My Dearest Bea: Love Letters from the USS Midway

by Peyton H. Roberts

“Soon I’ll be home again and once more, time and life will have a meaning.” Bill Holston, USS Midway, 1951

In May 1951, a lovestruck sailor said a tearful goodbye to his sweetheart before boarding the USS Midway. Longing for home, he picked up a pencil and poured out his heart.

My Dearest Bea is a rare collection of intimate love letters written by U.S. Navy Band trumpet player Bill Holston to his new bride in Norfolk, Virginia, during the long months of sea duty following their wedding day. When the letters are discovered generations later, a blossoming romance leaps off the page transporting readers into the heart of a timeless love story.

137 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 1, 2024

Reviews

[Callie Murray]

This book was so special, especially as a military spouse. It’s a collection of letters from the author’s grandparents, pieced together with the author’s own take on their story. It’s a beautiful love story and celebration of family, and as a military wife myself, it made me appreciate our own seasons apart (and the letters we have from those seasons) even more.

[Carmen W.]

My Dearest Bea is a beautifully crafted window into a love that feels both intimate and universal. Through Bill Holston’s heartfelt letters from the USS Midway in 1951, Peyton H. Roberts brings to life a story filled with longing, devotion, and the steady hope that carries couples through distance and uncertainty.
Each letter is rich with emotion, offering an authentic glimpse into military life, young marriage, and the kind of love that deepens through words on a page. It’s moving, nostalgic, and profoundly human.

A touching read for anyone who appreciates true love stories, historical letters, or the quiet power of handwritten connection.

[Nancy]

I don't know what it is about epistolary books, but lately I can't get enough of them. Something the author says in her postscript rang true to me: "As handwritten correspondence becomes a lost pastime, I believe old letters will become even more cherished. The sentiments and stories inside unlock a door to the past, allowing loved ones to live on vibrantly in our hearts long after goodbye."

It's a labor of love that Roberts has performed here, not only reconstructing the early years of her grandparents' marriage for her own family, but for all of us. These letters provide an unselfconscious glimpse into the heart of a young sailor almost seventy five years ago. The language of the time is preserved like amber; the sentiments are timeless. The book is short and sweet (without being saccharine) and is a reminder to all of us that there's so much hope for humanity - a tonic during times when it's easy to despair about the world.

H. Roberts, Peyton . My Dearest Bea: Love Letters from the USS Midway (p. 123). Anchor Line Press LLC. Kindle Edition.

[Beth Westcott]

I enjoyed reading Peyton Roberts' beautiful tribute to her beloved grandparents, My Dearest Bea. The authenticity of Shoopa's sweet love letters to his beloved Bea are enhanced by Peyton's commentary and the sharing of her own wonderful memories of her grandparents. I'd call this memoir a labor of love.

[Lizann Lightfoot]

This book is a beautiful collection of love letters written from a Navy musician to his wife in the 1950's. But it is more than that. It's a reflection on the way a loving relationship can impact family members for several generations. It's a commentary on the ways military life has changed, yet the emotional struggles remain the same. The yearning of a long-distance relationship during deployment will be familiar to modern readers. In this book, readers will savor the glimpse into a military marriage and the satisfying development of their love, as told through the eyes of their granddaughter. My Dearest Bea is a testimony to the lasting value of hand-written letters.

[September.W. Bookpublicist]

My Dearest Bea: Love Letters from the USS Midway is a touching and beautifully preserved collection of personal correspondence that offers readers a heartfelt glimpse into love, sacrifice, and military life during the early 1950s. Through the genuine letters of Bill Holston, Peyton H. Roberts captures a timeless romance that reminds us of the enduring power of love across distance and uncertainty.

One of the book's greatest strengths is its authenticity. The letters were never intended for publication, allowing readers to experience the raw emotions, hopes, and everyday moments shared between two newlyweds separated by military service. Their sincerity creates an emotional connection that is both intimate and deeply moving.

Beyond its romantic appeal, the book serves as a valuable historical snapshot of life aboard the USS Midway and the experiences of service members during the post-World War II era. Bill Holston's reflections provide insight into the daily routines, challenges, and emotional realities of life at sea while offering a personal perspective that history books often overlook.

The narrative also highlights the quiet strength and resilience required of military families. While Bill served aboard the USS Midway, Bea remained at home, and the letters beautifully illustrate how written words became a lifeline that sustained their relationship despite months of separation. Their story reflects the universal themes of devotion, patience, and hope that continue to resonate across generations.

Peyton H. Roberts presents the collection with care and respect, allowing the voices of Bill and Bea to remain at the heart of the story. The result is a reading experience that feels both historically significant and emotionally uplifting.

Overall, My Dearest Bea is a remarkable tribute to enduring love, military service, and the lasting importance of preserving personal history. It will appeal to readers of memoirs, military history, historical nonfiction, and anyone who appreciates authentic stories that celebrate the strength of human connection.

[Military Writers Society of America (MWSA)]

MWSA Review

My Dearest Bea: Love Letters from the USS Midway is a lovely memento for family and friends of the letter-writer, U.S. Navy Band trumpet player Bill Holston. The letters, which cover a brief period aboard the USS Midway from May to November 1951, are alive with details of mustering for General Quarters, practicing Man Overboard drills, and playing music for the refueling of destroyers and in-port dances. Professions of his love for his new wife, not so interesting to an outsider, also abound.

Peyton Roberts, the editor and Holston's granddaughter, realizing the limited appeal of her grandfather's letters, broadens the main story with well-researched historical background and her own interwoven story of being a navy spouse. Added attractions include family portraits and a vintage photograph of the Midway. This is a spare but neatly put-together book. A more ambitious book, developing of the historical background of the Navy Band, the USS Midway, and the pressing concerns of military family separation issues, would add value.

Review by Nancy Arbuthnot (June 2024)

[Lisa Franco]

I was happy to receive an ARC of this book from the author/editor. My Dearest Bea is a beautifully annotated collection of love letters from Peyton's beloved grandfather to his wife, penned while he served as a musician in the Navy during the Korean War.

As a Navy spouse herself, Peyton has brought to this project an understanding of the many sacrifices service families make. This special bond with her grandparents and their influence on her life unfold through the loving and deeply personal prose she has woven throughout the letters.

Peyton’s tribute to her grandparent’s loving relationship during and after their separation brings their story back to life, preserving it for future generations, but it also reveals itself as a cathartic experience for her. It is wonderful she has chosen to share this part of her family’s history in this heartwarming book.

[Emily]

(Thank you so much to the author and publisher for my gifted copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.)

This was the sweetest collection of letters written from the USS Midway in the 1950s. The author of the letters is a Navy musician writing to his new bride, and the letters are annotated by the granddaughter of this sweet couple.

As a Navy wife myself, I really enjoyed this and loved reading the perspective of another service member writing home. One of the things I do love about this time my husband has spent in military service is that we do have a lot of handwritten letters, whereas others in my generation may not. I have saved every one! It’s fun to feel some comradery with couples who have served before us and I really felt that way from these letters.

What a sweet family treasure. I’m thankful to the author for allowing us readers to enjoy this sweet love story too. If you’re interested in history, sweet family stories, or naval history, I’d definitely recommend this short read to you.

[Jennifer Gwaltney]

The true-life love story of a sailor, Bill Holston, and his bride, Bea, literally unfolds from the letters the couple exchanged, discovered years later by their granddaughter, Peyton Roberts, who lovingly preserved their correspondence within this book.

Bill and Bea’s story is deeply personal, yet their letters were a delight to read. Bill passionately writes to Bea about the heartache of being apart, but as the couple share details about their everyday lives, there are lighthearted moments, too. I especially enjoyed gaining their insight into the social mores and values of the post-WW II era.

Overall, “My Dearest Bea” is an endearing and enduring book—a must-read for military spouses, but also for history buffs, and anyone who enjoys a good love story.

[Kathryn Butler]

"My Dearest Bea" offers a touching glimpse into the relationship between Bill Holston, a U.S. Navy Band trumpet player, and his bride, Bea, during his sea tour. The collection of vintage love letters illustrates how love can flourish even when apart. As a Navy wife, I found these letters especially relatable even with the decades between their experience and mine.

“My Dearest Bea” is a perfect nightstand read, and would also make a great bridal shower gift. A charming read for anyone who roots for young (and enduring) love!

[Mary Fox]

This collection of love letters not only offers us a glimpse into a faded past—letters as the only mode of communication—but also the touching evidence of one young man’s work to keep his long-distance romance alive despite the sea between them. It’s not every new husband who is as talented at writing as this one, and you’ll be swiftly caught up in his sweet longing to be back with his new bride just as soon as the Navy allows. A must-read!

[Doris Biddix]

As a prior military spouse before email & iPhones, letters were all we had to stay in touch besides the collect calls home. This book was so touching & brought back so many memories for me. That the letters were so lovingly shared & the glimpses of their family & their dedication to each other, make this book a treasure!! Highly recommend!! There’s even a short chapter about what to do if you find old letters in an attic!! This book is excellent & I enjoyed reading it so much!!

[Heather Sweeney]

I absolutely loved this heartwarming book! Getting an inside look at the special love story between Bill and Bea through letters and the author's commentary made me wish I had access to any letters my grandfather may have written to my grandmother while he was in the Army. And as a former Navy spouse myself, I appreciate the power of letter writing during military separations, something that has become a lost art. I highly recommend this book!

[Linda Klager]

I loved reading about two people so much in love that they kept writing letters to each other while Shoopa was off serving our country during the Korean War.

I am so glad their granddaughter transcribed each letter and included them in a book. Thank you so much, Peyton!

The granddaughter has a lot in common with her grandparents because she is also the wife of a Veteran. She understands how heartbreaking it is to have her husband deployed for long periods.

I am so thankful for all who have served our great country.

[Kate]

I received an early copy of this book for review for Military Families Magazine - these sweet letters reveal a sailor who longed for his wife, a timeless tale to which every military family – then and now – can relate. Fans of military history and current military families will love this book and the connections we make to our loved ones, even when we are apart.

[Jackie]

A beautifully written story of a sailor and his love letters to his new bride. Will brighten and warm your heart, hoping they’ll see each other soon. A not to be missed story.

[Kimberly Funk]

Quick read - sweet story that carries on through generations