Unwavering: The Wives Who Fought to Ensure No Man is Left Behind

by Taylor Baldwin Kiland, Judy Silverstein Gray

The true story of the women who waged an epic home front battle to ensure our nation leaves no man behind.

When some of America’s military men are captured or go missing during the Vietnam War, a small group of military wives become their champions. Never had families taken on diplomatic roles during wartime, nor had the fate of our POWs and missing men been a nationwide concern. In cinematic detail, authors Taylor Baldwin Kiland and Judy Silverstein Gray plunge you directly into the political maneuvering the women navigated, onto the international stage they shared with world leaders, and through the landmark legacy they created.

448 pages, Hardcover

Published May 2, 2023

About the author

Taylor Baldwin Kiland holds a master’s degree from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism and a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Southern California. A former naval officer – the third generation in her family to serve - she has also worked as an account director for the global communications firm Burson-Marsteller, volunteered for numerous national political campaigns – including that of Senator John McCain’s in 2000 - and she continues to serve on several charitable boards of directors. She lives in Arlington, Virginia.

Reviews

[Brendan (History Nerds United) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometimes you need a book to highlight something so obvious that you previously missed. Nowadays, the POW/MIA flag is ubiquitous. Even as a former Army officer, I revered the flag and found it to be a comfort in rough times knowing the sentiment behind it. However, I never really knew the actual history behind the flag. As the son of a Vietnam vet, I am doubly at fault for this oversight. Luckily, Taylor Baldwin Kiland and Judy Silverstein Gray have written Unwavering to fix my ignorance.

Unwavering follows the beginning of the POW/MIA movement during the Vietnam war. The book covers an amazing amount of ground and follows dozens of people over decades. The authors write it almost like a novel and it makes the story much easier to follow without having to dive too deeply into every nook and cranny. There is a lot of information in here that you may not have known (just like I didn't) and it's written with clarity and care for the people covered within the pages. I highly recommend it.

(This book was provided as an advance copy by the publisher.)

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5⭐️

I heard these ladies speak on a podcast and I knew right away that I wanted to read their book. Ultimately though I enjoyed the podcast interview more than this book.

I started out invested and highly interested. But they kept adding to the “cast of characters” and I eventually lost track of who was who and what they were going through. The timeline was not linear and we jumped around between wives and families and Ross Perot and political leaders and events. It was hard to follow and I wanted more from each section.

I think it would have been a better book if each chapter was based on one woman’s complete story. I wouldn’t have minded if the book was longer. I was honestly surprised we finished up after 315 pages, and that included pictures.

I wish they had done a “where are they now” in the book itself. Instead they direct you to their website. If this information is on their website, I couldn’t find it.

[Jeff Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

UNWAVERING is a well written chronicling of a group of steadfast and determined women who would not let a Nation forget those who answered the call to serve, specifically those missing in action -- MIA.
For me the Vietnam War years was ever present during high school, at College and then as a National Guardsmen. The names and events documented in UNWAVERING transported me back to that tulmultuous time. Gulf of Tonkin.Tet. Kent State. Watergate. Kissinger.
Authors Taylor Baldwin Kirkland and Judy Silverstein Gray are to be commended for bring the story of these indomitable women to life. The women of UNWAVERING are true American heroes.

[Kathryn Butler · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is topic that I admittedly only knew a little but about and so I’m thankful for the hard work of the authors of putting this together. Reading it as an active duty Navy wife, it really packed an extra punch.

I took one star away because I think the book could have used another edit. There were small typos and it felt a little disjointed. That said, I would still recommend it, especially to a fellow military spouse. What a reminder to be grateful now for the concept of “no man left behind” and that times have changed enough that we certainly have a voice that we can use [reasonably] without [too much] concern.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great book about the women who championed missing soldiers from Vietnam times and since. They truly changed the world. Lots of details which I sometimes had trouble following. I read it on a Ki file and wish I had known about all the notes and key to all the people.

[Jill Young · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great detailed documentary of wives unwavering support and push to our country to first acknowledge then work to bring ALL our servicemen home (2500) POW’s, MIA’s from Vietnam. You feel as though you are right there working with them.

[Lee Dunn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book as I learned a lot about POW wives, and how America's relationship with POWs has changed through the years. These women were trailblazers and had more guts than most of us have today! They were spunky, smart and forced by the US government to become advocates, protestors and more.

I highly recommend this book for anyone looking to learn more about the Vietnam War, POWs or military wives. I really hope it gets made into a movie as I think it would be an incredible story told on the big screen.

[Connie Rehman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent details of the lengths the wives went to to put pressure on the administration to bring the POW's home and especially to continue to get closure on those that didn't come home - MIA's. It detailed each family's storyline from when they met to how they were told and what they did both during the captivity and after they returned home with the last entry in 2018. Interesting details about the amount of commitment or lack of each of the 7 administrations had towards the POW's and MIA's in Vietnam.

[Jeanice Harring · Rating 4 out of 5]

While this book was sometime a difficult one to get through, I really enjoyed the content of this book. As a child whose father did one deployment in Vietnam and a father-in-law who earned a Purple Heart in Vietnam. This book will make a difference in so many ways. This book will help keep the stories of their ancestors alive. It will help future generations understand how difficult it is to fight a war. I end this review with a WOW! Challenging but valuable

[Jessb · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a story that needs to be told. I am left in awe of what a small group of women can accomplish not only for their loved ones, but for their country as well as the improvement of policies of other nations.

[Pat Fetz · Rating 5 out of 5]

So well written and provides a view into the lives of wives and family of the soldiers that were classified as a POW or MIA. These women had a strength and drive others of their time rarely showed.