. Inspiring. Somber. Brilliant.
One simple word can not encapsulate this story. Moved by a deep love for her grandmother Leora, Joy Neal Kidney spends decades searching for the real story behind the death of three of her uncles in World War Two. Five uncles served, and only two made it home was memorialized in her first book, Leora's Letters. This work is the story of what it took to bring you that book. What Leora Never Knew depicts the incomprehensible impact such a loss had on her family and the great resolve it birthed in the author to make it known. She has honored both those who were lost and those forced to endure such a loss. Frequent tears dot the pages of my book and warm my soul. I am so grateful this story has been told and the family legacy has been honored.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews